Haaland, Curtis Lead SOAR Act in the House

Statement

Today, Representatives Deb Haaland (D-N.M.) and John Curtis (R-Utah) introduced the Simplifying Outdoor Access for Recreation (SOAR) Act, a bill that would make outdoor recreation more accessible to everyone by streamlining the permitting process for outfitters, educational organizations, and community groups.

"Our country is full of beautiful places that everyone should have access to, but right now the permitting process is creating a barrier for folks who wish to enjoy the outdoors with guidance. So, Representative Curtis and I are fixing that problem with a bill that will make it easier for groups to help people get outside and while supporting the jobs in New Mexico's nearly $10 billion outdoor recreation economy," said Haaland.

"The SOAR Act will make it easier for Utahns, and those visiting our great state, to enjoy our public lands and the outdoors," said Curtis. "I am proud to be the Republican leader of this bipartisan effort, along with Democratic Congresswoman Haaland and my colleagues on the House Natural Resources Committee. It is clear why this common-sense legislation has garnered support by outdoor recreation and conservation groups alike. A more efficient permitting system benefits everyone."

The SOAR Act streamlines and improves the recreational permitting process for federal agencies by:

Improving the process for issuing recreation permits by directing the agencies to eliminate duplicative processes, reduce costs, shorten processing times and simplify environmental review;

Increasing flexibility for outfitters, guides and other outdoor leaders by allowing them to engage in activities that are substantially similar to the activity specified in their permit;

Making more recreation opportunities available by directing the agencies to offer more short-term permits and create a program for sharing unused permit service days between permit holders;

Increasing system transparency by directing agencies to notify the public when new recreation permits are available and requiring the agencies to provide timely responses to permit applicants;

Simplifying the permitting process for trips involving more than one land management agency by authorizing the agencies to issue a single joint permit covering the lands of multiple agencies;

Reducing permit fees and cost recovery expenses for small businesses and organizations by excluding certain revenue from permit fee calculations and establishing a simple 50-hour cost recovery fee exemption for permit processing;

Providing new protections for Forest Service permit holders by recognizing seasonal demand fluctuations and waiving permit use reviews in extraordinary circumstances beyond the control of the permit holder (wildfire, etc.);

Helping control liability insurance costs for permit holders by allowing them to use liability release forms with their clients; and

Reducing barriers to access for state universities, city recreation departments, and school districts by waiving the permit indemnification requirement for entities that are prohibited from providing indemnification under state law.

U.S. House cosponsors of the SOAR Act include Representatives Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Chris Stewart (R-Utah), Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), Mike Simpson (R-Ind.), Joe Neguse (D-Colo.), Greg Gianforte (R-Mont.), Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), and Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.).

The U.S. Senate companion to the SOAR Act was introduced by U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.) and cosponsored by U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Martha McSally (R-Ariz.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), James Risch (R-Idaho), Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), and Steven Daines (R-Mont.).

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