The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee held a hearing on nine outdoor recreation bills this month, according to a News & Insights report of the RV Industry Association.
The bills include the Outdoor Recreation Act, Simplifying Outdoor Access for Recreation Act, as well as the Recreation Not Red Tape Act.
RVIA submitted testimony on the bills. Outdoor Recreation Roundtable President Jessica Turner was also a witness before the panel on these important legislations and pointed out how these bills could be combined to create the first Recreation Package. This package is likely to transform outdoor recreation across America without cost to taxpayers, enhancing accessibility to recreation for future generations.
The Outdoor Recreation Act recognizes the increased demand for RVs and takes crucial steps to address it by modernizing campgrounds, growing jobs, and ensuring all Americans have the opportunity to enjoy the many benefits of living an active outdoor lifestyle,” said RVIA Director of Federal Affairs Chris Bornemann.
“Importantly, the bill provides gateway community assistance for outdoor recreation businesses and private campgrounds, responsibly extends shoulder seasons, and brings much-needed broadband to front country campgrounds to address safety issues and provide technologies that current and future park visitors require.”
The industry is boosted by the legislation’s creation of a pilot program for public-private partnership agreements that will modernize campgrounds on federal lands.
The RVIA is a long-time supporter of public-private partnerships, when suitable, as the best strategies to reach the balance needed between conservation goals and enhancing the experience of visitors to the park in a constantly changing environment. The partnerships have been proven to bring public land infrastructure into the 21st century while ensuring that the federal government is the sole owner of all public lands and preserving access and enjoyment of federal campgrounds for current and future generations of RVers to come.
Camping grounds are the entry point to the outdoors, and recreational vehicles bring the present and the next generations of public land campers into the outdoors. RVIA’s government affairs team is one of the most prominent advocates to ensure that Federal campgrounds are maintained and reopened, as well as expanded and modernized to serve the next generation of park stewards and recreationalists.
The most requested improvements include longer and wider campsites, more RV hookups (electric and water hookups, as well as a sewer), improvements in the maintenance of campgrounds, the ability to take in EVs and other technologies, wireless internet for security and to access reservations and rentals, and additional “RV-friendly” campsites to accommodate the enormous demand.
The Outdoor Recreation Act and a more expansive Recreation Package will make long-term improvements to federal campgrounds and make the camping experience better for the current and future RVers.
