Over the weekend, President Biden signed the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences (EXPLORE) Act into law. Initially introduced by Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-AR), the EXPLORE Act aims to improve and expand access to outdoor recreation on America’s public lands and waters.
The Act includes a dozen related initiatives packaged into one law. It focuses on improving federal public lands, such as national parks, national forests, and areas overseen by the Bureau of Land Management. This lame-duck victory for the Biden administration boasts bipartisan support and highlights the shared priority of stewarding and expanding access to the nation’s natural resources.
Two of the key provisions in the bill will help reduce park congestion and create strong partnerships for more effective public lands management.
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The EXPLORE Act will encourage recreation in less-visited areas by promoting information about underutilized recreation sites through multiple media platforms. It will require federal agencies to implement pilot programs that accurately monitor and predict visitation patterns to inform their management strategies. This will help reduce overcrowding in parks and will help mitigate the environmental effects of overuse, creating a better overall experience for all visitors. Communities near federal parks will benefit from efforts that ease parking congestion and reduce housing shortages.
The bill also will help improve federal land management through the expansion of Good Neighbor Authority (GNA). GNA for recreation is a cooperative agreement between a federal agency and local entities, such as counties, states, and tribes. This agreement allows these local partners to construct or repair recreation infrastructure on federal lands, such as campgrounds and trails. Previously, these activities were prohibited and condemned by the federal government. Local entities often have the best understanding of their communities’ specific needs, enabling more efficient and responsible land management.
The EXPLORE Act includes a wide range of provisions that benefit many stakeholders in the outdoor recreation industry. It modernizes visitor experiences through increased broadband connectivity, digital recreation passes, and programs to accurately monitor visitation. Veterans and active service members will be offered tailored outdoor opportunities. Additionally, it enhances accessibility by creating new trails and recreation opportunities for individuals with disabilities. Hunters, anglers, rock climbers, and cyclists will enjoy expanded access. Enhancing access for hunters and anglers may also increase participation, generating additional conservation funding. Their fees account for 60 to 80 percent of state wildlife agencies’ budgets.
Federal permitting processes for businesses are lengthy, complicated, and costly. The bill will enable entrepreneurs to face fewer obstacles by eliminating duplicative processes, decreasing processing times, and issuing temporary permits during federal review. Existing categorical exclusions for special recreation permits, often required for outfitters and guides, will be reevaluated, and new exclusions may be established to streamline permitting further. With fewer hurdles to enter the outdoor recreation industry, this sector of the economy will likely continue to grow.
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Economically, the EXPLORE Act will capitalize on the growing outdoor recreation industry. The number of outdoor recreation participants grew by over 4 percent in 2023; in 2022, the real GDP for the outdoor recreation economy rose 4.8 percent. To put that into perspective, the overall economy’s GDP grew by just 1.9 percent.
The Act is a notable win for the environment, outdoor recreation, and the economy. As the outdoor recreation industry grows, the Act ensures that outdoor enthusiasts and future generations have access to well-preserved and maintained public lands. Critically, the expanded Good Neighbor Authority will create more opportunities for partnerships to manage and improve federal lands. The incoming Congress and the Trump administration must do more work to enhance stewardship of federal lands, improve ineffective bureaucracies, and address the maintenance backlog. Through Chairman Bruce Westerman’s leadership, they’re getting a head start.
