America’s Outdoor Recreation Economy Keeps Growing The outdoor recreation economy has quietly become one of the most powerful forces in the U.S. economy — and new federal data shows it continues to grow even as inflation, supply chain disruptions, and shifting consumer budgets reshape spending. According to new figures released by the U.S. Bureau of…
Outdoor Recreation Leaders Testify in the House On Jan. 21, the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Federal Lands held a hearing titled, “EXPLORE America 250: Celebrating One Year of the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences Act.” The hearing marked the first anniversary of the landmark moment for the American outdoors that occurred with the…
States Continue to Invest in Outdoor Recreation As the outdoor recreation industry awaits the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) 2025 release—which is expected to confirm that outdoor recreation contributes over $1 trillion to the U.S. economy—federal and state officials are increasingly recognizing the sector’s vital economic footprint. During a recent U.S. Senate Energy and…
ARRA Members Support Proposal to Rescind BLM’s Public Lands Rule The Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC), Specialty Vehicle Institute of America (SVIA), and Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association (ROHVA) submitted comments in support of the Bureau of Land Management’s proposal to rescind the Public Lands Rule. Additionally, ARRA members, the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA), and the…
(Photo credit: Sacramento County Planning Commission) Media Highlights Solar Plan Flaws at Coyote Creek As ARRA members and conservation groups prepare to strongly oppose the 2,704-acre Coyote Creek Solar Project at the upcoming Nov. 18 Sacramento County Board of Supervisors meeting, the Sacramento Bee published an article highlighting significant impacts on native oak woodlands and…
Sean McMaster Confirmed as FHWA Administrator On Sept. 18, in an en bloc vote of 51-47, the U.S. Senate confirmed Sean McMaster as the 22nd Administrator of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). McMaster previously served as Deputy Chief of Staff for former Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao during the first Trump administration, as well as…
Save the Date for the 2025 NOHVCC Annual Conference The National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council (NOHVCC) is having its 2025 Annual Conference in Bend, Ore., on Oct. 9-12. The conference will be held at the Riverhouse Lodge, which lies on the banks of the Deschutes River. The conference will have two content-packed days to help…
(Photo credit: Don Amador) California Supreme Court’s Decision Ensures Continued OHV Use at Oceano Dunes On July 9, the California Supreme Court declined to hear the California Coastal Commission’s appeal seeking to ban off-highway vehicle (OHV) access at Oceano Dunes, effectively upholding the previous ruling by the San Luis Obispo County Superior Court in…
Senator Lee Withdraws Public Lands Sales Provision from Senate’s Budget Reconciliation Bill On June 14, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee’s budget reconciliation bill outlined more than 250 million acres that could be sold to private businesses. This included a measure crafted by Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), which called for the sale of up…
Public Lands Sales Provision Stripped from Budget Reconciliation A provision to sell off more than 500,000 acres of public land was officially removed from the House budget reconciliation. The effort was spearheaded by Reps. Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.-1), Troy Downing (R-Mont.-2), Jeff Hurd (R-Colo.-3), and Mike Simpson (R-Idaho-2) to strike sell-off language from the proposed…