Petition Supporting Legislation to Reform The Special Recreation Permit and Special Use Permit ProcessBRC has come to the conclusion that legislation is needed to fix the SRP issue. While we generally support using permits as a tool to managing recreation use and obtaining a fair return for commercial uses of public land, it has become obvious that this is no longer possible. The recreation permit process is overly bureaucratic, expensive for both agencies and the public, and implemented in an unfair and arbitrary manner.
The recreation permit process must be revised. We believe that legislation is necessary to fix the problem. And we need your help!
As you know, we depend on our members and supporters to help us pass key legislation. Today we are asking you to sign our petition in support of a legislative fix to the SRP Process.
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I support Legislation to Reform the Special Recreation Permit / Special Use Permit Process
The recreation permit process as currently implemented on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and U.S. Forest Service (FS) managed lands is overly bureaucratic, expensive for both agencies and the public, and often applied in an unfair and arbitrary manner. Efforts to encourage the agencies to modify and streamline the process have failed, even when those efforts were supported by agency policy. The current SRP process no longer serves the public interest or supports the goals and objectives of land use planning. The recreation permit process must be revised.
I support efforts by the BlueRibbon Coalition that will modify and streamline the Special Recreation Permit / Special Use Permit process to better serve the public interest and support the goals and objectives of land use planning.
Legislation is necessary to increase efficiency and efficacy of the process to permit various recreation activities on public land and National Forests. Specifically, this legislation will direct the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior to make the following changes:
•Historic and regularly permitted events held by non-commercial clubs or organizations that occur on roads, trails and areas designated for public use should be approved based on prior or expedited analysis, so that little or no new analysis is required for the permit process.
•Nonprofit clubs should be recognized as distinctly different from commercial operations, outfitter and guide businesses, ski areas, and other private for-profit enterprises.
•Recognizing that increased level of partnering with public lands users will become necessary as budgets tighten, there is a need to leverage the resources available from clubs and organizations that hold events on National Forests and Public Lands. Competitive event SRP applicants should be credited for work performed, such as trail maintenance, and the credit applied towards any "cost recovery" fees.
•Currently, cost recovery is not required if the permit can be authorized with no more than 50 hours of staff time. 49 hours is free, but 51 hours is billed at 51 hours. The first 50 hours should be free, regardless of the total number of hours.
Given the past that the current SRP process no longer serves the public interest or supports the goals and objectives of land use planning, I believe this legislation is necessary.
Link to petition:
http://www.sharetrails.org/public-lands/?section=srp-petitionBonus points for sending the text of the petition with a little personalization to your Public Servants!!!Find Your Public Servants Here:
http://www.congress.org/congressorg/dbq/officials/?lvl=LPlease
BUMP for other forum members once you've taken action!
