June 14, 2022
By Kali Kotoski
America’s Outdoor Recreation Act of 2022 sailed through the Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources without a single dissenting partisan vote. Introduced by committee chairman Joe Manchin of West Virginia and John Barrasso of Wyoming, the landmark legislation comes with a bevy AMA-supported acts. The Colorado Outdoor Recreation & Economy Act, the Simplifying Access to Outdoor Recreation Act, the Recreation Not Red-Tape Act, the Gateway Community and Recreation Enhancement Act, the Federal Interior Lands Media Act, and the Biking on Long Distance Trails Act are all included.
“The last time outdoor recreation legislation of this size and scale was enacted was 1963,” said Senator Manchin.
The act aims to enhance outdoor recreation opportunities on land managed by the federal government. Specific provisions in the act include streamlining the permitting processes for guides operating on federal lands, expanding broadband internet connectivity at recreation sites, and supporting public-private partnerships to expand parking facilities. The legislation also seeks to promote collaboration between federal agencies while working with gateway communities grappling with an unprecedented surge in tourism.
The act now goes to the Senate floor before heading to the House of Representatives.