Private RV parks and campgrounds are federally recognized as essential businesses after receiving a new designation Monday from the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).
The National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (National ARVC) has been leading the charge in advocating to get private RV parks and campgrounds classified as essential businesses. The National ARVC team arrived in Washington, D.C. on Sunday to participate in RVIA’s RVs Move America Advocacy Week which ends on Friday.
CISA, a division of the Department of Homeland Security, officially transitioned commercial facilities sector RV parks and campgrounds from outdoor events to lodging. At the same time, CISA classified all temporary lodging, including RV parks and campgrounds, as essential.
Obtaining the CISA essential business classification was a high priority, National ARVC said.
The new classification enables RV parks and campgrounds to operate and continue serving Americans in a health pandemic or natural disaster. ARVC said RV parks and campgrounds can provide a critical source of temporary lodging, social distancing activity and access to essential goods and services.
The decision to list RV parks and campgrounds as essential businesses resulted from a series of meetings led by National ARVC and its lobbyist David Ransom of McDermott, Will and Emery, with support from industry partners at Kampgrounds of America (KOA).
“This is a big win for our industry, and it has been one of National ARVC’s primary advocacy focuses since March 2020 when the first campground was forced to close because of the pandemic,” said Paul Bambei, National ARVC president and CEO.
At the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, many state and local jurisdictions ordered mandatory business closures, under penalty of law, for all entities other than those designated essential businesses. National ARVC said parks and campgrounds were among businesses originally closed before later local changes deemed them essential businesses.
“CISA was issuing guidance on essential business but often this guidance was simply copied and pasted in state and local closure orders,” said Jeff Sims, senior director of state relations & program advocacy at National ARVC. “We were not listed as essential, but we knew we should be, so the fight for our industry began. We made it happen and now we’re on to the next win for our members and for the industry.”
This week the National ARVC team will be meeting face-to-face with legislators on multiple issues relevant to the industry—including the impact of ADA website compliance lawsuits on private RV parks and campgrounds, the expansion of the electric vehicle (EV) charging network and the economic impact private RV park and campground businesses have on the U.S. economy.
Get more information on National ARVC advocacy efforts.
