LaMalfa’s Guides and Outfitters Act Passes House
(Washington, DC) – Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale) issued the following statement after the House passed H.R. 289, the Guides and Outfitters (GO) Act. Introduced by Rep. LaMalfa, this legislation helps more Americans enjoy federal lands by streamlining the approval of special recreation permits issued by the National Park Service (NPS), the US Forest Service (USFS), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and other federal agencies.
LaMalfa said: "I am very pleased that my bill, the GO Act, passed the House today. This legislation will help guarantee access for all people to enjoy the outdoors, even federally controlled lands. HR 289 helps Guides and outfitters in rural areas to have more access to recreation opportunities on our public lands. Hunting, fishing, whitewater rafting, biking, trail hikes, horseback riding, and general enjoyment of the outdoors will be easier to do with less Washington bureaucrat red-tape and impossible fees to get in the way. This is a common-sense and fair bill that streamlines the permitting process and allows more local economic opportunities for the people back on their lands that the federal government is the steward of. I look forward to a positive and timely result in the Senate."
The GO Act provides more certainty, lower costs, and faster approval times for all Americans hoping to enjoy outdoor activities and events on federal lands by:
- Providing outdoor groups with a more orderly and efficient permit application.
- Decreasing processing time and lowering administrative costs by allowing permits to be completed online.
- Aligning conflicting policies by federal land management agencies.
- Providing joint permits for recreational trips and activities that cross a combination of NPS, BLM, and USFS land.
- Creating temporary permits for up to 2 years with the option for conversion into a long-term permit in order to ease approval of new activities and events.
Congressman Doug LaMalfa is a lifelong farmer representing California's First Congressional District, including Butte, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou and Tehama Counties.