With bipartisan support, Congress has finally passed the EXPLORE Act, a key piece of legislation that will be instrumental in expanding access and securing funding to our public lands. For more information on this much-needed piece of good news, read on…

The EXPLORE Act is a policy package containing various acts focused on improving funding for outdoor recreation opportunities. Some key elements of the larger EXPLORE Act include the Biking on Long Distance Trails Act (BOLT), which looks to create more extendd bike trails across the country, the Protecting America’s Rock Climbing Act (PARC) to safeguard Wilderness climbing, and the Simplifying Outdoor Access for Recreation Act (SOAR), which deals with improving recreational permitting for outdoor guides. Passing the EXPLORE Act also helps find a permanent direction for the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership and FICOR, the Federal Interagency Council on Outdoor Recreation.

EXPLORE Act
Image from our spectacular Prairie Breaks route in Montana

The extent of this incredibly important act doesn’t stop there, however, as the EXPLORE Act includes alterations and expansions to programs like the Every Kid Outdoors program, the Outdoors for All Act, and the Military Veterans in Parks Act. It also aims to extend the free park pass program to fourth-grade students and their families, looks to respect tribal sovereignty by allowing Tribal Nations to apply for federal conservation funding directly, and eases the financial burdens on local organizations seeking federal conservation grants. Suffice it to say this is a huge win for anyone who loves and values the protection of outdoor recreation in this country.

For more on the EXPLORE act, visit Congress.gov.

Further Reading

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