§8541 Permitting Process Improvements

Summary

The Secretaries must review how special recreation permits are issued and reissued between January 1, 2021 and January 1, 2025. They must look for ways to remove duplicate steps, cut costs, speed up processing, and make simpler permits (including ones for organized group activities). Within one year after finishing those reviews, they must update rules and guidance, including how environmental reviews are done, to put those improvements in place. To speed environmental reviews, agencies should use available tools like tiering to existing program reviews. By January 4, 2027, each Secretary must check whether current categorical exclusions fit these rules, decide if changes or new exclusions under the National Environmental Policy Act are needed, and update regulations and guidance. Except where section 1133(c) or (d) requires it, a needs assessment cannot be required to get a permit under section 6802(h). By January 4, 2028, permit applications and reissuance must be available online, by mail or email, and in person at field offices. A “special recreation permit for an organized group recreation activity or event” means the permit types named in section 6801; a “youth group” is a provider that mostly serves people 25 or younger. If visitor-use days are allocated among certain permit holders, organized group permits are not counted against that allocation. If the public is not limited and capacity exists, a provider (including a youth group) may ask to hold an organized event. The official must decide whether the event would have only small effects. If effects are only small and extra rules aren’t needed, no permit is required. In other cases the official may or must issue a permit with appropriate terms, including when effects could be more than small. The Secretary may choose not to charge a fee, but can still limit or stop events for resource, administrative, or safety reasons. All such permits must meet required health and safety standards.