The RV Industry Association and other members of the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable are throwing their support behind U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and U.S. Rep. Blake Moore’s (R-Utah) reintroduced “Recreation Not Red Tape” Act to lower obstacles for people to recreate in, improve and prioritize the outdoors.
Supporters of the bill say it tackles cumbersome permitting and other processes for outdoor guides, as well as trail and forest maintenance while encouraging the federal land and water management agencies to prioritize outdoor recreation and access. Lowering barriers, improving management and streamlining access will help outdoor recreation contribute even more to economic recovery, jobs, and healthy people and communities, according to the bill’s sponsors.
“Sixty-five million Americans will go RVing this year and many of their adventures lead them to our public lands and waters,” said Jay Landers, RV Industry Association vice president of government affairs. “The Recreation Not Red Tape Act will improve the experiences of these RVers by making recreation a priority on federal lands, improving recreational access, and removing unnecessary barriers so all Americans can enjoy outdoor recreation experiences. Of particular importance to RVers, this bill tasks federal land agencies to develop management plans for extending the recreation season or increasing recreation use in a sustainable manner during the offseason. This provision will help address federal campground overcrowding threatening the growth of the $114 billion RV industry, which drives economic growth in the surrounding local communities and economies.”
Other groups supporting the legislation includes ORR members the American Horse Council, the Archery Trade Association and the National Marine Manufacturers Association.
“Outdoor recreation is a major force in the nation’s economy, contributing $788 billion in economic output and supporting 5.2 million jobs. As our industry grows in popularity and economic impact, federal agencies need updated tools to provide sustainable and improved access to, and infrastructure on, America’s public lands and waters,” said Jessica Turner, executive director of Outdoor Recreation Roundtable. “The Recreation Not Red Tape Act offers sensible, 21st century proposals for identifying and appropriately managing our unparalleled outdoor recreation assets now and into the future.”
