America's Outdoor Recreation Act (AORA) , S. 873, was reintroduced in the 118th Congress with strong bipartisan support. SEMA and other Outdoor Recreation Roundtable members that compromise the $862 billion outdoor recreation economy urge swift approval of this bill, which requires federal land management agencies to increase opportunities for motorized and non-motorized access to public lands.
AORA also includes provisions to streamline the process and expenses associated with obtaining special recreation permits. The bill also directs the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service to make maps available to the public depicting where vehicles are allowed and where they are prohibited, as well as to update them periodically to ensure that the maps do not become outdated.
AORA is the first comprehensive recreation package since 1963 that will improve and expand America's outdoor recreation economy while delivering sustainable economic boosts to rural communities. This groundbreaking legislation not only boosts local and national economies, it also gives more Americans — especially those in underserved areas — greater access to green spaces and public lands and waters, while not costing taxpayers a dime to implement.
Karen Bailey-Chapman, SEMA Senior Vice President of Public and Government Affairs, shared, "This bipartisan bill would streamline the process and expenses associated with obtaining special recreation permits, require federal land management agencies to increase opportunities for motorized and non-motorized access on public lands, and direct the BLM and Forest Service to make maps available to the public depicting where vehicles are allowed to recreate."
Outdoor recreation is an $862 billion industry, providing 4.5 million American jobs and boosting economies in communities large and small. SEMA and TORA thank Senator Manchin (D-WV) Senator Barrasso (R-WY) for reintroducing the America's Outdoor Recreation Act.
Learn more: America's Outdoor Recreation Act, Explained.
