The Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) and Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR) said they are opposed to provisions in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee’s reconciliation proposal that would make public lands available for sale.
ORR said the association has worked with representatives from both sides of the aisle to improve access and infrastructure for recreational activities.
“The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee’s reconciliation proposal is at odds with these objectives,” ORR said, “as it could threaten our $1.2 trillion outdoor recreation economy, the 5 million jobs it supports, and the thousands of businesses and communities that rely on access to public lands and water.”
OIA President Kent Ebersole said it was deeply disappointing to see public lands for sale.
“We appreciated that the House removed a similar provision from its version of the bill and we strongly encourage the Senate to do the same,” Ebersole said. “We will continue working with the bipartisan coalition in Congress that helped stop this proposal last month to protect these critical places that power the $1.2 trillion outdoor recreation economy.”
ORR said the provision in the reconciliation bill has not been vetted to ensure public lands’ sale meets community needs.
“We urge Congress to keep the sale of public lands out of the federal budget reconciliation process,” ORR said, “as we saw how unpopular and out of touch it was with American businesses and the public.”
ORR said a long-standing process governs public lands’ sale, lease and exchange. The process contains necessary guardrails to protect public interest, the roundtable said. Included in the process a stipulation that transactions must guarantee recreational access is considered, and land sale revenues are reinvested in conservation, access improvements or acquiring high-value areas.
“The new proposal changes those guidelines,” ORR said, “risking reduced recreational access, redirecting revenue away from recreation to the general Treasury and opening the door to permanent loss of multi-use public lands to private interests. What some may see as a barren lot on a map on a Senator’s desk may actually be where a community hikes after work, rides their ATV, or teaches their kids how to hunt turkey or ride a bike.”
To truly sustain and grow the $1.2 trillion outdoor recreation economy, ORR said, participants must address challenges through smart investments in land management agencies, innovation, technology, partnerships and bipartisan policy solutions.
