Stand up for Wilderness in the EXPLORE Act and America's Outdoor Recreation Act

Over the past few months, thousands of you have urged your members of Congress to oppose the so-called Protecting America’s Rock Climbing Act, to make critical changes to the Connect Our Parks Act, and to eliminate these bills and other troubling anti-Wilderness provisions that were wrapped into the mega bill called the EXPLORE Act (H.R. 6492). Thank you!

Unfortunately our work is not done. On April 9, 2024, the U.S. House passed the EXPLORE Act. The Senate has a very similar bill, called America’s Outdoor Recreation Act (S. 873). The Senate must now decide whether to pass S. 873, to adopt the House’s version of the bill (the EXPLORE Act), or to decline to act.

Now we need you to defend Wilderness again by writing your senators, urging them to remove the anti-Wilderness provisions from the bills.

The Protecting America’s Rock Climbing Act, section 122 of the EXPLORE Act, would deface and degrade Wilderness by legalizing the installation of fixed climbing anchors. S. 873 would also legalize fixed anchors. Using and maintaining fixed anchors in Wilderness is, and always has been, prohibited by the Wilderness Act’s ban on “installations.” Fixed climbing anchors degrade Wilderness through lasting signs of human development and by attracting and concentrating use—at expense to native plants and animals.

Making a special exception for fixed anchors would effectively amend the Wilderness Act for a subgroup of recreationists—adding fuel to the efforts of other user groups like mountain bikers, commercial outfitters, the NRA, and hobby airplane pilots that have been trying to do the same.

Meanwhile, the Connect Our Parks Act, section 141 of the EXPLORE Act, which exists in the Senate as S. 2018, could allow the National Park Service to install cell coverage throughout protected areas. This bill contains no restriction that might prohibit these networks and structures from metastasizing to designated, potential, recommended, or eligible Wilderness throughout the national park system.

The EXPLORE Act also has some other troubling components. For example, section 125 changes the current laws about commercial filming on public lands. This provision introduces ambiguous language that could backdoor commercial filming/photography into Wilderness even though the Wilderness Act prohibits commercial enterprise.

The EXPLORE Act and S. 873 also reform recreational permitting so that permits might more easily skate around environmental analysis under the National Environmental Policy Act. This would obscure from the discerning public the extent of potential impacts of permitted recreation on our public lands, including Wilderness.

Please write your senators and urge them to remove all versions of the Protecting America’s Rock Climbing Act and Connect Our Parks Act from the EXPLORE Act and America’s Outdoor Recreation Act.

Also ask your senators to clarify that the provisions about commercial filming do not apply to federally designated Wilderness and recreational permits do not amend what is required under the Wilderness Act. Finally, make sure your senators know that if these bills and provisions are not removed, they should vote no on America’s Outdoor Recreation Act, or the EXPLORE Act that the House passed.

Thank you for once again raising your voice to defend Wilderness and the Wilderness Act!