U.S. Sen. Martha McSally (R-AZ) on Dec. 16 proposed legislation that would require the U.S. Secretary of the Interior to create a pilot program for commercial recreation concessions on certain land managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).
“Public lands are meant to be shared by all,” Sen. McSally said last month. “My legislation will increase recreational opportunities and allow people to more fully enjoy and appreciate the beauty of our public lands across the country.”
Sen. McSally sponsored the RPPA Commercial Recreation Concessions Pilot Program Act of 2019, S. 3060, to amend the Recreation and Public Purposes Act (RPPA) to permit expanded recreational concessions, such as mountain bike rentals, paragliding, horseback riding, camping, and ziplining, to improve the experiences of visitors on certain public lands.
S. 3060 is the U.S. Senate version of the same-named bipartisan H.R. 4028 introduced in July in the U.S. House of Representatives by U.S. Rep. Gosar (R-AZ) and Ann Kirkpatrick (D-AZ).
Currently, the BLM allows some third-party commercial concessions to take place on public lands, but according to Sen. McSally’s office, federal lands managed under the RPPA by states, local governments and nonprofits are prohibited or restricted from allowing such concessions.
If enacted, the measure would direct the U.S. Department of the Interior to establish a pilot program of up to 10 sites that allow third-party concessions on public land governed by the RPPA, which authorizes the sale or lease of public lands for recreational or public purposes to state and local governments, or qualified nonprofits.
Thus far, the bill has garnered support from the National Association of Counties, the National Association of County Park and Recreation Officials, the National Association of State Park Directors, and the National Recreation and Park Association.