[Senate Hearing 117-767]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
S. Hrg. 117-767
THE STATE OF OUTDOOR TOURISM,
RECREATION, AND ECOTOURISM
=======================================================================
HEARING
BEFORE THE
SUBCOMMITTEE ON TOURISM, TRADE,
AND EXPORT PROMOTION
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE,
SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION
UNITED STATES SENATE
ONE HUNDRED SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
FIRST SESSION
__________
JUNE 15, 2021
__________
Printed for the use of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation
[GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Available online: http://www.govinfo.gov
________
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
54-108 PDF WASHINGTON : 2023
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SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION
ONE HUNDRED SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
FIRST SESSION
MARIA CANTWELL, Washington, Chair
AMY KLOBUCHAR, Minnesota ROGER WICKER, Mississippi, Ranking
RICHARD BLUMENTHAL, Connecticut JOHN THUNE, South Dakota
BRIAN SCHATZ, Hawaii ROY BLUNT, Missouri
EDWARD MARKEY, Massachusetts TED CRUZ, Texas
GARY PETERS, Michigan DEB FISCHER, Nebraska
TAMMY BALDWIN, Wisconsin JERRY MORAN, Kansas
TAMMY DUCKWORTH, Illinois DAN SULLIVAN, Alaska
JON TESTER, Montana MARSHA BLACKBURN, Tennessee
KYRSTEN SINEMA, Arizona TODD YOUNG, Indiana
JACKY ROSEN, Nevada MIKE LEE, Utah
BEN RAY LUJAN, New Mexico RON JOHNSON, Wisconsin
JOHN HICKENLOOPER, Colorado SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO, West
RAPHAEL WARNOCK, Georgia Virginia
RICK SCOTT, Florida
CYNTHIA LUMMIS, Wyoming
David Strickland, Staff Director
Melissa Porter, Deputy Staff Director
George Greenwell, Policy Coordinator and Security Manager
John Keast, Republican Staff Director
Crystal Tully, Republican Deputy Staff Director
Steven Wall, General Counsel
------
SUBCOMMITTEE ON TOURISM, TRADE, AND EXPORT PROMOTION
JACKY ROSEN, Nevada, Chair RICK SCOTT, Florida, Ranking
AMY KLOBUCHAR, Minnesota DAN SULLIVAN, Alaska
TAMMY DUCKWORTH, Illinois MARSHA BLACKBURN, Tennessee
JON TESTER, Montana RON JOHNSON, Wisconsin
KYRSTEN SINEMA, Arizona SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO, West
JOHN HICKENLOOPER, Colorado Virginia
CYNTHIA LUMMIS, Wyoming
C O N T E N T S
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Page
Hearing held on June 15, 2021.................................... 1
Statement of Senator Rosen....................................... 1
Statement of Senator Scott....................................... 3
Statement of Senator Capito...................................... 23
Statement of Senator Klobuchar................................... 29
Statement of Senator Sullivan.................................... 30
Statement of Senator Hickenlooper................................ 33
Witnesses
Colin Robertson, Administrator, Division of Outdoor Recreation,
Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources........ 5
Prepared statement........................................... 7
Glenn Hughes, President, American Sportfishing Association....... 9
Prepared statement........................................... 11
Joe Henry, Executive Direction, Lake of the Woods Tourism........ 14
Prepared statement........................................... 16
Zachary Hartman, Chief Policy Officer, Ducks Unlimited........... 18
Prepared statement........................................... 20
Appendix
Response to written questions submitted to Colin Robertson by:
Hon. Jacky Rosen............................................. 41
Hon. Marsha Blackburn........................................ 43
Response to written question submitted to Glenn Hughes by:
Hon. Jacky Rosen............................................. 44
Hon. Roger Wicker............................................ 44
Hon. Marsha Blackburn........................................ 45
Response to written questions submitted to Joe Henry by:
Hon. Jacky Rosen............................................. 45
Hon. Marsha Blackburn........................................ 47
Response to written questions submitted to Zachary Hartman by:
Hon. Jacky Rosen............................................. 47
Hon. Marsha Blackburn........................................ 48
THE STATE OF OUTDOOR TOURISM, RECREATION, AND ECOTOURISM
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TUESDAY, JUNE 15, 2021
U.S. Senate,
Subcommittee on Tourism, Trade, and Export Promotion,
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation,
Washington, DC.
The Committee met, pursuant to notice, at 3:09 p.m., in
room SR-253, Russell Senate Office Building, Hon. Jacky Rosen,
Chairwoman of the Subcommittee, presiding.
Present: Senators Rosen [presiding], Klobuchar,
Hickenlooper, Scott, Sullivan, and Capito.
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. JACKY ROSEN,
U.S. SENATOR FROM NEVADA
Senator Rosen. Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome to
today's hearing on The State of Outdoor Tourism, Recreation,
and Ecotourism. Today we will examine the state of the outdoor
tourism and recreation industry, including the impacts of
COVID-19 on businesses and communities. We will review the
contributions of outdoor recreation to local economies, and
discuss solutions for promoting the outdoor industry, investing
in communities depending on outdoor tourism, protecting our
lands and waters, and supporting U.S. jobs and businesses.
The outdoor recreation industry contributes $778 billion
economic output nationally and supports nearly 5.2 million
American jobs. From guides to outfitters to manufacturers, of
course our small business owners, and so many more. Because
outdoor recreation, it serves as an outlet for individuals to
enjoy natural spaces, especially this past year during this
pandemic. And it creates job opportunities, and it stimulates
the travel and tourism economy that every single state depends
upon.
Outdoor recreation is a major contributor, of course, to
the Nevada economy. According to the Bureau of Economic
Analysis, outdoor recreation in Nevada generates over $5.5
billion in economic output annually and is responsible for
nearly 60,000 Nevada jobs. Nevada's natural wonders bring
people from across the country and around the world to see our
mountains, our deserts, our lakes, and our wildlife.
Over 80 percent of our state is managed by the Federal
Government. And these public lands and waters and our 24 State
parks, offer diverse opportunities for residents and visitors
to enjoy the outdoors. Of course, they are hiking, camping,
boating, hunting, skiing, fabulous stargazing, or attending
wonderful outdoor cultural events.
In Southern Nevada, we have many beautiful places and
recreation opportunities just minutes away from the Las Vegas
strip, from Red Rock National Conservation area to Valley of
Fire and Lake Meade. And of course, in Northern Nevada, we have
Lake Tahoe. It is one of the world's most beautiful and
clearest bodies of water and it attracts over 15 million
visitors each year, for various outdoor recreational
opportunities, again, skiing, watersports, biking, camping, and
hiking. Through this, Tahoe actually anchors a $5.1 billion
economy and supports hundreds of local jobs.
In Nevada, we have two national monuments, Gold Butte, and
Basin and Range. And they are in remote and rugged areas of our
state. They are full of petroglyphs that people come from all
over to see. And developing those outdoor recreation
opportunities, in and near Nevada's rural communities, they are
really an important way to increase tourism spending and
support our local businesses.
Places like Jar Bridge Wilderness Area, or the Ruby
Mountains in Elko County, attract outdoor enthusiasts and back
country hikers and hunters. In Lander County, the Battle
Mountain human powered vehicle speed challenge--is a fixture of
the tourism season in Battle Mountain. Black Rock Desert, in
Western Nevada, I am sure you have heard of all of that, home
to Burning Man. But it also offers opportunities year-round,
including rock climbing and land speed racing.
White Pine County, in Eastern Nevada, is also a hub for
outdoor recreation and tourism. Like I said, with Great Basin
National Park features ancient bristlecone pines, the Leeman
Caves, and unparalleled view of the night sky. You want to
stargaze, you come to Nevada because the Great Basin star train
is doing to transport visitors from Ely, right to the park,
which has brought in thousands of dollars to the local
community, and they call it Park to Park After Dark. Its
initiative is building on this success and encouraging
astrotourism to see the stars along Highway 6, from Death
Valley National Park to Great Basin National Park.
So, I am so pleased to have Colin Robertson here. Our
State's inaugural Administrator of Nevada's Division of Outdoor
Recreation, he is here today testifying as an expert witness,
to share his insights on how to support the outdoor recreation
industry. Thank you, Mr. Robertson.
In addition, we are pleased to have with us Joe Henry,
Executive Director of Lake of the Woods tourism in Minnesota.
Glen Hughes, President of the American Sport Fishing
Association. Thank you for being here, Mr. Hughes. And Zachary
Hartman, Chief Policy Officer of Ducks, Unlimited, a non-profit
organization focused on wetlands conservation.
As we will hear from these witnesses, over the past year we
have seen an increase in participation and demand in outdoor
recreation, which has created both opportunities and challenges
for the industry. Nearly 53 percent of Americans participated
in outdoor recreation in 2020, and 8.1 million more Americans
hiked last year, than in 2019. This is not surprising, given
that outdoor recreation offered a way for people to enjoy
nature and benefit their mental and physical health during this
pandemic, all while complying with social distancing
guidelines.
While we did see an increase in Americans exploring nature
and getting outdoors, many had to cancel trips, were unable to
spend money on recreation due to the pandemic. Get Outdoors
Nevada and the Nevada Outdoor Business Coalition commissioned a
study on the impact of COVID on outdoor recreation. Which found
that the States' outdoor recreation economy lost about 6
percent of its jobs during the pandemic.
With a loss of 13 million annual visitors to our state,
tour companies, outfitters, guides, and other businesses, all
of them, they just suffered because they rely on those
travelers. And I know that this follows a national trend.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, it has measured the COVID-
19 impacts on small business, 75 percent of small businesses,
in a category that includes outdoor recreation, are struggling
due to the crisis.
The outdoor recreation industry went from one of the
fastest growing sectors of our economy to experiencing record
unemployment, during the pandemic. And according to a survey of
outdoor recreation round table members, last year as many as 94
percent of outdoor businesses experienced, unfortunately, 94--
experienced drops in sales. And 88 percent of outdoor
businesses laid off or furloughed their staff.
Our Nation's outdoor economy is still hurting. And
Congress, we have a role to play in helping rebuild it. First,
we must provide better funding for land management agencies and
local communities, so that they can better protect and maintain
public lands and serve visitors to them. Without adequate
staffing and resources, we will not be able to continue
enjoying the outdoors or have a healthy outdoor tourism future.
We must also make significant investments in improving the
infrastructure in our parks and other public lands, such as,
improving campgrounds and boat ramps, so that people will fully
be able to enjoy the outdoors.
There is so much more we can do to reinvigorate our outdoor
tourism economy and get Americans back to work. it is my hope
that today's hearing will help us better understand the
opportunities and challenges facing the outdoor recreation
industry and how to support small business, local communities,
public lands and waters, through targeted--targeted
investments.
I look forward to hearing from each of the witnesses today,
as you share your experiences and your expertise with us. So, I
am going to turn it over to Ranking Member Scott for his
opening statement and then, we will introduce our witnesses.
Senator Scott.
STATEMENT OF HON. RICK SCOTT,
U.S. SENATOR FROM FLORIDA
Senator Scott. First, I want to thank Chair Rosen for
hosting this hearing today. We have had the opportunity to have
quite a few hearings about how the great states of Nevada and
Florida are going to increase tourism. And it is clearly
important to both of our states. I want to thank each of our
witnesses for being with us here today and what you do to, not
just create jobs, but create great experiences for people, all
over the United States.
So, America is home to the best outdoor recreation in the
world. People from all over the world travel to each of our
states, see our beaches, our mountains, our lakes, and all our
great Nation has to offer. My great state is one of the best
global travel destinations for outdoor recreation. We have,
when I left, 166 State parks. You can get a national award,
from the National Park Service, for the best state-for-state
parks. You can win it every 6 years and we are one of the
states that have won it once. There is only one state that has
won it twice and there is only one state that has one it three
times, and that is Florida.
[Laughter.]
Senator Scott. So, we have great outdoor recreation. When I
got elected as Governor, we were at a big downturn. And we are
a big tourism state like Chair Rosen's state is and we had
stagnated at about 80 million tourists. And by the time we
finished, by investing to recruit more tourists and market our
state, last year we went from our first year at 80 million
tourists, to our last year, 126 million tourists.
In Florida, every 87 tourists is a new job. I do not know
if you have a statistic like that for Nevada, but it is a big
deal in Florida and creates a lot of jobs.
And the pandemic has impacted everybody in this country.
And unfortunately, we have seen now, over 600,000 deaths. And
every business, every family, every employee's had to figure
out to navigate this and it has been pretty hard on our
families and our businesses.
The COVID-19 pandemic has clearly hurt Florida's tourism
industry. I am sure it has hurt tourism across the Nation. But
the biggest thing is, how much of it has hurt people that
needed their jobs, and their jobs were completely tied to
tourism. I am glad our state is open for business and--but if
we are--you know, we have to keep working together, like Chair
Rosen has said. And if we work together, we are going to get
more tourists and give people great opportunities.
Enjoying time outdoors in the fresh air is clearly
beneficial for all of our health and we all want to do that--
our physical and mental health. And I have got grandkids, and
so we try to get them out to go see our parks--our National
parks, our State parks, and all around the country, every
chance we have.
The--as we know, recreation drives--clearly, in our two
states, drives our economy. It is the biggest driver of our
economy. And I know in my state, and I think it is true around
the country, is people come and travel to your state, there is
a greater chance they are going to move there. They are going
to buy a second home there, like they do in Florida, open up
their businesses there, and it has clearly happened in Florida.
Our state is known for great fishing. We have more Bass Pro
Shops than any state in the country. We have got some great
tournaments--fishing tournaments. The best fishing tournament
in the world, Mr. Hughes runs. They do it in Orlando. I do not
know how many years you have done it now, probably 8 years, or
so, yes. If you want to know more about fishing, you ought to
come to their----
Senator Rosen. I love fishing.
Senator Scott. It is--but I mean, it has got all the new
stuff. And so, it is fun people.
So, all of us have to figure out how do we do this safely.
I have got a bill that I, with Chair Cantwell, she is the Chair
of the Commerce Committee, it is to create a temperature check
pilot program at our airports. We have just got to figure out
how to get people back. I know more people are flying.
I have also got a Freedom to Fly Act, which says the TSA is
not going to mandate vaccines--vaccine card before you get on a
plane. I think we all should figure that out on our own. I
think everybody ought to get vaccinated. I have got both the
normal antibodies and the vaccinated antibodies, I was lucky
enough to get COVID.
So, we are all going to work together. I want to thank the
Chair again for--we have been able to do this together for just
this year and we are going to make sure the tourism industry--
not just in our states, but this whole country, comes back and
it is great experiences for people. But also, people get great
jobs. It helps all--everybody that is trying to make a living
in the tourism industry. So, thanks, Chair Rosen.
Senator Rosen. Thank you, Senator Scott. Visit--our message
is visit every one of our states, great and wonderful and
beautiful.
But right now, I am going to introduces our first witness
who is testifying here in person today, Colin Robertson. He is
the Administrator for the Nevada Division of Outdoor
Recreation. And in 2019, the Nevada legislature established the
Nevada Division of Outdoor Recreation within our State
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. And Mr.
Roberston was selected as the first administrator to run the
office. As such, Mr. Robertson is tasked with leading the
effort to promote Nevada's outstanding outdoor recreation
opportunities and the conservation of our natural environment
and of course, always grow our economy through the beauty of
our state.
Colin is a longtime Nevadan, a graduate of Nevada--
University of Nevada, Reno. And we are so fortunate to have him
here today to provide his insight, his expertise, his passion
for the outdoors, and everything he knows about outdoor tourism
and recreation, not just in Nevada, but across the country.
So, Mr. Robertson, I recognize you now for your opening
remarks.
STATEMENT OF COLIN ROBERTSON, ADMINISTRATOR,
DIVISION OF OUTDOOR RECREATION, NEVADA DEPARTMENT OF
CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES
Mr. Robertson. Good afternoon, Senators Rosen and Scott.
For the record, my name is Colin Robertson, and I am the
Administrator of the new Division of Outdoor Recreation in the
Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Thank
you so much for the opportunity to testify here today. It is a
really important one and a very important topic. I would like
to ask that my longer written testimony also be admitted to the
record.
In 2019, pre-COVID, the outdoor recreation economy
accounted for 2.1 percent of the Nation's gross domestic
product, or $460 billion. Nevada's outdoor recreation economy
accounted for 3.1 percent of the State's overall GDP, one full
percentage point more than the national average. It also
accounted for 60,000 jobs.
Interest in outdoor recreation continues to grow
nationwide, as do associated economic, community, and public
land and water impacts, both good and not so good. The COVID-19
pandemic compounded some of these effects.
From an outdoor industry perspective, for some sectors
pandemic-induced increases in outdoor recreation led to
historically high sales. But supply chain issues and high
demand have created shortages and price increases for many
products. But COVID closures and travel restrictions also led
to significant negative impacts on guides and outfitters,
campgrounds and marinas, outdoor recreation concessions, non-
profits, and State and local governments. These impacts hit
Nevada particularly hard.
At the same time, participation increased dramatically last
year. National forests experienced a 40 percent increase in
dispersed camping, and a 70 percent increase in visits to
wilderness areas. Unfortunately, that visitation also
contributed to more wildfires and other significant natural
resource impacts on public lands nationwide.
A recent outdoor industry association report showed,
happily, that the newest outdoor recreation participants are
more likely to be female, younger, living in an urban area, and
slightly more ethnically diverse than existing participants.
They need and want recreational opportunities with low barriers
to entry.
The Confluence of States--The National Alliance of State
Offices of Outdoor Recreation, like mine, and the NGA's Outdoor
Recreation Learning Network will continue to foster the many
health, education, conservation, and economic benefits
associated with outdoor recreation. But we also need further
Federal investment in outdoor recreation.
In my written testimony, I have outlined seven areas for
Congress to advance and, importantly, to protect and sustain
outdoor recreation and its beneficial economic and community
impacts. They include supporting sustainable and responsible
recreation and tourism initiatives, making strategic
investments in public land management agencies, developing
innovative data strategies, fostering equity and inclusion,
reexamining Federal funding match requirements, developing
skilled work forces, and prioritizing affordable housing.
We run a real risk of loving places to death, because of
resource impacts on lands that belong to the American people.
Lake Tahoe, for example, is one-third the size of Yosemite
National Park yet is visited by three times as many people
annually--15 million people, or more, creating extraordinary
pressures on Tahoe's forested lands and famously clear waters.
The Corporation for Travel Promotion, the National Travel
and Tourism Office, and the Travel and Tourism Advisory Board
should collaborate with State offices of outdoor recreation and
DMOs, to develop responsible and sustainable outdoor recreation
and tourism strategies and initiatives.
We need more recurring recreation-related funding for
personnel and programs, within land management agencies,
including funding for existing and future infrastructure needed
to accommodate the growth in outdoor recreation tourism.
Also, housing is desperately needed, near or on public
lands for land management agency staff who can no longer afford
to live where they work. We need Congress to help the land
management agencies make sustainable and responsible outdoor
recreation a national priority.
Finally, we need Federal travel and tourism agencies to
coordinate with the Confluence of States and the outdoor
industry, to develop and improve data collection and analysis
of outdoor recreation-related tourism and travel.
With that overview, Senators Rosen and Scott, thank you
again for this important opportunity to testify here today. I
am happy to respond to any questions you, or the rest of the
subcommittee may have. Thank you.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Robertson follows:]
Prepared Statement of Colin Robertson, Administrator, Division of
Outdoor Recreation, Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural
Resources
Good afternoon, Senators Rosen, Scott, and Subcommittee members.
For the record, my name is Colin Robertson, and I am the
Administrator of the new Division of Outdoor Recreation in the Nevada
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Witnesses here
today--including me--have been asked to provide insights into the
contribution of outdoor recreation to the economy, and solutions for
promoting the outdoor industry, investing in local communities,
supporting U.S. jobs and businesses, and, equally importantly,
protecting and enhancing the public lands and waters that support
outdoor recreation activities. Thank you for the opportunity to testify
here today on this important topic.
According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis Outdoor Recreation
Satellite Account's most recent data analysis, in 2019--pre-COVID--the
outdoor recreation economy accounted for 2.1 percent of the Nation's
gross domestic product (GDP), or $460 billion. In 2019, the outdoor
recreation economy accounted for 3.1 percent of Nevada's overall GDP--
one full percentage point more than the national average, and
representing significant growth over the year prior in the state. It
also accounted for 60,000 jobs in 2019.
Interest and participation in outdoor recreation activities and
experiences continues to grow nationwide--as do the economic,
community, and public land and water impacts associated with outdoor
recreation, both good and not so good. The COVID-19 pandemic compounded
some of these effects.
From an outdoor industry perspective, for some sectors pandemic-
induced increases in outdoor recreation led to historically high sales,
but supply chain issues and continued high demand have created
shortages and price increases for many recreation-related products. If
you have tried to purchase a bicycle recently, you know what I mean. At
the same time, COVID closures and travel restrictions led to
significant negative impacts on guides and outfitters, campground and
marina owners/operators, outdoor recreation concessions, non-profit
education organizations, and state and local governments, among others.
These impacts hit Nevada particularly hard. Travel and tourism in
Nevada dropped precipitously during COVID, with visitor volume and
spending both down by more than 50 percent in 2020. Employment in the
travel/tourism industry dropped by more than 24 percent.
At the same time, outdoor recreation participation increased
dramatically in 2020. Data from the newest edition of the USDA Forest
Service's National Visitor Use Monitoring Survey indicate remarkable
increases in national forest visitation in 2020, including a 40 percent
increase in dispersed camping on general forest lands, and a more than
70 percent increase in visits to wilderness areas. Opportunities to
find local, safe, and socially distanced recreation outdoors no doubt
motivated this increase, especially when most developed recreation
sites on federally managed public lands were closed last year.
Unfortunately, increased visitation also contributed to increased
wildfires on public lands and to significant resource impacts created
by ``nature novices'' who are not familiar with the tenets of
responsible recreation, outdoor ethics, or Leave No Trace sustainable
recreation principles. Thus, as we collectively work to create more
outdoor recreation opportunities, we must also prioritize outdoor
recreation education, to protect both the recreationist and our shared
natural resources.
The Outdoor Industry Association's recent special report, ``New
Outdoor Participant (COVID and Beyond),'' reveals that new outdoor
recreation participants from last year are more likely to be female,
younger, living in an urban area, and slightly more ethnically diverse
than existing participants. New participants primarily sought socially-
distanced outdoor activities to safely spend time with loved ones,
exercise, stay healthy, or reduce screen-time fatigue. New participants
are largely motivated by outdoor recreation opportunities with low
barriers to entry that are available and accessible within 10 miles of
their homes, including walking, running, biking and hiking.
We need State Offices of Outdoor Recreation, the Confluence of
States (the national alliance of these offices), and the National
Governor's Association Outdoor Recreation Learning Network to continue
working to encourage, foster, and support the numerous positive health,
education, conservation, and economic benefits associated with outdoor
recreation. At the same time, we need more Federal recognition of the
importance of outdoor recreation by investing in local communities;
funding the conservation, protection, and sustainable recreational use
of public lands and waters; and supporting U.S. jobs and businesses in
the outdoor industry. Nowhere is this truer than in Nevada, where over
85 percent of our land is federally managed, including over 60 percent
by the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, National Park
Service, and Fish and Wildlife Service. Some specific opportunities
include:
Support Sustainable and Responsible Outdoor Recreation and Tourism
Initiatives. As public lands reopen, we risk diving headfirst back into
an overcrowding crisis, replete with increased natural resource impacts
on the lands that belong to the American people. The Lake Tahoe Basin,
for example, is one-third the size of Yosemite National Park, yet is
visited by three times as many people (15+ million), creating
extraordinary pressures on Tahoe's public lands and famously clear
waters. Going forward, we must determine what role the Corporation for
Travel Promotion, the National Travel and Tourism Office, and the
Travel and Tourism Advisory Board can play to ensure the tourism
industry adopts strategies and practices to support marketing,
communications, and management oriented toward responsible and
sustainable outdoor recreation and tourism that avoid exploitation and
over-crowding. Can these agencies help establish community-based eco-
tourism across the U.S.?
Support Further Strategic Investment In Our Nation's Public Land
Management Agencies. In particular, we need more targeted recreation-
related funding for personnel and programs within public land
management agencies, including funding for planning, maintenance, and
operations of existing and future infrastructure needed to accommodate
the growth in outdoor recreation. Also, housing near or on public lands
for land management agency staff, who are increasingly unable to afford
to live where they work. Can Congress help the Federal land management
agencies make sustainable outdoor recreation a national priority?
Develop National Outdoor Recreation and Tourism Data Strategies.
Can the Subcommittee's oversight of Federal travel and tourism agencies
help promote more coordination with the Confluence of States and the
outdoor recreation industry to develop and improve data collection and
analysis of outdoor recreation-related tourism and travel?
Foster Equity and Inclusion and Promote Health Benefits. Create and
encourage more outdoor recreation opportunities close to home,
particularly in underrepresented or disadvantaged communities. Parks,
trails, and open spaces near where people live are a crucial part of
growing participation and thereby supporting the outdoor industry. The
pandemic has shown that there is a demand for close-to-home outdoor
recreation. Support investment in programming that engages families in
the outdoors. Help new participants make their activities more social
as restrictions lift. Develop programs and services with the specific
goal of diversifying the participant base, and strategies for
encouraging people to start with activities that have relatively low
barriers to entry, such as walking, running, hiking and birdwatching.
Position outdoor recreation as an antidote to the mental health
challenges faced by so many of our fellow citizens across the U.S.
Reexamine Federal Outdoor Recreation Funding Match Requirements.
Federal funding match requirements, such as those required by the
Federal Land and Water Conservation Fund must take rural economic
realities into account. For example, rural gateway communities often
have the most outdoor recreation and outdoor tourism potential and
abundant natural capital, but the least amount of revenue needed to
meet 1:1 match requirements.
Foster Outdoor Recreation and Tourism Workforce Development. Work
to understand the diverse needs of the outdoor industry. Materials
science, advanced manufacturing, hospitality, and natural resource
planning and conservation all stand to benefit from workforce
development programs of many kinds, including the 21st Century Civilian
Conservation Corps. Developing these programs will ensure that local
businesses and nonprofits benefit from outdoor recreation and tourism
growth, thereby creating jobs directly and indirectly tied to outdoor
recreation. How can the National Travel and Tourism Office and Advisory
Board help support the formation of national outdoor industry workforce
standards and invest in State and academic programs to advance them?
Prioritize Affordable, Safe Housing. An increase in tourism and
remote work, particularly in rural gateway communities rich in outdoor
assets, has exacerbated an affordable housing crisis that now threatens
to erode the heart of many Western communities. People in those
communities are being priced out of quality housing, which poses a
serious threat to private and public sector job recruitment and
retention. How can Congress lead efforts to alleviate this disaster and
support working class people--educators, advocates, retailers,
outfitters and more--who make up the heart and soul of these
communities?
With that overview, Senators Rosen and Scott, I would like to thank
you again for the opportunity to testify here today. I am happy to
respond to any questions you or the rest of the Subcommittee members
may have.
Senator Rosen. Well, thank you, Mr. Robertson, for your
insights into the state of outdoor tourism recreation, and for
some of your action items, because we need to look at those and
see how we can help.
Right now, I would like to turn it over to Senator Scott to
introduce our next witness. Senator Scott.
Senator Scott. [Off mic] he has to have the best job in the
world. He gets to go promote fishing--sportfishing, all across
the world. And he has his conference down in Orlando and it
is--anybody that has an opportunity, you should go. You get to
see all the latest stuff. And I have never met anybody that is
at this conference that was not happy. And so, I just want to
thank him for what he does to constantly improve sportfishing
in this country. And I want to thank you, again, for making the
decision to hold your conference down in Florida. And I think
you said, maybe it was on your fourth or fifth year, you had
a--what? A fifty percent increase after you started coming to
Florida? Yes, so--Mr. Hughes.
STATEMENT OF GLENN HUGHES, PRESIDENT,
AMERICAN SPORTFISHING ASSOCIATION
Mr. Hughes. [Off mic] having us here today, oops. Excuse
me, thank you very much. So, good afternoon. It is an honor to
be here with you today on behalf of the American Sportfishing
Association. It is my pleasure to represent the sportfishing
industry and the outdoor recreational community.
You know, ASA has been serving the sportfishing industry
since 1933. And the folks that we serve are those that buy the
fishing tackle and they bought $51 billion worth of fishing
equipment in this past year, as well with other products and
services. With that comes an economic impact of $129 billion,
as well, that supports 825,000 jobs. $22 billion of the retail
sales actually is tied to services that are involved--travel-
related expenses. That is why the access to the outdoors is
just so important for us, to make sure that these states and
local economies have access.
Last year anglers bought more than 30 million fishing
licenses, which generated more than $750 million in license
fees. That money also goes to conservation. The sportfishing
manufacturers also contribute to conservation. That is through
Federal excise taxes and first-time sales of fishing equipment.
Since the bill became law in 1950, the Dingell-Johnson Act, has
distributed billions of dollars to the Sport Fish Restoration
and Boating Trust Fund. Combined with the Pittman-Robertson
Act, that established an excise tax on firearms and ammunition,
more than $65 billion has been provided to states for
conservation. In essence, anglers and hunters provide more
money for conservation than any other user group. So, the
question is, have you hugged an angler or hunter today?
During the pandemic, Americans turned to fishing and other
outdoor recreational activities. Research sponsored by the
Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation, showed us that the
number of anglers increased from 50 million to 55 million in
2020 alone. More anglers led to more fishing license sales and,
on average, each state had an average license increase of 14
percent in 2020.
This was not the case for non-resident sales since the
pandemic prohibited travel a lot of travel, from state to
state, for several months. In all, 19 states saw a decrease in
non-resident sales, and therefore, many other--a lot of the
license--or a lot of the tourism dollars also did not make it
to the states.
More anglers last year also meant more money from the
sportfishing manufacturers', who paid the Federal excise tax on
the--more than ever before, as a matter of fact. The increase
was not 10 percent, and it was not 20 percent. The increase of
the sportfishing manufacturers spent on fishing tackle and
provided to, for a Federal excise tax, was 54 percent more
spent in 2020 than the previous year.
The boating industry also enjoyed tremendous growth. Boat
registrations, across the country, were up about 35 percent
year over year. And that is a 13-year high. With boat
registrations on the rise, it is critical that we ensure proper
and safe access to water through more boat ramps and parking at
these locations.
Regarding a broader view, as been mentioned already, the
entire outdoor recreation economy was impacted both positively
and negatively by the pandemic. The ASA is one of 33
organizations associated with the Outdoor Recreation
Roundtable, which represents 110,000 businesses across the
country. And we also did speak with the Bureau of Economic
Analysis and learned through--that in 2019, outdoor recreation
accounted for the 2.1 percent of the gross domestic product,
that had $788 billion in economic output, and supported 5.2
million jobs. Fishing and boating are the largest contributors
to that.
But not all businesses did well. Fishing lodges, charter
boats, marinas, restaurants, as well as the trade and consumer
shows, all struggled because of closures and the inability to
travel from State to State. The trade and consumer shows are
not only important for the commerce that takes place on the
show floor, of course, but for the hundreds of millions of
dollars that support the states and local economies, especially
in Florida and Nevada.
With an increased demand for fishing and outdoor
recreation, Congress plays a critical role in ensuring
Americans have access to public lands and waters. So, we ask
that you recognize the value of anglers and outdoor recreation
and build on the legislation that you have passed in just this
past year--The Great American Outdoors Act and America's
Conservation Enhancement Act.
And so, we would also like you to look at passing other
important legislation--the reauthorization of The Sportfish
Restoration and Boating Trust fund, which was introduced by
Senators Cantwell and Wicker, thanks to them. And also, pass
the SOAR Act and the Recreational Trails Program, and more of
this is explained in my written testimony.
So, I thank you, again, for the opportunity to be with you
today. We appreciate the work that the Committee has been doing
and support outdoor recreation and ensure that access to our
Nation's public lands and waters is paramount. We look forward
to working with you and the Committee on this important issue
and the impact of the Nation's anglers and all those that
appreciate the great outdoors. Thank you very much.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Hughes follows:]
Prepared Statement of Glenn Hughes, President,
American Sportfishing Association
On behalf of the American Sportfishing Association, I am honored to
represent the sportfishing industry and the outdoor recreation
industries before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and
Transportation Subcommittee on Tourism, Trade and Export Promotion.
The American Sportfishing Association (ASA) has served the
recreational fishing industry since 1933 and continues to represent the
business interests of not only the fishing tackle manufacturers, which
includes fishing rods and reels and lines and lures, but also companies
and organizations engaged in the sport of fishing, such as fishing
nets, tackle boxes, sunglasses, marine electronics, kayaks, boats,
motors and more.
Our 700 plus members produce and distribute product to millions of
anglers, their families and friends who enjoy fishing on our Nation's
beautiful waterways. These anglers spend $51 billion in retail sales
each year, with $129 billion in economic impact that supports more than
825,000 jobs.
$22 billion of the retail sales are travel related expenses
including food, rentals, lodging and airfare, guide services, fuel and
ice. Non-residents from your states spend more than $5 billion on
travel expenditures. That is why access to the outdoors is so
incredibly important to all state and local economies.
Anglers are not only users of our beautiful natural resources, but
they are also the original conservationists. Most anglers between the
ages of 16 and 65 pay for a state fishing license to have access to
their state's public waters. When we fish in another state, we buy
another fishing license, whether for a day or the entire year, which
supports that state's natural resources.
Last year state resident and non-resident anglers bought more than
30 million state fishing licenses generating more than $750 million in
license fees.
The sportfishing manufacturers contribute more than their fair
share as well by paying a Federal excise tax on all first-time sales of
fishing equipment here in the United States. Since the bill became law
in 1950, the Dingell-Johnson Act, along with the 1984 Wallop-Breaux
Amendment which includes a motorboat fuel tax, has collected and
distributed hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue to the Sport
Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund each year--$743 million in 2020
alone!
Combined with the Pittman Robertson Act of 1939 that established an
excise tax on all firearms and ammunition, more than $65 billion has
been provided to states for conservation and habitat restoration around
the country. In essence, anglers, boat owners and hunters provide more
money for conservation in this country than any other user group.
During the challenging and unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic,
Americans turned to recreational fishing as a safe and beneficial way
to cope under difficult circumstances. The Recreational Boating &
Fishing Foundation, supported by funding from the Sport Fish
Restoration and Boating Trust Fund, contracts with the Outdoor
Foundation to survey the U.S. population and count the number of
anglers.
In 2020, the data shows an increase from 50 million to 55 million
anglers! That includes increases in participation from children, women,
Hispanics and African Americans. Other findings include:
19.7 million females went fishing--highest level recorded to
date
13.5 million youth 6-17 went fishing
4.8 million Hispanics went fishing--more than double since
2007
African American participation is up 1 million over the past
10 years
On average, state fishing license sales increased 14 percent in
2020 over 2019. All but one state saw an increase in resident license
sales. This was not the case for non-resident sales since COVID-19
prohibited travel for many months. In all, nineteen states saw a
decrease in non-resident license sales, and therefore, many other
tourism dollars never made it to your states.
The sportfishing manufacturers' Federal excise tax on fishing
equipment saw a record increase in 2020. During Fiscal Year 2020--
October 1, 2019, through September 30, 2020--the increase was 54
percent in Federal excise tax collected in 2020 versus 2019. These are
numbers we've never seen before.
Just this past fiscal year alone, the sportfishing industry
contributed $209 million to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)
who then distributed a majority of these funds to state fish and
wildlife agencies to support conservation and access, and the remaining
funds went to support wetlands restoration, boating safety and more.
Due to the unprecedented increase in recreational fishing,
subsequent to May 2020, ASA's manufacturing members could not produce
or distribute the product fast enough to fulfill the demand. And they
are still playing catch up as of this committee hearing.
We surveyed our fishing tackle retailers and 80 percent of them
informed us that their fishing equipment sales grew by 40 percent in
2020. Overall, the retailers' average growth in fishing tackle revenue
was up 28 percent. The main reasons for growth were COVID-19 related
events and an increased interest in fishing. The number one negative
impact on sales was the inability to receive product from
manufacturers. The boating industry has enjoyed similar growth.
The monthly Insight Report from Info-Link shows us that boat
registrations are up across the country by more than 35 percent year
over year through May 2021--a 13-year high.
With boat registrations on the rise, it's very important that we
ensure proper and safe access to the water through more boat ramps and
parking at these locations.
Regarding a broader view of outside engagement, the entire outdoor
recreation economy was impacted both positively and negatively from the
pandemic.
The ASA is one of 33 member organizations that belong to the
Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR), representing 110,000 businesses
across the country. Due to ORR's efforts, the Bureau of Economic
Analysis (BEA) now tracks outdoor recreation through the Outdoor
Recreation Satellite Account or ORSA. In 2019 the BEA's data shows that
the outdoor recreation economy made up 2.1 percent of the gross
domestic product with $788 billion in economic output, supporting 5.2
million jobs. Fishing and boating are the largest contributors.
Prior to the pandemic, outdoor recreation was growing faster than
the U.S. economy. But by April 2020, with a majority of state and
national parks closed and a high percentage of industries furloughing
or laying off workers, outdoor recreation was stymied.
However, by the time Labor Day 2020 arrived, recreational
industries were making significant contributions to the U.S. economy.
But not all businesses did well. Fishing lodges, charter captains,
marinas and restaurants, as well as trade and consumer shows and other
high-traffic events, all struggled because of closures and the
inability to travel freely between states.
Our industry's trade show, produced by ASA, is called the
International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades, or ICAST. Now
in its 64th year, ICAST is the largest sportfishing trade show in the
world, hosting 15,000 participants each year. Orlando and the Orange
County Convention Center have been our hosts for the past seven years.
We have been honored to have Sen. Rick Scott attend our show five
years in a row while he was Governor of Florida and hope to welcome him
and all other members of this committee for this year's show.
The physical show was cancelled last year, like thousands of shows
around the country, but we persevered with a greatly reduced online
version. The ICAST Show funds our association's efforts to help ensure
anglers have clean water, abundant fisheries and access to the fish. We
need all three elements for our industry to survive and thrive.
Cancelling our 2020 Orlando-based, in-person show had a $50 million
impact on the city and the state in lost sales and tax revenues. And
that was just our show.
Most industry trade shows have either cancelled or gone virtual for
the past 15 months. The SHOT Show, Outdoor Retailer and the Archery
Trade Show were all canceled. Consumer shows such as the Miami Boat
Show, New York Boat Show and Fred Hall Fishing Show were also canceled.
These shows are not only important for the commerce that takes
place on the show floor, but for the hundreds of millions of dollars
that support the state and local economies.
With so much increased demand for recreational fishing, and outdoor
recreation in general, Congress has a critically important role in
ensuring Americans have access to ample public lands and waters.
Congress can build upon recently enacted legislation like the Great
American Outdoors Act and America's Conservation Enhancement by passing
the following measures that will support outdoor recreation access and
natural resource conservation:
Reauthorize the Sport Fish Restoration & Boating Trust Fund
The Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund, which is funded
by Federal excise taxes on fishing equipment, motorboat fuel, import
duties and more, funds state-based programs for sportfish conservation
and habitat restoration, infrastructure for boating access and
education for anglers and boaters. We are grateful to Senate Commerce
Committee leaders Sens. Maria Cantwell and Roger Wicker for introducing
S. 1995, which will reauthorize the trust fund along with important
administrative improvements.
Streamline Permitting Process through SOAR Act to Remove Barriers to
Recreation
Congress should help improve interagency coordination to expedite
projects in a transparent, timely, and environmentally responsible
manner by enacting S. 1229, the Simplifying Outdoor Access for
Recreation (SOAR) Act. Lengthy permitting processes for permits,
parking passing, and fees can deter visitors from engaging in outdoor
recreation activities and can also result in limited boat slip spaces
and complications for construction of public and private access points.
Establishing consistent permitting processes that optimize efficiency
and effectiveness of regulatory review for projects is critical to
ensuring restoration and recreation access in coastal and inland
waterway communities across the Nation.
Recreational Trails Program Full Funding Act
The Recreational Trails Program (RTP) is currently funded through
the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) at $85 million annually. This is only a
portion of the $270 million annually that the Federal Highway
Administration conservatively estimates motorized trail users pay into
the HTF through fuel taxes for use in nonhighway recreation. RTP is a
user-pay, user-benefit program that benefits all recreationists and
serves as the primary funding mechanism for thousands of motorized and
non-motorized trail opportunities. This legislation would provide
authorizing committees with an accurate assessment of what trail users
pay into the HTF and help inform Congress in continuing to authorize
the program.
Establish a 21st Century Civilian Climate & Conservation Corps
Expanding the modern conservation corps movement to build a more
resilient, sustainable outdoor recreation economy supported by a
diverse and highly skilled workforce provides an immediate solution to
not only create jobs but also support outdoor recreation opportunities.
This concept has strong bipartisan support, and we call on Congress to
establish a 21st Century ``Civilian Climate & Conservation Corps''
(21CCCC) scaling the existing model of Service and Conservation Corps
to engage thousands of diverse groups of young people and veterans in
the outdoors while providing job training and career pathways.
Regarding the Biden Administration's directive to conserve 30
percent of our lands and waters by 2030; the fishing and hunting
community has proactively supported efforts to conserve our nations
lands and waters for many decades. As long as we have access to these
lands and waters, we will continue to have a deep appreciation and
understanding of the link between healthy habitats and thriving fish
and wildlife populations.
We will continue to support 30 by 30 policies that recognize
existing conservation management efforts. And we'll work with Congress
and the Administration to identify additional conservation needs and
actions, based on science, to determine the appropriate management
programs to meet biodiversity conservation goals.
Please recognize the value of anglers, boaters and hunters and the
many other outdoor activities that are in harmony with other management
goals. Having access to these lands and waters will ensure
participation and, therefore, tax revenues and jobs, and help all
Americans and visitors have the opportunity to enjoy our abundant
resources and unrivaled natural beauty. It is these outdoor activities
that are essential to ensuring we have natural resource and
biodiversity stewards for the next century.
Thank you again for the opportunity to share information regarding
the sportfishing industry and the outdoor economy. We appreciate the
work of this Committee to support outdoor recreation and ensure access
to our Nation's public lands and waters. We look forward to working
with this Committee on these many important issues that impact our 55
million anglers and all those that appreciate our great outdoors.
Senator Rosen. Well, thank you, Mr. Hughes.
Next we have, testifying remotely is Mr. Joe Henry. He is
the Executive Director of Lake of the Woods, Minnesota. Mr.
Henry works closely with 50 Minnesota resorts, area fishing
guides, the Coast Guard, Customs and Border Protection, Canada
Border Service Agency, and a variety of other stakeholders in
the outdoor industry.
Joe drives all marketing, advertising, and special events
for Lake of the Woods, Minnesota, is an active writer, appears
in outdoor TV shows, and produces outdoor videos. Joe is the
past chair of the Minnesota Association of Convention and
Visitor Bureaus. He serves on the State of Minnesota's Outdoor
Recreation Task Force and is a licensed charter captain.
On a side note, I attended University of Minnesota, so I
had an opportunity to travel all through your great state. Mr.
Henry, you are now recognized for your opening remarks.
STATEMENT OF JOE HENRY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTION,
LAKE OF THE WOODS TOURISM
Mr. Henry. Thank you. Good afternoon, Chairwoman Rosen,
Ranking Member Scott, and distinguished members of this
subcommittee. Thank you for holding this important hearing. I
would like to first thank Senator Klobuchar for her ongoing
efforts to support and represent not only the Lake of the Woods
area, but all of tourism and outdoor recreation throughout the
state of Minnesota.
My name is Joe Henry, and I am the Executive Director of
Tourism located in Minnesota. Tourism in our area, and
throughout the state of Minnesota, is a very important
industry. For every dollar spent on lodging in Minnesota, there
is a five-to-seven-time trickle down affect to the local
economy.
Let me begin by discussing the area I represent, Lake of
the Woods. Lake of the Woods is known as The Walleye Capital of
the World. We are a well-known fishing destination with tourism
being our top industry. The pandemic has certainly created
winners and losers. Resorts located on the south end of our
lake are doing very well. It is busy.
On the north end of our lake, we have an absolute treasure
of an area called the Northwest Angle. Most visitors travel to
the Angle by vehicle, traveling 40 miles through Canada, before
reentering back into Minnesota. With the pandemic, the border
has been closed for non-essential travel. Consequently,
businesses have been cutoff from their customers for 15 months.
We have been working on two initiatives. One, to open the
40 miles through Canada to the Northwest Angle. You know,
ultimately, allowing Americans to access America.
The second initiative is to provide some kind of a
forgivable loan program to the businesses up at the Angle, who
have faced unprecedented loss due to the pandemic and border
closure. We are appreciative of the legislation presented by
Senators Klobuchar and Smith that address this. So far, these
hard-working Americans who own businesses up at the Angle, have
not received one penny more in assistance than other businesses
throughout the state, who have full access to their customers.
Looking forward, we believe a percentage of what the
Northwest Angle customers have found new vacation spots and we
believe that that customer base is going to have to be built up
again.
Shifting away from the Lake of the Woods and looking at
Minnesota's tourism and hospitality industry as a whole, there
are many positives and things are improving. We see occupancy
numbers in lodging increasing and tourism is on the rise. With
that being said, there are some challenges facing our industry.
The first big challenge is labor. It is a well-known fact
businesses across the country are struggling to gain workers.
This is true of Minnesota as well. As they are out of options
in finding employees, some businesses are reducing hours,
implementing a different business model, or closing down
segments of their business, due to lack of workers.
Consequently, they are having a hard time making up for losses
from the pandemic.
Prominent resort owners are making breakfast for the resort
at 5 a.m., performing their normal tasks or running a business
during the day, and answering phones and catching up with
paperwork at night. There is definitely a burnout. Even larger,
well-known companies are having a hard time attracting workers.
Many offer hiring bonuses, free lodging for 90 days, and good
pay with benefits. Imagine trying to compete with that if you
are a small business.
Second, if you are able to recruit workers from outside the
area, there is no short-term lodging available for them to
live. Larger resorts are using their own cabins or building
employee housing to accommodate, as a desperate measure. Medium
and small resorts just do not have these options.
The third issue facing Minnesota is daycare. There is not
enough to satisfy demand. In some areas where there are
industries running two to three shifts, daycare is only offered
during daytime hours.
And finally, broadband. Not all areas of the state have
reliable broadband, and this is a detriment to both business as
well as those that are in school.
Shifting gears, allow me to shed light on outdoor
recreation in Minnesota. This past year, I had the privilege of
participating in an outdoor recreation task force for the State
of Minnesota. The Minnesota Outdoor Recreation Task Force
worked to develop a set of recommendations intended to support
accessible and equitable outdoor recreation across multiple
sectors, as well as build a stronger outdoor recreation
community in Minnesota. The Task Force identified three key
action areas and recommended the creation of an Office of
Outdoor Recreation to accomplish them.
The key action areas are, increase participation to advance
equity, diversity and inclusivity. Unite America's and
Minnesota's outdoor recreation communities. And unify
communications amongst Minnesota's diverse outdoor recreation
sector.
Thank you again for the opportunity to testify. We are
grateful for your leadership and support of the outdoor
tourism, recreation and ecotourism industries. We need to
ensure that these businesses and their workers can survive the
remaining challenges ahead. I look forward to your questions.
Thank you.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Henry follows:]
Prepared Statement of Joe Henry, Executive Director,
Lake of the Woods Tourism
Good afternoon Chairwoman Rosen, Ranking Member Scott, and
Distinguished Members of the Subcommittee. Thank you for holding this
important hearing.
I would like to first thank Senator Klobuchar for her ongoing
efforts to support and represent not only the Lake of the Woods area
but all of tourism and outdoor recreation throughout Minnesota.
My name is Joe Henry and I am the Executive Director of Lake of the
Woods Tourism located in Minnesota. It is my honor and privilege to
provide testimony on The State of Outdoor Tourism, Recreation, and
Ecotourism.
I represent the tourism industry within Lake of the Woods County of
Minnesota. Tourism in our area and throughout the state of Minnesota is
a very important industry. For every dollar spent on lodging in
Minnesota, there is a 5-7-time trickle down affect to the local
economy.
Among the many industry, business and civic organizations I have
served, and specific to this discussion, I have served as the Chair of
the Minnesota Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaus, am a
licensed charter captain through the U.S. Coast Guard, on the Board of
Directors with the Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers and a
member of Minnesota's Outdoor Recreation Task Force.
Let me begin by discussing the area I represent, Lake of the Woods.
Lake of the Woods is known as The Walleye Capital of the World. We are
a well-known fishing destination with other forms of outdoor recreation
such as hunting, snowmobiling, off-roading also being popular. Tourism
is our top industry.
The pandemic has certainly created winners and losers. This is true
even in our own area. Resorts located on the south end of the lake and
on the Rainy River are doing very well. Business is strong with people
from across the Midwest coming up to fish, relax and make memories.
Charter boats, fresh air and walleye fish frys are staples.
On the north end of our lake, we have an absolute treasure of an
area called the Northwest Angle. The NW Angle is the northernmost point
of the contiguous United States, it is where the 14,552 islands of Lake
of the Woods begin and is home to 12 resorts, a number of fishing
guides and a few small businesses.
In order to drive to the Angle, one must travel 40 miles through a
remote area of Canada, before re-entering back into Minnesota. With the
pandemic, the border has been closed to non-essential travel.
Consequently, businesses have been ``cut off'' from their customers for
18 months.
This winter, out of desperation, area businesses organized a NW
Angle Guest Ice Road. This 30-mile-long road was built across a huge
expanse of Lake of the Woods called Big Traverse Bay and for a per
vehicle fee, allowed guests to drive their vehicles north to the Angle
and stay at our resorts enjoying ice fishing and snowmobiling. For
eight of the twelve resorts who ice fish, this ice road was a savior.
It didn't provide normal winter revenue, but it was at least something
and more importantly, provided hope.
As America is coming out of the pandemic and things are starting to
open up again, resorts and businesses up at the NW Angle are once again
``cut off'' from their customers. They are now facing their second
summer of little to no business and their customers not being able to
reach them.
Customers can travel across the big lake via boat staying in MN
waters, however, with 40 miles across a huge lake with waves reaching
over eight feet tall at times, is unrealistic for most. There are many
scary stories where various groups including families with young
children have had close calls.
We have been working on two initiatives. One, to open the 40 miles
through Canada to the NW Angle. Ultimately, allowing Americans to
access America.
The second initiative is to provide some kind of forgivable loan
program to the businesses up at the Angle who have faced unprecedented
loss due to the pandemic and border closure. We are appreciative of the
legislation presented by Senators Klobuchar and Smith that addresses
this.
These are hardworking Minnesotan's who don't want handouts. Running
a resort, you wear a lot of hats and work long hours. As beautiful as
the Angle is, it is a harsh environment that goes from -40 in the
winter to 100 degrees in the summer. It is the hard work of resort
owners and their employees that make it possible for visitors to
experience this area.
So far, these hard-working Americans who own businesses up at the
Angle have not received one penny more than any other business
throughout the state whose customers were actually able to access them.
This just doesn't feel right with all of the money being distributed to
those in need as a result of COVID-19.
Many of the resorts are down 75--90 percent in revenue. They are
hanging on by a thread. We are hoping our government steps up to
retroactively support these Americans put in this predicament to no
fault of their own.
Human nature being what it is, what was the NW Angle customer base
has been forced to vacation in other areas, and guess what, they like
them. We believe a percentage of what were NW Angle customers have
found some new traditions and this segment of customers will have to be
built up again.
Some local business owners and their families are considering
moving out of the area. There are 120 residents at the Angle and having
good families move away will hurt.
There has been an effort for a NW Angle airport which would provide
both residents and guests quicker access to medical facilities, a way
to avoid the border crossing as well as a new kind of tourist, but
efforts are running into roadblocks.
Shifting away from the NW Angle and looking at Minnesota's tourism
and hospitality industry as a whole, there are many positives and
things are improving. We see occupancy numbers in lodging increasing
and tourism in on the rise.
With that being said, there are some challenges facing the
industry.
The first big challenge is labor, or lack thereof. It is a well-
known fact businesses across the country are struggling to gain
workers. This is true within Minnesota as well. Businesses throughout
Minnesota, and most certainly those involved in tourism and hospitality
are having a difficult time attracting workers both in the metro areas
as well as greater Minnesota.
As they are out of options in finding and attracting employees,
some businesses are reducing hours. Some have implemented different
business models to accommodate a reduced workforce. As an example,
there are resorts only offering meals to those staying at the resort
and no longer offering meals to other visitors as they cannot
accommodate them due to lack of staff.
Some resorts have actually closed down various segments of their
business such as the bar and restaurant. It is very difficult to find
anyone to work.
Even larger, well-known companies are having a hard time attracting
workers. Many offer hiring bonuses, free lodging for 90 days and good
pay with benefits. Imagine trying to compete with that if you are a
small business.
Second, if you are able to recruit workers from outside the area,
there is no short-term lodging available for them to live. Larger
resorts are using their own cabins or building employee housing to
accommodate as a desperate measure. Medium and small resorts don't have
these options.
Many prominent resort owners find themselves working around the
clock just trying to keep up. One example this past week was a resort
owner making breakfast at 5:00am, performing their normal tasks during
the day and answering phones and catching up with paperwork at night.
There is definitely burnout within the tourism and hospitality
industry.
Lack of workers is affecting the reputation these businesses strive
for, the kind of service they want to provide and ultimately, their
brand is going downhill.
The third issue affecting Minnesota is daycare. There isn't enough
of it to satisfy demand. In some areas where there are industries
running two or three shifts, daycare is only offered during daytime
hours.
Finally, broadband. Not all areas of the state have reliable
broadband and this is a detriment to both business as well as those in
school.
Shifting gears, allow me to shed some light on outdoor recreation
in Minnesota. This past year, I had the privilege of participating in
an outdoor recreation task force for the state of Minnesota.
Minnesota is known as the land of 10,000 lakes with a plethora of
natural resources along with the accessibility to these resources for
both residents and visitors alike.
From April 2020 to March 2021, the Minnesota Outdoor Recreation
Task Force worked to develop a set of recommendations intended to
support accessible and equitable outdoor recreation across multiple
sectors as well as build a stronger outdoor recreation community in
Minnesota. The Task Force identified three key action areas and
recommended the creation of an Office of Outdoor Recreation to
accomplish them. The key action areas are:
Increase participation to advance equity, diversity and
inclusivity
Unite Minnesota's outdoor recreation community
Unify communications amongst Minnesota's diverse outdoor
recreation sector
As mentioned, and widely known, outdoor recreation during the
pandemic has been strong throughout Minnesota and the rest of the
United States.
Data from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources shows park
visitation, state trail use and fishing licenses sales are up. Hunting
licenses, state park permits, biking, hiking, ATV riding, camping, it's
all up.
Not only are the activities up, but the sales of products that are
involved with these activities are up as well. In many cases, this has
led to shortages in the supply chain for many of these items. Potential
sales are available, but the products to sell are not.
In addition to people who were already getting outside to recreate,
we are seeing a variety of new groups getting outside and enjoying
outdoor recreation.
There are many positives with this trend of increased interest and
participation in outdoor recreation. It is one of the good things that
has happened as a result of the Americans not congregating and having
to take safety measures during the pandemic.
Thank you again for the opportunity to testify. We are grateful for
your leadership and support of the outdoor tourism, recreation and
ecotourism industries. We need to ensure these businesses and their
workers can survive the remaining challenges ahead. I look forward to
your questions.
Thank you.
Senator Rosen. Thank you, Mr. Henry, for your remarks.
Senator Scott, I am going to turn it over to you to introduce
our fourth and final witness.
Senator Scott. So, our fourth witness is Zachary Hartman.
Senator Rosen. Your microphone.
Senator Scott. The----
Senator Rosen. Your microphone.
Senator Scott. Oh, thanks. So, our fourth witness is
Zachary Hartman with Ducks Unlimited. Ducks Unlimited is a
great organization. They--they--they are very focused on
conservation. And the individual that runs it was the
Agriculture Commissioner the same 8 years I was Governor, Adam
Putnam. He does a great job, and I am not sure what Nick's
title is, but Nick Wiley ran the Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Commission for Florida. And by the way, I had about 3,000
appointments as Governor. The most coveted appointment was the
Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission because you could go
hunt and fish anywhere you wanted to.
[Laughter.]
Senator Scott. And there are plenty of people, all over
this country, that love that. But Ducks Unlimited does a great
job. They do a great job all across the country. So, Mr.
Hartman.
STATEMENT OF ZACHARY HARTMAN, CHIEF POLICY OFFICER, DUCKS
UNLIMITED
Mr. Hartman. Thank you. And if there is one question that I
get right today, it is Nick's title, which is Chief Operations
Officer. Since he is my direct boss, I do not want to miss that
one.
But, Madame Chair, Ranking Member Scott, and members of the
committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify today on
the state of the outdoor recreation economy.
As a native son of Florida, I fell in love with the
outdoors while fishing on the waters of Sarasota Bay, the Gulf
of Mexico, and the lakes of Central Florida with my dad, who is
now a light-tackle fishing guide in Sarasota, at the ripe old
age of 73. He did three tarpon charters last week. I hope I am
that healthy and strong when I am his age, and I can keep up
with him.
Also, given that my spouse works in the hospitality and
travel industry, the economic impact of tourism and outdoor
recreation has always hit close to home.
Ducks Unlimited is the world's leader in wetlands
conservation, and proud to call Memphis, TN home for our
National Headquarters. We work hand-in-hand with private
landowners, conservation partners, farmers and ranchers,
tribes, and government agencies to conserve wetlands sufficient
to fill the sky with waterfowl today, tomorrow, and forever.
While the pandemic has hit American businesses hard, it has
also helped many of us reconnect with the outdoors and our
hunting heritage. A recent study found that hunting license
sales increased in all regions of the U.S. during 2020. On
average, resident license sales were up 5.4 percent and non-
resident sales increased by 1.6 percent. Bottom line, Americans
were traveling to hunt, even in a pandemic, and doing it
safely.
These hunters were visiting local outfitters, stopping at
local diners, and staying at local motels along their journey,
leaving a small trail of economic stimulus along the way. Add
all those trails up, and it starts to make a big difference.
There should be no doubt that outdoor recreation,
especially waterfowling, is an essential part of the U.S.
economy and will continue to play a critical role in our
recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. As previously mentioned,
according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, outdoor
recreation accounts for 2.1 percent of U.S. GDP. The economic
impact of hunting alone is $110 billion in the United States.
In Nevada, outdoor recreation provides $5.5 billion in value
added economic activity. And in Florida, outdoor recreation
accounts for $49.1 billion.
But waterfowlers have billions of reasons to be proud of
what we contribute to the economic activity and our rural
communities, as well. According to recent data published by the
National Shooting Sports Foundation, waterfowling contributed
$4 billion to U.S. GDP and supported 56,900 jobs, paying a
total of $2.4 billion in wages. Waterfowlers also paid more
than $509 million in Federal taxes and $399 million in State
taxes. Of that $2.4 billion in economic activity, $663 million
is attributed to trip expenditures benefiting the travel and
service industries.
What many Americans may not realize is the link between
hunting and fishing, the conservation investments that
sportsmen and women enable, and the Americans? expansive access
to public lands. Much of the outdoor recreation that Americans
enjoy is made possible by voluntary user fees and taxes, paid
for and supported by hunters and anglers. These programs
include the Federal Duck Stamp, taxes on firearms, ammunition,
and other hunting, fishing, and boating equipment, as well as
State excise taxes and hunting and fishing license revenues.
Ducks Unlimited has completed projects in approximately 1,700
public land areas to expand or enhance the American public's
access to hunting and other outdoor recreation opportunities.
Of particular interest to this committee should be NOAA's
Large Scale Habitat Restoration to Build Climate Resilience
Grant Program. This program will enable large-scale habitat
restoration across coastal systems, expand outdoor recreation
opportunities, and build costal resiliency to mitigate the
impact of storm damage from hurricanes and other floods. A
recent report found that coastal wetlands prevented more than
$625 million in property damage during Hurricane Sandy.
Requested for $40 million in the President's FY22 budget
proposal, this is a logical investment that would provide a
myriad of benefits to all Americans.
As Senator Scott mentioned, America's natural resources and
public spaces are the envy of the world. This has been made
possible, in large part, by hunters and anglers, and
organizations like Ducks Unlimited, the Congressional
Sportsmen's Foundation, and so many others, who, for nearly 100
years, have invested in the well-being of our wildlife and its
habitat.
Congress can build on the strong foundation of conservation
programs, and the public-private conservation delivery model,
to secure a durable legacy for the future generations of
Americans to enjoy.
Thank you, and I would be happy to answer any questions.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Hartman follows:]
Prepared Statement of Zachary Hartman, Chief Policy Officer,
Ducks Unlimited
Madame Chair, Ranking member Scott, and members of the committee--
thank you for the opportunity to testify today on the state of the
outdoor recreation economy. It is an honor to represent Ducks Unlimited
and our one million supporters across the United States, as well as all
of our Nation's waterfowlers, our outdoor industry and conservation
partners, and the millions of Americans who enjoy our great outdoors
every day.
Ducks Unlimited is the world's leader in wetlands conservation, and
proud to call Memphis, TN home for our National Headquarters. As Chief
Policy Officer of Ducks Unlimited, I have the privilege of working with
a team of dedicated professionals and volunteers in Washington, DC, and
in State Capitals across the United States. We work hand-in-hand with
private landowners, conservation partners, farmers and ranchers, tribes
and government agencies to conserve wetlands sufficient to fill the sky
with waterfowl today, tomorrow, and forever.
Most relevant today, Ducks Unlimited's work, and the access to
outdoor recreation opportunities it provides, is an indispensable
driver of economic activity, particularly in rural communities. Ducks
Unlimited's work doesn't just benefit the outdoor recreation economy
and waterfowl and wildlife. All Americans also enjoy the Ecosystem
Services that wetlands provide in the form of carbon sequestration,
clean water, groundwater recharge, flood attenuation, and coastal
resiliency.
Everyone who works at Ducks Unlimited, and in our outdoor
recreation industry, has a deep and personal connection to the
outdoors, and I am no different. As a native son of Florida, my love
for the outdoors began on the waters of Sarasota Bay, where my father
now works as a light-tackle fishing guide. Whether fishing the turtle
grass flats of the middle grounds for trout or pompano, or the
backwater mangroves near Jackrabbit Island for snook and redfish, those
experiences instilled in me a great appreciation of our responsibility
to that resource, and the many ways it makes Sarasota one of the
greatest vacation destinations in the country. If you're interested, we
have the best beaches too.
The COVID-19 pandemic has taken its toll on the American economy,
including nonprofits like Ducks Unlimited, but especially on the
tourism industry. As the husband of a travel industry employee, I have
watched first-hand as hotels have worked to navigate through these
difficult times with the hope to rebuild soon. I also think about the
many small business owners of hotels, restaurants, and retail
establishments in cities and towns across the U.S. who have had to
close their doors to prevent the spread of COVID-19, only to watch the
businesses they have built over a lifetime waste away over a period of
months.
While the pandemic has hit American businesses hard, it has also
helped us reconnect with the outdoors and our hunting heritage. A
recent study from the Council to Advance Hunting and Shooting Sports
found that hunting license sales increased in all regions of the U.S.
during 2020. Of the 40 states included in the study, 35 experienced an
increase in 2020 compared to 2019. Overall, resident license sales were
up 5.4 percent on average, and non-resident license sales increased by
1.6 percent. Bottom line, Americans were traveling to hunt, even in a
pandemic.\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Council to Advance Hunting and Shooting Sports, COVID-19 and
Hunting License Sales. (April 2, 2021) https://cahss.org/covid-19-and-
hunting/
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
There is no doubt that, when permitted, these hunters were visiting
local outfitters to gear-up and seek the local knowledge, and they
stopped by the diners to have lunch and swap stories about their
experiences along the way. These hunters were also staying in the local
motels, and others along their journey, as they struck out on the road
for their next great adventure, leaving a small trail of economic
stimulus. Add all those trails up, and it starts to make a difference.
Recent U.S. National Park Service data confirms the direct economic
impact of outdoor recreation travel on the service industry. According
to the report, outdoor recreators spent $14.5 billion in communities
within 60 miles of a national park. Lodging was most greatly impacted
with $5 billion in economic output, and the restaurant sector was
second with $3 billion. In Nevada and Florida, park visitors spent
$278.6 million and $521.1 million as a direct result of their outdoor
recreation activities, respectively.\2\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ National Park Service, National Park Visitor Spending
Contributed $28.6 Billion to U.S. Economy in 2020, (June 10, 2021)
https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1207/vse2020.htm
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'll always remember something my father would tell me about the
importance of our seasonal visitors. He'd say, ``Zach--there's
something important that you have to understand. All these people come
here, they stay for a little while, and then they leave. But all their
money stays right here in Sarasota. Be grateful.'' We took care of that
resource, and it took care of us in so many ways.
Looking back, it makes a lot of sense. When many Americans think of
travel destinations, they probably think of Carson City, Lake Tahoe,
Las Vegas, or maybe Orlando, Key West, and St. Augustine. When I think
of my favorite destinations, I think of backwoods fish camps on Lake
Istokpoga, boating on Crystal River and the beautiful Central Florida
springs. And I think of all the great local outfitters, diners, and
hotels that we visited along the way.
There should be no doubt that outdoor recreation, especially
waterfowling, is an essential part of the U.S. economy and will
continue to play a critical role in our recovery from the COVID-19
pandemic. According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, outdoor
recreation accounts for 2.1 percent of U.S. Gross Domestic Product
(GDP) valued at approximately $460 billion, and generates 5.2 million
high-paying jobs \3\. The economic impact of hunting alone is more than
$110 billion.\4\ In Nevada, outdoor recreation provides $5.5 billion in
value added economic activity, representing 3.1 percent of state GDP
and 59,499 jobs \5\. In Florida, outdoor recreation accounts for $49.1
billion, 4.4 percent of state GDP, and 511,100 jobs \6\.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ Bureau of Economic Analysis, Outdoor Recreation Satellite
Account, U.S. and States, 2019, (Nov. 10, 2020) https://www.bea.gov/
sites/default/files/2020-11/orsa1120_1.pdf
\4\ Outdoor Recreation Roundtable, Outdoor Recreation Drives The
American Economy, Industry Statistics, (June 10, 2021) https://
recreationroundtable.org/impact-2/
\5\ Bureau of Economic Analysis, Outdoor Recreation Satellite
Account, 2019--Nevada,
(Nov. 10, 2020) https://apps.bea.gov/data/special-topics/orsa/summary-
sheets/ORSA%20-%20
Nevada.pdf
\6\ Bureau of Economic Analysis, Outdoor Recreation Satellite
Account, 2019--Florida,
(Nov. 10, 2020) https://apps.bea.gov/data/special-topics/orsa/summary-
sheets/ORSA%20-%20
Florida.pdf
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Waterfowlers have billions of reasons to be proud of how our
tradition drives economic activity and supports our rural communities.
According to recent data from a study published by the National
Shooting Sports Foundation, waterfowling contributed $4 billion to U.S.
GDP and supported 56,900 jobs, paying a total of $2.4 billion in wages.
Waterfowlers also paid more than $509 million in Federal taxes and $399
million in state taxes.\7\ According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, $663 million is attributed to ``Trip Expenditures'' benefiting
the travel and service industries.\8\ Recent National Park Service data
confirms the direct economic impact of outdoor recreation travel.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\7\ Southwick Associates. Hunting in America: An Economic Force.
2018 edition
\8\ US Fish and Wildlife Service, Economic Impact of Waterfowl
Hunting in the United States, (March 2015) https://
outdoorrecreation.wi.gov/Documents/Research%20Library%20Page%20
files/US%20-%20Economic%20Impacts/
Economic%20Impact%20of%20Waterfowl%20Hunting_
2011.pdf
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
What many Americans may not realize is the link between hunting and
fishing, the conservation investments that sportsmen and women enable,
and Americans' expansive access to public lands. Much of the outdoor
recreation that Americans enjoy is made possible by voluntary user fees
and taxes, paid for, and supported by, hunters and anglers. These
programs include the Federal Duck Stamp, taxes on firearms, ammunition,
and other hunting, fishing and boating equipment, as well as state
excise taxes and hunting and fishing license revenues. Ducks Unlimited
has completed projects in approximately 1,700 public lands areas to
provide or enhance the American public's access to hunting and other
outdoor recreation opportunities.
Under the North American Model of Conservation, America's wildlife
resources are shared with all people and are considered an
international resource. Conservation programs take Federal dollars and
match them with state and private dollars from organizations like Ducks
Unlimited, to provide habitat for wildlife and access for all to enjoy.
According to the U.S. Department of Interior, as of March, 2020, the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service had distributed more than $22.9 billion
for state conservation and recreation projects, which was then matched
with an additional $7.6 billion.\9\ Today, hunters and shooters
generate more than $1.8 billion each year for wildlife
conservation.\10\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\9\ US Department of Interior, Sportsmen and Sportswomen Generate
Nearly $1 Billion in Conservation Funding, (March 19, 2020) https://
www.doi.gov/pressreleases/sportsmen-and-sportswomen-generate-nearly-1-
billion-conservation-funding
\10\ Southwick Associates. Hunting in America: An Economic Force.
2018 edition
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Congress has recently taken major steps to further support the
conservation, enhancement, and expansion of Americans' public spaces.
The passage of the ``Great American Outdoors Act'' and the ``American
Conservation Enhancement Act'' during the 116th Congress, represent a
significant commitment to key conservation programs with the
reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and the
North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA), respectively. These
voluntary and incentive-based programs conserve and enhance our
Nation's most important habitats and landscapes, and expand public
access for all Americans to enjoy the outdoors. But there is more to be
done.
Streamlining program delivery and growing investments in
conservation and other natural infrastructure solutions that expand the
American public's access and opportunities for outdoor recreation,
especially hunting and fishing, is a commonsense way to get more value
out of taxpayer dollars. These investments encourage healthy, active
lifestyles and provide economic stimulus to nearby businesses, many of
them small businesses.
Of particular interest to this committee should be the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's ``Large Scale Habitat
Restoration to Build Climate Resilience Grant Program.'' This program
will enable large-scale habitat restoration across coastal systems and
provide more outdoor recreation opportunities, as well as costal
resiliency to mitigate the impact of storm damage from hurricanes and
flooding. A recent report published by Lloyds Tercentenary Research
Foundation found that coastal wetlands prevented more than $625 million
in property damage during Hurricane Sandy, reducing property damage in
the Northeast by an average of 10 percent.\11\ Requested for $40
million in the President's FY22 budget proposal, this is a logical
investment that would provide a myriad of benefits to all Americans.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\11\ Costal Resilience, Coastal Wetlands and Flood Damage
Reduction, (October 2016) https://coastalresilience.org/coastal-
wetlands-provide-significant-flood-damage-reduction/
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Biden Administration's America the Beautiful Initiative calls
on a whole-of-government approach to mitigate and address the
challenges of our changing climate. Congress and the Administration
should consider the following steps to support the outdoor recreation
economy as they pursue that goal:
Prioritize Natural Infrastructure Solutions.
Pass the Recovering America's Wildlife Act.
Eliminate regulatory ``green tape'' that hinders the
delivery of scientifically beneficial conservation programs.
Enhance voluntary and incentive-based conservation programs
for working lands to support farmers and ranchers.
Expand programs to meet the local needs of conservation on
tribal lands and in areas that are accessible to socio-
economically disadvantaged communities.
America's natural resources and public spaces are the envy of the
world. This has been made possible by hunters and anglers, and
organizations like Ducks Unlimited, Congressional Sportsmen's
Foundation, and others, who, for nearly 100 years, have invested their
time and treasure into the wellbeing of our wildlife and its habitat.
For many reasons, the COVID-19 pandemic has inspired Americans to
reconnect with the outdoors. Congress can build on the strong
foundation of conservation programs, and the public-private
conservation delivery model, to secure a durable legacy for future
generations of Americans to enjoy.
Expanding public access opportunities for outdoor recreation,
particularly hunting and fishing, with innovative utilization of new
and existing programs will not only result in more waterfowl and
wildlife and stimulate greater economic activity in our tourism
industry. These efforts will also make our air and water cleaner,
recharge precious groundwater systems, and fortify our communities
against the threats of extreme weather. These are things that all
Americans need and support.
Senator Rosen. Thank you, Mr. Hartman. And again, I want to
thank all of our witnesses, the three that are here and one
that is remote, for joining today, for your thoughtful opening
statements. I am going to defer my first questions to my
friend, Senator Capito, from the great state of West Virginia.
STATEMENT OF HON. SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO,
U.S. SENATOR FROM WEST VIRGINIA
Senator Capito. Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank all of
you for being here today. Really very interested--I am from the
state of West Virginia and I know my two, Chair and Ranking
Member have--have huge outdoor recreation. Well, we have quite
an outdoor recreation industry in our state, as well. And
interestingly, it has just flourished under the pandemic,
because of the proximity to the more populated parts of the
Eastern--the Eastern seaboard, and easy to get there, and a
quick drive, and spend the day if you did not want to spend the
night. Which many of us were thinking about at certain times
last year.
I would note that our Governor, in an effort to get the
remaining West Virginians that have not taken up the
vaccination, is offering free fishing licenses as an incentive.
And I do not know if any of you all know of other states that
are doing that. Does anybody know offhand? I do not think we
are alone there, but I know that it is a popular thing in our
state. Is it--you doing it in Florida?
Senator Scott. I do not think so----
[off mic].
Senator Capito. No? I think it is a good idea. In any
event--of course, he has got some trucks going and some other--
million-dollar lottery and a whole bunch of other things. But
he does have the free fishing license. So, a thanks--a shout
out to Governor Justice.
I think one thing that, as we are looking at the future of
the outdoor industry, certainly--we have a new National Park in
West Virginia. We want to make sure that we have capacities
there for parking and to--and for stay overnight, restaurants,
and all that. And so, that is new for us.
But as I think about how this pandemic has really hit us
and more families traveling together, maybe for short-term
trips, I think it is inspiring that next generation to outdoor
recreation. And I am curious to know, of our panelist--and I
would be happy to hear from all of you--what your--what focus
you are placing on that next generation? Whether it is a sport
fisherman or woman--or to inspire them to go outside and enjoy,
as we have over the pandemic. Is this something that you all
have thought about? What kind of programs are you aiming to
that next generation? We will start at the end there, Mr.
Robertson.
Mr. Robertson. Colin Robertson, for the record. Thank you
so much for that question, Senator Capito. The wonderful thing
about--I hesitate to say anything was a silver lining in the
midst of the pandemic, but one of the positive outcomes of that
experience has been the just overwhelming increase in
participation by lots of new participants in outdoor
recreational activities.
I am very proud of a number of different kinds of
organizations in Nevada, one of which I will mention is an
organization called Get Outdoors Nevada, which provides
opportunities for underprivileged youth, in particular, to
experience outdoor activities, in ways that they might not
otherwise have been able to. And particularly because of the
impact of the pandemic on the tourism and hospitality industry
in Nevada, a lot of children and young people were
disproportionately affected by that terrible economic
consequence of the pandemic.
So, Get Outdoors Nevada, among a slew of many other non-
profit education organizations in the state, have really tried
to increase access and opportunity for--for kids and youth. And
I think, my office and my counterparts in--in the 13 other
states that are part of the Confluence of States, are working
very diligently to increase access and equitable access to
outdoor recreational activities.
I think I will leave it at that, so that----
Senator Capito. Thanks.
Mr. Robertson. We have plenty of time.
Senator Capito. Anybody else have anything to add there?
Mr. Hughes. I do, Senator, thank you.
Senator Capito. Mr. Hughes.
Mr. Hughes. So, for more than 20 years, recreational
boating and fishing foundations existed to increase
participation in fishing and boating. And that money that they
have is established through our Sportfish Restoration Boating
Trust Fund, which is based on excise taxes and motorboat fuel
taxes. So, we are investing in the future of anglers. They get
2 percent of the fund.
At the same time, we understand that it is really a four-
legged stool. It is the RBFF. It is the states. It is Federal
agencies, and it is also industry. And so, the industry, we are
spending a lot of time with the RBFF on this, to communicate
about how we make sure that folks have a good experience.
So, I mentioned earlier that fishing has increased from 50
million to 55 million participants, just in this past year
alone. Which is tremendous, but now, they need to have a good
experience out there. They need access. They need clean water.
They need abundant fisheries. And so, that is where a lot of
time and money is spent. But that good experience is also going
to be dependent upon all of us. Fish and wildlife agencies and
the State agencies need to be able to communicate with these
anglers and make sure they have the information that they need
to make--to be--have positive day on the water.
And same thing for the industry, whether it is
manufacturers or retailers. Retailers have a responsibility to
make sure, when someone buys a fishing rod, reel, line, and
lure, that they know how to use it and that they know where to
go, and they know what they are fishing for. So, this is a
communication issue that we want to work through the entire
community with. Thank you.
Senator Capito. Yes. Mr. Hartman, did you want to add
anything? Or Mr. Henry?
Mr. Hartman. Thanks, Senator Capito. I would just like to
say, you know, Ducks Unlimited is a membership organization
that is led by our volunteers. So, this is a critically
important issue for us. We have had programs in place, for many
years, and are building on those and expanding our Green Wing
program for younger children. We have our Varsity program,
which is our high school students, which has a trap and skeet
team aspect, which is rapidly growing. And then, our--our
university chapters, which are some of the fastest growing
chapters. And most importantly, and pleasing to us, really
diversifying the demographics of our membership. They are
approaching nearly 50 percent women and we are really excited
about that.
Senator Capito. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chair--Madam
Chair.
Mr. Henry. Thank you, Senator.
Senator Rosen. I was going to say, yes, Mr. Henry, please
go ahead and answer Senator Capito's question.
Senator Capito. Thank you.
Mr. Henry. Thank you very much. Yes, to answer your
question, we are looking forward at these different
demographics that are interested in this. And you know, that is
one of the silver linings of the pandemic, is that more and
more people--different groups that we have not seen before,
have gotten into outdoor recreation. Very exciting.
And you know, we--I mean, at the Minnesota DNR, the
National Professional Angling Association, tourism
destinations, like myself, you know, you would be crazy not to
look at that and say, gosh, not only create a welcoming
environment for these people, but also make sure that you are
including all different types of people in your marketing and
your promotions and your--and your messaging, because that is
part of making them feel welcome. And also, addressing the
security part of things. Do people feel safe coming to your
destination? When they look at your materials, do they see
people like themselves and they would feel, you know,
comfortable bringing their families there.
So, yes, it is very important, and we certainly see a
silver lining coming to the future.
Senator Capito. Thank you, thank you.
Senator Rosen. Thank you. I want to begin by, again,
thanking all of your for being here because we really do have
to promote our outdoor tourism. Not just for Nevada, that is
60,000 jobs, I can tell you, every state has--depending on the
size of your state--we only have three million people. Florida,
millions, millions of people. And so, percentage wise, it
really makes a difference. And these workers' livelihoods, they
really depend on the visitors, not just across the country, but
really from--coming from around the world.
So, with this in mind, the American Rescue Plan, Congress
did set aside $750 million in grants to assist States and
communities that have had job losses in tourism and outdoor
recreation sectors. So, Senator Cortez Masto, Klobuchar, and I,
we have made this clear. The administration should make these
funds available for tourism marketing and promotion activities.
We need to make them available as quickly as possible, so that
we can bring visitors back to our top tourist destinations. But
these funds are just a small part.
So, Mr. Robertson and Mr. Henry, can you discuss the
importance of travel promotion, like, Brand USA, our direct
marketing--our local direct marketing organizations, DMOs as
they are known in the industry--to attracting both
international and domestic visitors to our wonderful states?
Mr. Robertson, you can go first, and then, Mr. Henry.
Mr. Robertson. Thank you, Chair Rosen. Colin Robertson, for
the record.
Nevada was desperately affected by the downturn in tourism
and travel, obviously, as a result of COVID-19. But Brand USA's
efforts and the local DMOs, including Travel Nevada in the
State of Nevada, are doing really important work to bring--to
build back better the tourism economy of the state. And
especially, in a state like Nevada, our rural communities
which, from an outdoor recreation perspective, are gateways to
some of Nevada's most beloved recreational places and
opportunities.
In particular, I think it is very important for
organizations like Brand USA to be working collaboratively with
State offices of outdoor recreation and State and local DMOs on
things like, rural--positioning rural communities to
participate in that building back better, by implementing
strategies and initiatives around rural community and economic
development, particularly oriented to outdoor recreation. And I
think it is very important that we work together to try to
identify strategies to inform, educate, influence visitors
about how and why to travel and to recreate outdoors
responsibly and sustainably.
Senator Rosen. Thank you. Mr. Henry, can you talk a little
bit about Brand USA and importance of travel promotion efforts?
Mr. Henry. I can. Well, first off, travel promotion
efforts, I mean, destination marketing organizations, they fuel
the desire. I mean, they tell the story, and they paint the
pictures, to not only attract visitors, but also, to really
motivate them to get out there and explore and travel.
You know, as I mentioned in my comments, for instance in
Minnesota, for every dollar spent on lodging, there is a five-
to-seven-time trickledown effect to the local economies. And
that is huge. You know, when tourism is good, everybody wins.
Gas, food, beverage, fishing guides, hardware stores, grocery
stores, very important.
You know, when you bring up Brand USA, had an opportunity
to talk to Explore Minnesota Tourism recently and, you know
that Brand USA is going to be Explore Minnesota Tourism's main
foray back into international market. So, they are very much in
support of reauthorizing funding for Brand USA. That is very,
very important to get that segment of our tourism back rolling
again. Thank you.
Senator Rosen. And for all of you, and you can just answer
this quickly as a yes or no question because then, we will go
to Mr. Scott--Senator Scott. We will go back and forth. But how
important--or do you think, to revitalize our rural areas in
particular, and tourism in general, how important do think
investment in broadband is? If you would just give a quick
answer, then all four of you can do that. Mr. Robertson, we
will start with you first.
Mr. Robertson. Essential.
Senator Rosen. Essential. Mr. Hughes?
Mr. Hughes. Very.
Mr. Hartman. It is very essential and Ducks Unlimited is a
proud member of the American Connection Project, which is a
conglomeration of many agri-businesses, telecom companies,
healthcare industry folks, that are--that are working to
advance that priority.
Senator Rosen. Thank you. And Mr. Henry, how important do
you think broadband is to tourism in your state?
Mr. Henry. Thank you. As I mentioned in my comments,
extremely important. It levels the playing field, and it makes,
you know, all areas of the state and the country, you know,
accessible to different kinds of jobs and certainly, education.
Senator Rosen. Thank you. Senator--I turned off my
microphone. Senator Scott.
Senator Scott. Thank you, Chair Rosen. Well, I think even
when the senator from Alaska is in the room, we would have to
all agree that the fishing capital of the world is Florida.
[Laughter.]
Senator Rosen. We have a couple of fish in Nevada.
Senator Sullivan. Madam Chair, I am going to object to
that.
[Laughter.]
Senator Rosen. Duly noted, duly noted.
Senator Scott. So, Mr. Hughes, whether we are the fishing
capital or not, we all love our fishing. And all the states
have great fishing and different fishing. Can you talk about,
all around our country, how sportfishing impacts your local
communities and jobs?
Mr. Henry. Certainly, thank you. So, the beauty about
something like fishing is that it is--you can talk about it
nationally, but you can act locally. There are so many events.
There are--the manufacturers in our membership is about 700,
but there are about 3,500 retailers out there selling product,
besides the 4,000 Walmarts or the 2,000 Bass Pro and Cabela's,
or the 700 Dick's Sporting Goods or the 250 Academy Sports.
Everybody sells fishing equipment. So, it is supporting those
local markets.
Obviously, there is so much public land and water that we
are fishing from--from each state, for that matter. And so, we
have got funds that have been invested into each State to make
sure that we have--have this access to these fish. And so--and
fishing is for everyone, whether you are 2 years old or 92
years old, or even 102 years old. And so, we are only asking
for fishing license fees, mostly for the 16-to 65-year-olds.
But everybody has an opportunity to enjoy to--participate on a
day on the water.
And again, it is not just the retail, it is everything you
think about when it comes to paying for a boat or fuel or
motors or paying for equipment or chartering a boat or being
able to enjoy food at restaurants, before, during, and after,
as well. So, everything is tied to fishing in my world, and we
want to share it with the rest of the world.
Senator Scott. Thank you. Mr. Hartman, can you talk about--
we have seen, I think, around the country, a significant
increase in both hunting and, you know, sporting, almost--
probably almost in every State. Can you talk about what is
driving this and how we are going to be able to continue this?
Mr. Hartman. Thank you, Senator. I think that, for a lot of
different reasons, the COVID-19 pandemic has inspired Americans
to get outdoors. I think that a lot of that has to do with,
after being--having to confine yourself to your own home, for
the safety of yourself and others for extended periods of time,
you really reconnect--you really, kind of, yearn for that.
But I also think that a lot of that is driven by a lot of
the public investments that we have made in outdoor recreation
access. And I think that outdoor recreation access really
equals outdoor recreation economic activity. We see that in
your state, where we have so many state and parks and
opportunities and wonderful beaches for people to visit. You
know, I will not say anything about Siesta Key, but just ask
Dr. Beach.
[Laughter.]
Mr. Hartman. I think that one of the ways we can keep that
going is, we can seize this moment, where so many people have
reconnected with that. And we can build on the strong
foundation that the previous Congress laid by passing historic
investments in outdoor recreation and conservation funding
through the American's Conservation Enhancement Act and the
Great American Outdoors Act. And we can do--do the best to
build on that foundation, as we move forward.
Senator Scott. Can you just talk about, a little bit, how
the benefit of your conservation efforts has impacted local
communities and jobs?
Mr. Hartman. Yes, Senator, I appreciate that. I can give
you an example here from Florida. You know, DU is proud to work
on a project just north of Jupiter, in Martin County, in the
Jonathan Dixon State Park. DU enhanced 1,791 acres in that
park, which is, as you are aware, Florida's largest State park.
And what they did was they--they adjusted two drainage
systems and changed the hydrologic flows to benefit wetland
dependent wildlife species that had declined in the area. And
that water management infrastructure restored the wetlands
system and aided in vegetation management and increased
biodiversity, thereby creating lots of other reasons for
visitors to visit that park. To observe and go bird watching
for all the beautiful, tropical, and migratory birds, and
everything, other wildlife that benefited from that.
Senator Scott. Well, and we have got great conservation
efforts all over this country, and I know we have done a lot of
it in Florida, but thanks for what Ducks Unlimited has been
doing.
While I finish and give it back to Chair Rosen, I want to
tell you that, while it was not fishing in my State, one of the
best fishing days I ever had is, I actually took a small plane
up to a glacier lake in Alaska. And we caught trout up there
and cooked it right there. And it could not have been much
better fishing than that day.
So, I will turn my time back to Chair Rosen.
Senator Rosen. Thank you, Senator Scott. I would like to
recognize next, Senator Klobuchar, via WebEx.
STATEMENT OF HON. AMY KLOBUCHAR,
U.S. SENATOR FROM MINNESOTA
Senator Klobuchar. Well, thank you so much, Chair Rosen and
thank you, Senator Scott. I just heard your closing comment,
Senator Scott, and I will say you have not fished until you
went to Minnesota and fished for Walleye.
Which is just a great segue for me to thank Mr. Joe Henry
and thank the Chair for having him come today. We take pride in
our outdoor recreation in Minnesota in a big way, and I would
have been there at the beginning of the hearing, but I am
chairing another hearing as we speak, over in Judiciary. And I
have had the experience--great experience of working with Joe
in the past, in my visits to Northern Minnesota.
And I think we all know what has been going on with
tourism. We had the pandemic hit so many areas hard. We now
have labor shortage in some of the areas of our state. And
then, there is always supply chain issues that have hit in so
many ways.
So, why do I not start with you, Mr. Henry. I know of one
resort near the Canadian border. I have been pushing to open
that border, of course, near the Canadian border, Jake's
Northwest Angle Resort, that lost 85 percent of its business
since the pandemic started. Can you speak to how this
legislation, the Remote Recreational Small Business
Interruption Program Act, that Senator Smith and I introduced,
would help? We all know--we are not going to tell our whole
story of these Minnesotans that live an hour and a half through
Canada. We hope all the senators will visit them 1 day, when we
can finally come through. But why do you not answer, Mr. Henry.
Thanks.
Mr. Henry. Thank you, Senator Klobuchar. And all the
senators are welcome to come up to the Northwest Angle. Would
love to have you.
You know, it has been tough. You know, the pandemic has
closed down--basically, it has cutoff customers from these
Northwest Angle Resorts. So, many of the resorts are down 75 to
90 percent in revenue. You know, when you talk about last
summer, Jake's Northwest Angle paid, for the summer, $3 in
taxes. There are just no sales. There are no people there.
So, this--this deal that you speak of would be absolutely
detrimental to helping these poor people survive. You know,
they are caught in a--they are caught in a very, very difficult
situation--a very unique situation. And they are hanging on by
a thread. So, what it would do is, it would help them sleep
better at night and it would, basically, help them hang on to
fight another day. Thank you, Senator Klobuchar.
Senator Klobuchar. OK, well, I am so glad you are with us.
Mr. Hughes, Mr. Robertson, improving recreational trails is
important in my state. Snowmobilers, hikers, ATV users,
cyclists, countless others--we have actually been able to get a
coalition together with these cyclists and ATV users, with our
skiers and our snowmobilers, to promote recreational trails.
And that is the RTP program, which funds off highway vehicles,
snowmobile, and non-motorized trail uses.
In 2020, our state trail usage was up 50 percent, as more
people were finding ways to get outdoors. And I have been
leading this effort in the Senate for a long time. Mr. Hughes,
you highlight the need to secure increased funding for the
Recreation Trails Program. Can you elaborate on why this
program is critical? And Mr. Robertson, could you also talk
about the local impact on communities? Mr. Hughes.
Mr. Hughes. Yes, thank you, Senator, for the question. So,
the Recreational Trails Program, right now, is getting about
$85 million from the Highway Trust Fund. But it is not funding
what is needed, which is about the $270 million annually, which
is, kind of, a conservative estimate, in terms of what is
probably needed for this. And until we have that, the lack of
access will limit the participation, limit the number of folks
that will get involved in this.
And so, if we can make sure that we ensure that funding, it
is a user benefit, and it supports all recreational forms of
participation, not only in the State of Minnesota, but
throughout the country. So, we need more support of these non-
motorized trails and just some of the infrastructure will be
supported through this RTP program.
So, that is what that is what I----
Senator Klobuchar. Thank you. Thank you. Mr. Robertson?
Mr. Robertson. Thank you, Senator Klobuchar, for the
question. The importance in, especially rural communities, of
RTP investments is--cannot be oversold. It is essential to
creating infrastructure, from an outdoor recreation standpoint,
that helps those communities build sustainable community and
economic development strategies around the natural capital that
exists in those places. And alongside it, I would submit that
the Federal Lands Access Program does really important work to
make access to those public lands happen, as well. Thank you.
Senator Klobuchar. OK, very good. I would just close by
saying Senator Blunt and I lead the Brand USA. That will be
coming up for reauthorization at some point. We all know we
have suffered in the tourism area. A lot of financial loss from
the international tourism market and I would note, as this
focus, Chairman Rosen and the Ranking Member have a good
hearing on international tourism.
But I would say, even in the recreational area, there are
many people visiting from around the world who want to come to
America to experience the great outdoors. And they are a big
part of that tourism package, as well. And that part of our
tourism economy is really important to bringing a bunch of them
in. And we would like to make it even more important, as we
look at having the industry rebound after these years of the
pandemic.
So, thank you to all of our witnesses. Look forward to
seeing you out there fishing, Mr. Henry, and I will talk to you
all soon. Thanks, everyone.
Senator Rosen. Thank you, Senator Klobuchar. And now,
someone who is no stranger to the snow, Senator Sullivan.
STATEMENT OF HON. DAN SULLIVAN,
U.S. SENATOR FROM ALASKA
Senator Sullivan. Thank you, Madam Chair, and before
Senator Klobuchar leaves, you know--hopefully, she is still on.
We all get to flex a little bit about our states and tourism
and, you know, I want to return the compliment from Senator
Scott. I--I love fishing in Alaska, of course, some of my best
fishing has also been deep sea fishing in Florida. So, I think
we all--all benefit, all appreciate it, you know--even--I did
not know there was a lot of fishing in Minnesota. I think it is
called the Land of 10,000 Lakes. I think--I was just checking.
I think Alaska, we have three million lakes, so----
[Laughter.]
Senator Sullivan. Sorry. We have got a little bit more
lakes. Amy, I do not know if you are still on, but----
[Laughter.]
Senator Sullivan. Just thought you would want to hear that.
But one issue, in all seriousness, I really thank the Chair and
the Ranking Member. I think this is a great subcommittee. It is
an active subcommittee, which is really important because this
is a really key part of our economy that I actually think
deserves more attention, because it is very bipartisan. But it
is very strongly American in terms of, when compared to other
industries, it is highly dependent on human capital, human
labor. It cannot be outsourced. It is a great component of our
international trade balance when people come in. So, it is a
win-win-win across a bunch of areas.
I do want to follow on what Senator Klobuchar mentioned. We
have been having this problem with the closed border with
Canada. And I actually think it does not just impact border
states, like mine or Minnesota. It hurts Florida, it hurts
Nevada. But the Canadians are hearing from us, but I think it
would be good for all the witnesses here, you know, if you can
respectfully but forcefully say, ay, Canada, time to open your
border. It is going to benefit tourism in Canada.
But my goodness, they are an industrialized democracy. Come
on, we are not--you know, we are your neighbor to the South, or
your neighbor to the Northwest, in my State's case. But would
it benefit you, your industry, both in America and Canada, if
the Canadians finally got out of their own way and opened their
border to their American neighbors? Can I ask each witness on
that?
Mr. Robertson. Colin Roberston, for the record. Senator, I
would--I would say--I did not get a chance to say this to
Senator Klobuchar, but as a kid from Minnesota, I appreciate
and understand that issue very well. And both Minnesota and
Nevada have a history with the Hudson Bay Company. So, I think
there are reasons that we should be looking to history for some
of the opportunities to build an outdoor recreation-oriented
economy, collectively, with Canada.
Senator Sullivan. So, you would appreciate an open border
this summer?
Mr. Robertson. I sure would.
Senator Sullivan. Good, so would we.
Mr. Hughes. Senator Sullivan, it is nice to see you again.
Thanks for the question. Of course, it was a few years ago, in
the Kenai River, one of our staff was speaking at a hearing
that you had there before the fishing tournament.
And so, of course, the closing of the Canadian borders hurt
our business. It has hurt, certainly, the lodges and the
fishing camps in Canada, as well, for sure. But our trade show
next month is an international trade show and the manufacturers
from Canada are not coming. And so, that hurts our business. It
hurts their business.
Senator Sullivan. It is a real self-inflicted wound on the
Canadians, too. It is remarkable to me.
Mr. Hughes. It certainly is. Yes, we look at--of course, we
talk about fishing in America, it is North America.
Senator Sullivan. Yes.
Mr. Hughes. And so, Canada is an important part of that.
And of course, there are plenty of conversations to be had
about salmon fishing between the Alaskan and the Canadian
borders and Washington and Oregon and California. And so, they
are a part of the ecosystem and, of course, they should be
open, and everyone will benefit from that, yes.
Senator Sullivan. I agree. Mr. Hartman?
Mr. Hartman. Thank you, Senator Sullivan. As you mentioned,
that is up to the Canadians, but----
Senator Sullivan. We know it is up to the Canadians.
Mr. Hartman. It certainly----
Senator Sullivan. I am just trying to make a point that--
they have been hearing from us, of course.
Mr. Hartman. Yes, sir.
Senator Sullivan. But I think hearing from all of you
really matters and it matters to Canadians whose voices are,
obviously, not being heard by their own government. I mean,
they are hurting their own tourism industry, as well.
Mr. Hartman. Yes, sir. I am not offering any dissenting
views. It obviously matters to waterfowlers, very much.
Senator Sullivan. Yes.
Mr. Hartman. In a lot of different ways, beyond tourism.
The closure of the Canadian border has interfered with
scientific research that is conducted. Waterfowl and wildlife
resources, according to the North American Model of
Conservation, are an international commodity. They are things
that we all own together. Ducks and geese do not know the
northern border. They fly across it. They fly across the
southern border. They live their whole entire life cycles in
North America, which is why Ducks Unlimited is a North American
conservation organization, with our sister organizations in
Canada----
Senator Sullivan. Yes.
Mr. Hartman. And DUMAC, which is our subsidiary--our
partner organization in Mexico. But American waterfowlers
travel by the tens of thousands to Canada every year to enjoy
waterfowling.
Senator Sullivan. And they are not going right now, right?
Mr. Hartman. They missed last season and they would be very
disappointed--I know a couple of them personally that would be
very disappointed to miss next season, as well.
Senator Sullivan. And Madam Chair, if I can just ask Mr.
Henry, if you are still on the line. I am sure you have a very
strong view on this. But again, loud, respectful voices from
Americans in the tourism industry, I think can help us, if the
Canadians are listening. So, Mr. Henry, do you have a view?
Mr. Henry. I do, Senator, thank you. You know, this is
going to be the second Summer that our Northwest Angle resorts
have been cutoff from--from their visitors being able to come
up to see them. But so, not only are Northwest Angle guests
cutoff, it is that whole region of Canada that relies on
Americans to come up and fuel their tourism industry. They have
been cutoff, as well.
You know, we believe that that border can be opened in a
fair manner, a very safe manner. And yes, we certainly believe
that that could have been opened a while ago, certainly now.
Senator Sullivan. And now, Madam Chair, as so many
Americans are becoming vaccinated, and Canadians, too, this
really self-defeating policy needs to--in my view, would be
very important for the Canadians to change it. Benefit all of
us. But thanks again. These hearings are very important. I look
forward to major legislation on tourism coming out of this
subcommittee.
Thank you for the witnesses. I have a few additional
questions I am going to submit to all of you, for the record.
Thank you.
Senator Rosen. Thank you, Senator Sullivan. Next, via
WebEx, we have Senator Hickenlooper.
STATEMENT OF HON. JOHN HICKENLOOPER,
U.S. SENATOR FROM COLORADO
Senator Hickenlooper. Thank you, Madam Chair. And I
appreciate all the testimony of all the panelists today--what a
great group. And I want to start--I have got three questions,
so if everyone can keep their answers relatively concise, I
will try to keep my questions concise.
Mr. Robertson, I am a huge fan of the Office of Outdoor
Recreation. Actually, I stole that idea from the Republican
Governor of Utah, Gary Herbert, not quite 10 years ago. And we
hired--I think you know Luis Benitez, who was our first Head of
the Office of Outdoor Recreation. He is half-Ecuadorian, half-
Missourian, but has been a remarkable contributor to outdoor
recreation in Colorado and has helped start--I think they are
now--and maybe you could enlighten me about how many other
states. I think there are 20 other states that have Offices of
Outdoor Recreation, now. Again, creates healthier citizens,
generates economy, it creates jobs, all those benefits.
I wanted to ask, do you see a benefit or a point to having
an Office of--a National Office of Outdoor Recreation? I
realize this was eluded to in the opening comments, but I
thought I would ask straight on.
Mr. Robertson. Senator Hickenlooper, thank you very much
for the question. I do know Luis. He is a force of nature,
himself, and a force to be reckoned with in promoting outdoor
recreation, which is wonderful.
The answer to your first question is that there are 13
offices that are formal offices, as part of the Confluence of
States. But then, the National Governor's Association of
Outdoor Recreation and Learning Network expands that number to
about 28 states, I believe, currently, with programs,
commissions, or advisory boards tied to outdoor recreation.
There would be a great use for and a great opportunity to
create a National Office of Outdoor Recreation for the
Confluence of States members and the NGAORLN to contribute
their expertise and to share resources across a variety of
interagency partners that really touch all kinds of
recreational activities. So, I would definitely say yes.
Senator Hickenlooper. Great. Just the answer I was hoping
for and certainly, from my experience with all the other
states, it is bipartisan, as many red states as blue states. It
is certainly a universal good.
Mr. Henry, I was going to ask, just quickly, is there a
real benefit when Governors or even communities--counties or
municipalities are thinking about their area as an attraction,
as a place to attract tourists and people that will recreate
and spend money, does it help to have variety?
And I was thinking, specifically, we are just about to open
up a Cameo, which is a shooting range, out near Rifle,
Colorado, with stops. You go around in a big circle--there are
a number of these shooting ranges in various cities. I know
there is an amazing one in Las Vegas. Then, you go, and it is,
like--it is, like, going in a golf cart and you go around, and
you have clay pigeons get shot up into the air and you have to
react rapidly. It is--I think it is much more fun that golf. I
do not want to offend anybody's sensibilities.
But we have that and then, about five miles away, we are
creating something this Summer that is going to open, called
the Palisade Plunge, which is a mountain biking trail from the
Grand Mesa, all the way down to the Colorado River, that will
have over a 4,000-foot drop. By putting these things together,
we are going to try to market--or the State of Colorado is
going to try to market them together.
In that--in your estimation, is that a useful--or a useful
synergy to put those together, that kind of thing?
Mr. Henry. Thank you, Senator. Yes, I absolutely think it
is. You know, not only do you have more to offer more people,
but now you have groups that might have varied interests. You
are deflecting risk. There are a lot of great reasons for it.
And, you know, I think it is important to know what you are
great at and own it. But at the same time, if you can have
diversification, it is hugely important for the future, no
doubt.
Senator Hickenlooper. Yes. No, I appreciate that, thank
you. And then, the last question I wanted to ask Mr. Hartman,
the question on--we are about to open a--or Michael Bennet and
I have introduced, not opened, the Colorado Outdoor Recreation
and Economy Act, which includes the creation of 17,000-acre
recreation management area in the Tenmile Range, in Western
Colorado, for mountain biking, hiking, hunting.
Mr. Hartman, can you, obviously briefly, speak to the role
that land conservation plays in ensuring--ensuring that future
generations have the same ability to enjoy the outdoors, that
we do today?
Mr. Hartman. Yes, thank you, Senator. I think that that
really strikes right to the point. I think that, if you look
back on our Nation's history, and you look at the major
investments that we have made in conservation, a lot of that
has revolved around wildlife in our most beautiful places. And
as a result of that, we all have the benefit of enjoying those
natural places today.
And when you think about outdoor recreation, the economic
activity that surrounds it, access is at the center. And so, we
should do everything that we can, within reason, to expand that
access for more Americans, so that they all have, like was
previously mentioned, lots of options to get outdoors and have
a great time and enjoy nature.
Senator Hickenlooper. Perfect. Thank you very much. I yield
back to the Chair.
Senator Rosen. Thank you. I would like to recognize Senator
Scott for a second round of questioning.
Senator Scott. Well, thank--first off, thank you all for
all your answers and thank you for you commitment to outdoor
recreation.
What--how do you all think that we are going to be able to
capitalize on the unbelievable increase in our state--our
National Parks--the--I mean, we have had unbelievable growth.
There was, I think it was an article in the ``Wall Street
Journal'' today that talked about the surge. How do you all
think we are going to be able to keep that going and capitalize
on it, to create more jobs?
Mr. Hughes. Just a comment on that. Thank you, Senator. I
think it is important for us to realize that is the--the
infrastructure is going to be the key there. Unless we have the
proper infrastructure, we are not going to be able to handle
more folks coming to these parks. And so, that investment has
to be made, via Congress, to ensure that those monies are spent
accordingly, because the backlog is--is large. And so, if we
can accommodate that backlog and provide that--the opportunity
for folks to participate and enjoy everything from picnic
tables to bathrooms and, as we said, wanting to have some form
of broadband, then we will be able to satisfy more customers.
If we cannot provide those things then, we will not be able to
support more participation.
Senator Scott. Mr. Robertson----
[off mic].
Mr. Robertson. Thank you, Senator Scott. I would--I would
add that I think rebuilding and adding to the budgets of our
Federal land management agencies, recreation specific budgets
for personnel and programs is essential, in particular, to
avoid loving to death our most treasured gems in the national
park system. Without which, we lose everything that is tied to
this outdoor recreation economy.
Senator Scott. Mr. Hartman?
Mr. Hartman. Thank you, Senator. I think one important way
that we can do that is to--is to fully utilize the Land and
Water Conservation Fund and the historic spending that was
approved, during the 116th Congress to permanently reauthorize
that program.
There are a lot of different challenges associated with
delivering such an ambitious initiative, or fulfilling such an
ambitious promise to America, to conserve and reduce the
backlog of maintenance and improvements on all of these, you
know, iconic landscapes. But I think that those are challenges
that we can meet if--if it all fits together, but it is going
to take people and it is going to take some changes to policy
to really enable all of the partners that worked together on
these issues, including the Federal Government and agencies,
State agencies, to be able to deliver on that promise.
Senator Scott. Thanks. Mr. Henry?
Mr. Henry. Thank you, Senator. You know, I think part of it
is having an experience, which is very important. I think the
other part of it is, having a quality experience. And that is
where--the quality experience part of it, it comes down to
protecting the natural resources and the infrastructure piece
of it. You know, it is a double-edged sword because we want
more people getting into the outdoors, but at what point in
time are too many people too many for that given resource?
So, we have to make sure that we are cognizant of that,
and, you know, everything from aquatic invasive species to
infrastructure, to making sure we have available lands and the
accessibility to those lands. Thank you.
Senator Scott. Do you--do any of you have experiences where
you have seen the private sector work with our park systems,
either at the State or the Federal level, to raise money to be
able to deal with some of this backlog? Because we know, you
know, there is always--there is--there is always a limited
amount of resources in any--whether it is State Government or
Federal Government. Have any of you seen any of that?
Mr. Robertson. I can take a pass at that question and say
that, especially on the non-profit side, the Friends
organizations and Friends of Great Basin--the Great Basin
National Park Foundation in Nevada is a Friends-like
organization that raises a lot of money to keep that park's
programming as wonderful as it is. And that kind of effort is
essential in the mix.
Senator Scott. Anybody else?
Mr. Hartman. Not specifically to National Parks, but I
would say that DU partners with lots of corporations and
private entities to collaborate and deliver conservation that
benefits outdoor recreation and tourism. Those projects that we
do together not only deliver habitat for wetlands and
waterfowl, but they deliver cleaner air and cleaner water, and
they reduce nutrient runoff in our Nation's streams and rivers
and watersheds that benefit all Americans, whether they go
outdoors or not.
And so, it might not be at the heart of the partnership
that we have with corporations and State and Federal Government
agencies, but it is certainly--the outdoor access for
recreation is definitely a welcome by-product of a lot of that
great conservation work that we do with them.
Senator Scott. Glenn.
Mr. Hughes. Thanks. I will say that there are thousands of
small projects that are going on. So, we have a 501c3 called
Fish America Foundation. And so, we support a number of fishery
habitat projects each year and they are funded by folks like
Brunswick, and other organizations that--that provide the
funding so that we can do the work. But there are thousands of
these small projects around the country.
Senator Scott. Yes. Mr. Henry?
Mr. Henry. Yes, and I was just going to comment, too, on
the smaller projects going on. You know, in Minnesota, you
know, the Land of 10,000 Lakes, we have a lot of aquatic
invasive species as, you know, a pretty common topic right now.
And, you know, we have a lot of lake associations and smaller
groups that are volunteering their time to get to help out with
that. There are a lot of smaller groups, grassroots efforts
that are making a big difference in a smaller scale, I should
say.
Senator Scott. Thank you. Thank you, Chair Rosen.
Senator Rosen. Thank you. I will say that, for over 50
years, the Land and Water Conservation Fund, it really has been
essential in protecting our public lands. We have addressed the
deferred maintenance backlog somewhat and that will help our
public lands and will make the tourist destinations more
accessible to visitors, the like. But I have a couple last
questions, as we talk about the maintenance backlog and
tourists and loving it to death and making sure it is fine for
more people, and all of that.
So, the first question, you talk about--little bit about
labor shortages. And so, how important is it to have affordable
housing and daycare as part of a possible funding package, to
help you get labor up there to do these, sometimes it is
seasonal work? Certainly, in Minnesota. But some places where
it is very hot, you have to still do it--you come down, in the
Winter, down South, and if you go up North to do the project in
the Summer. But how important is daycare and affordable housing
to address these labor shortages?
Mr. Robertson. Thank you, Senator Rosen, for the question.
Colin Robertson, for the record. It is a--it is a--it is an,
almost, intractable problem, I think, across the country. It is
certainly true in Nevada. Where--in a State where 87 percent of
the land area of the state is managed by Federal agencies.
There is just a dire shortage of housing, especially for
Federal Land Management Agency staff, who are becoming priced
out of the market to be able to afford to live where they work.
And that is true across communities everywhere in this country.
No sector is left untouched by that challenge.
Senator Rosen. Thank you.
Mr. Hughes. I just--I do not think I am in a position to
answer that. I do not have good data for you.
Senator Rosen. That is fine. Mr. Hartman?
Mr. Hartman. Likewise, I am not sure that our industry
typically deals with the types of seasonal labor issues that
other parts of the outdoor recreation economy deal with. So, I
would not see myself as an expert on that, except for being a
father and knowing that, during the pandemic, and trying to
work from home with an 8-year-old and a five-year-old crawling
up my leg, made it really hard.
[Laughter)
Senator Rosen. Yes, I--I can imagine that. Mr. Henry, how
do you feel, up in Northern Minnesota, about daycare and
affordable housing to get people up where you are, to do some
of the--not just the work when there is a lot of tourists, but
address some of this backlog of maintenance that we need to
work on?
Mr. Henry. Yes, absolutely. It is--it is--thank you,
Senator. It is hugely important. You know, labor--labor is
probably the number one issue facing us right now and it is not
just Lake of the Woods. It is across all of Minnesota. And, you
know, it is one thing if you can recruit people from outside
your area to come up to your area to work, that is great. But I
can speak for our area, across Northern Minnesota, there is
nowhere to live. There is no short-term housing to live in. So,
it just makes it next to impossible.
And then, of course, if you can get people to come up and
if--you know, what is happening is, some of our larger resorts
are either taking--dedicating cabins toward employee housing
or, if they have the means, they are building employee housing
on their own. Well, that eliminates the medium and small
resorts, certainly.
And then, of course, daycare. Yes, well, if you have kids
and--it eliminates so many workers. So, both are--they go hand
in hand, and they are both very big issues across our entire
State.
Senator Rosen. Thank you. I appreciate that. and this is my
last question. Because we do want to prepare and plan, so what
do we need to do that? Good data, right? What do we--what has
happened in the past, is that a predictor of what is going to
happen, or what happens if we project? Us as appropriators may
need to know some of those numbers so we can help fund and be
good partners with all of you.
So, I know I just have a little bit of time left. So, do
you think there is a good way to measure tourism? Are you doing
it all right or are there tools that we can help you with to
measure tourism better, so that we can better plan and prepare
for more robust future?
Mr. Robertson. Thank you, Senator Rosen, for the question.
I would--I would say that there are a number of things that we
could do. The Federal Land Management Agencies rely on a
variety of methods for counting outdoor recreation. And those
could be--they do what they can with the resources that they
have. What we need are more resources, basically, to do better
counting and better analysis of the impacts of outdoor
recreation.
The Headwaters Economics department--Headwaters Economics
Organization's researcher Megan Lawson has done some really
great research on this and some of the innovative ways that we
could expand data collection and analysis on outdoor
recreation, especially in public lands.
Senator Rosen. Wonderful, thank you. Mr. Hughes?
Mr. Hughes. Thank you. I probably have two comments on
this. First, I think that it is also taken at a State and
regional level. So, a State like Florida has Visit Florida,
that has a lot of data about----
Senator Rosen. Mm-hmm.
Mr. Hughes. Their--their participants and their visitors
each year and they--especially when you have 100 million of
them each year, there are a lot of folks to talk to about that.
And so, I think each statement--and the National Governor's
Association has the opportunity to share data and probably, you
know, communicate with each other on what is working, what is
not working.
From a fishing perspective, we have got annual research
that is done, again, through the Recreational Boating and
Fishing Foundation. They hire the Outdoor Foundation to do an
annual survey regarding anglers and what are their likes and
dislikes and why they are fishing and why they are not fishing
and whether they are children, women, multicultural families,
African-Americans. And so, we have a good feel right now for
who these folks are that are coming to fish.
One of the issues we are trying to get our arms around is
why they stop fishing. And so, we have an idea of who these new
anglers are and now we need to understand why they are fishing
and why they decide not to fish any longer. So, I mentioned
that we were increasing participation from 50 to 55 million,
but we have lost nine million anglers each year, as well. And
so, why have we lost them? And these are the questions we need
to ask so we can understand, not only their fishing, but also
the traveling and tourism that they would provide, as well.
Senator Rosen. Maybe share that across the board. Mr.
Hartman, any thoughts on how we better collect our data to help
us do all of this better, everything we need to do?
Mr. Hartman. Well, thank you. This--as far as tourism is
concerned, this is not an area that we are particularly experts
in, but I would note a couple of things. Our State Fishing and
Wildlife agencies do a really great job of keeping track of--
of--harvest and other things, with waterfowling on an annual
basis, that will provide us some insights, as well as tracking
in-state and out of state license sales.
I think one thing that the committee and Congress could
consider is, you know, providing more resources to our Federal
agency partners to conduct more periodic reporting and data on
this. In preparation for this hearing, I think one of the
things that I noticed was that a lot of the information was
older. And that is, by no means, a criticism of our--our public
employees and our servants that work in those agencies. I think
it is more product of how much stuff they have on their plate
and what is important at any given moment.
Beefing up those opportunities to have fresher information
would definitely be something that I think would benefit the
committee and the tourism economy, in general.
Senator Rosen. Thank you. Thoughtful answer. Mr. Henry,
will you want to--any thoughts on how data might help you and
some of your peers do what you need to do and plan for, going
forward?
Mr. Henry. I appreciate that. You know, we get pretty good
information. You know, we try to keep track of things locally.
Explore Minnesota Tourism does a nice job. You know, it is also
information about our resources, and it is crossing State
lines. For instance, aquatic invasive species, you know, when
they travel on a boat or a trailer, they do not care what State
they are going to. The bottom line is, there is not
consistency, necessarily, between States when it comes to rules
on AIS and different measures like that.
You know, technology--and so, more people fishing, and
technology is playing a role in fish. Because people are
catching more fish, they are more productive and just creating
sustainable fisheries, and things. So, you know, that does
affect tourism, if you are into outdoor recreation tourism and
ecotourism.
So, you know, all those things--monitoring our natural
resources, monitoring what kind of people, you know, are
coming, and what kind of people we need to get into the
industry, are very important. Any--any information is certainly
welcomed.
Senator Rosen. Well, thank you, I appreciate that. And so,
Senator Scott, do you have anything else you want to add?
Senator Scott. Nope. Thank you, Chair Rosen, for organizing
this event and thanks all of our witnesses here.
Senator Rosen. Well then, I want to thank you all so much
for participating in today's hearing. I want to go do all the
outdoor recreation now in every state. But what I want to say
now is the hearing record will remain open for two weeks, until
Tuesday, June 29, 2021. Any Senators that would like to submit
questions for the record, should do so by Tuesday, June 19,
2021. For those of you who testified today, we ask that your
responses be returned to the committee as quickly as possible,
and in no case, later than two weeks after receipt.
This conclude today's--this concludes today's hearing.
Thank you.
[Whereupon, at 4:40 p.m., the hearing was adjourned.]
A P P E N D I X
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. Jacky Rosen to
Colin Robertson
Federal Conservation and Recreation Programs.
Question 1. Can you talk about which Federal conservation programs,
including LWCF, are most important to reviving and enhancing the
outdoor recreation economy and bringing more visitors to our Nation's
parks, mountains, deserts, lakes, and beaches?
Answer. Numerous Federal conservation programs contribute to the
vibrancy, vitality, and sustainability of the outdoor recreation
economy in the U.S. My response will focus upon three key programs
Congress can continue to support and expand to sustain this important
emerging sector of the American economy.
First, the passage of the Great American Outdoors Act in 2020,
which authorized full funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund
(LWCF) and the deferred maintenance funds associated with the National
Parks and Public Lands Legacy Restoration Fund (LRF) are key funding
streams for federal, state, and local land management agencies. Both
LWCF and LRF investments in outdoor recreation support jobs and
businesses in local economies across the Nation. Stateside grants made
possible by LWCF are essential to supporting the acquisition of land
and the construction of outdoor recreation infrastructure at state and
local levels. The LRF funds focused on deferred maintenance backlogs
help rehabilitate key outdoor recreation infrastructure for which
Federal land management agencies have not received general
appropriation funds to maintain or operate appropriately. It is
important to recognize that the deferred maintenance funding authorized
by the LRF is time-limited to five years, and yet addresses perhaps
only half of the deferred maintenance backlog for outdoor recreation
infrastructure on America's federally managed public lands. Updating
and permanently authorizing the Great American Outdoors Act and
especially the LRF are necessary to ensure Federal land management
agencies can safely operate and maintain infrastructure that already
exists for the public's use and enjoyment into the future.
Second, since the early 1990s, the Recreational Trails Program
(RTP) has provided funding to states and local governments to develop
and maintain outdoor recreational trails, allowing millions of
Americans and their families to enjoy activities such as hiking,
bicycling, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, and off-road and 4-wheel
driving. Although RTP has funded more than 25,000 projects nationwide,
the program has only been allocated $84 million per year, which is less
than has been collected in taxes on fuel used to access outdoor
recreational activities. Fully funding RTP would help provide states
and local governments low-barrier-to-entry grant funds to build and
maintain the trails and outdoor recreation infrastructure that creates
jobs, improves multiple quality of life indicators, and provides a key
tool for community and economic development across the country.
Finally, the Recreation Economy for Rural Communities Program
(RERC) was established in the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in
2019. The pilot program provided grant funds to ten American
communities seeking to foster environmentally friendly community
development strategies and Main Street revitalization through
conservation of public lands and waters, and sustainable outdoor
recreation and tourism. More than 170 U.S. communities applied for
these funds, but there was enough funding for just ten. Supporting the
expansion of RERC would help communities across the country create
jobs, build upon their recreation economies, and invest in the
sustainability of the public lands and natural resources that make
rural recreation economies possible.
Question 2. In order to continue enjoying the outdoors and lands we
love, we all must recreate responsibly and conserve our wildlife and
natural habitats. Can you talk a bit about the work you do with
educating the public on best practices for both enjoying and protecting
places for outdoor recreation and tourism?
Answer. My counterparts and I in state offices of outdoor
recreation work closely with state and Federal agencies and local
governments on a wide variety of initiatives to amplify the work of our
often very small offices. Especially in 2020 and since the pandemic,
those efforts have been particularly focused on outdoor ethics and
education messages associated with sustainable and responsible outdoor
recreation and tourism. Working collaboratively across agencies to
develop integrated and unified communications supporting outdoor ethics
and responsible recreation messages and education is key to protecting
places for outdoor recreation and tourism. In the Lake Tahoe Basin, for
example, I have worked closely with the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency
(TRPA), local, state, and Federal land management agencies and their
public information officers, non-profit organizations, and local
tourism authorities to develop and implement shared communications,
social media, and public relations strategies supporting responsible
outdoor recreation and outdoor ethics. This is essential to ensure that
new, inexperienced, or apathetic outdoor visitors learn how to recreate
responsibly, reduce impacts, and mitigate resource damage.
Additionally, several offices of outdoor recreation are currently
working with Federal land management agency partners to collaboratively
develop visioning documents supporting sustainable and responsible
outdoor recreation and tourism strategies--something akin to the U.S.
Forest Service's Shared Stewardship Agreements, for example, focused on
outdoor ethics and recreation.
Measuring the Outdoor Recreation Economy. To fully support the
outdoor tourism industry, we need to make sure we are accurately
measuring the outdoor recreation economy. Data from the Department of
Commerce's Bureau of Economic Analysis--tasked with measuring this--
shows that in 2019, the outdoor recreation economy accounted for 2.1
percent or $459.8 billion of U.S. GDP. It is difficult, however, to
precisely measure the total amount of outdoor recreation that Americans
engage in, due to differences in data collection, measurement,
definitions, and other factors. More accurate data will help local,
state, and Federal governments and private industry more clearly
measure the economic impact of outdoor recreation, leading to policies
that better support local economies, businesses, workers, and our
public lands and waters.
Question 3. Can you talk about the issue of robust data and
challenges with measuring outdoor recreation; and specifically in
Nevada, how traditional methods of counting visitation or use may not
be sufficient or completely accurate? What might be a better way to
measure types of tourism?
Answer. Public land management agencies do their best to estimate
the visitation and use of our public lands. In 2020, however, dramatic
increases in visitation to public lands took place in general,
dispersed, and wilderness areas, rather than developed recreation
areas, which were frequently subject to pandemic-related closures or
reduced operations. These general, dispersed, and wilderness areas are
frequently the most ecologically fragile, and have the least resources
allocated for their maintenance, operations, and sustainable
management. Because these areas are not developed and managed for
recreational impacts, the impacts are more significant and long-
lasting. Therefore, it is important to improve the ways and methods by
which outdoor recreation and public lands visitation are counted, to
ensure our public land management agencies have the resources they need
to manage, maintain, and sustainably operate the Nation's public lands.
One way to address this would be through public-private partnerships
with the diverse array of technology companies that increasingly
provide tourism-, health-, and recreation-related applications for
users to track their outdoor use and experience. Numerous popular
mobile applications provide users aggregated information about trails
for hiking, bicycling, and other popular outdoor recreational
activities. Partnerships between land management agencies and private
entities such as these mobile application providers could help more
accurately estimate visitation and use of outdoor recreation
infrastructure and public lands at specific sites, and in so doing help
ensure that the land management agencies can justify requests for the
funding necessary to sustainably manage these natural assets.
Headwaters Economics economist Megan Lawson has done some very good and
important work to support innovative ways to count outdoor recreation,
which has implications for both use, funding, and economic impact
analysis.
Expanding Access to Outdoor Tourism. According to a recent Outdoor
Industry Association report, new participants in outdoor activities
during this past year were more likely to be female, younger, living in
an urban area, and slightly more ethnically diverse than prior
participants. This is incredibly encouraging, especially since
according to research, Black and Brown communities are more likely to
face more barriers to accessing outdoor recreation. Without access to
the outdoors, whole communities are cut off from the health benefits of
time spent in nature, and also from participating in the activities
that drive the outdoor recreation economy.
Question 1. As you know, in southern Nevada, the ``Neon to Nature''
initiative is an online tool that aims to help people find walking and
bicycle trails right in their backyard. This is a great first step, but
in the wake of demographic shifts in outdoor tourism participation
during COVID, how do we build on this new participation and encourage
people to continue to enjoy recreating outdoors when the pandemic is
over?
Answer. We need to encourage and sustain new participant interest
in and use of public lands for outdoor recreation, but also participant
engagement with simple, low-barrier-to-entry activities such as
walking, running, and bicycling, especially in close-to-home urban
spaces. This means investments in innovative communications and public
information strategies, social media campaigns, and programs run by
community-based organizations that are well-positioned to foster and
support the nascent interest of new users, and encourage their
continued participation.
Question 2. The nation's current rental car crisis is having a
significant impact on access to the outdoor recreation economy--outdoor
tourism destinations generally require visitors to drive long distances
from the closest airport, train station, or hotel. Have you seen the
current shortage take a toll on tourism in your own state, what other
barriers are outdoor tourism visitors currently facing, and how can
Congress help?
Answer. The rental car shortage is real, and anecdotally I have
heard about some of the impacts the liquidation of the Nation's rental
fleets has had, but otherwise this question is beyond the scope of my
immediate expertise. I would add, however, that news coverage has also
recently indicated that the high demand for low supplies of rental cars
has begun to equalize. The rental car shortage also represents an
important moment to encourage and invest in studying alternative and
active transportation planning for the future.
Question 3. What ways is your organization expanding access to
recreational opportunities for communities that may have been unable to
participate due to transportation or income barriers?
Answer. Inequitable access to and even the availability of close-
to-home opportunities to participate in outdoor recreation are key
barriers for many communities across the country. Simultaneously, many
land management and parks and recreation agencies at the local, state,
and Federal levels lack adequate funding and staffing resources to
maintain, operate, and sustainably manage parks and outdoor recreation
infrastructure that already exists, let alone funding for new
infrastructure needed to support growing communities. This is why my
counterparts and I in the Confluence of States and the National
Governors Association's Outdoor Recreation Learning Network collaborate
with professional and industry organizations and non-profits such as
the Society of Outdoor Recreation Professionals, the Association of
Outdoor Recreation and Education, Latino Outdoors, HECHO: Hispanics
Enjoying Camping, Hunting, and the Outdoors, Outdoor Afro, Natives
Outdoors, the Outdoor Industry Association, the National Recreation and
Park Association, and the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable--among many
others--to advocate for increased resources for land management and
parks and recreation agencies to address these key challenges. My
counterpart in New Mexico, Axie Navas, and the New Mexico Office of
Outdoor Recreation are leading the way to reducing barriers to access
through innovative programs such as New Mexico's Outdoor Equity Fund,
which provides microgrants to support equitable access to outdoor
recreation activities and experiences that have profound impacts on
numerous quality-of-life indicators. The Nevada Outdoor Education and
Recreation Grant Program will do the same kind of work.
______
Response to Written Question Submitted by Hon. Marsha Blackburn to
Colin Robertson
Question. The tourism industry has gone through a terrible time due
to the COVID-19 pandemic.
What effect would the reopening of international travel have on
outdoor tourism and the local economies that revolve around outdoor
recreation?
Answer. International travel plays a key role in outdoor tourism
nationwide and in the communities that rely on outdoor recreation and
tourism for their economic wellbeing. In Nevada, for example, the lack
of international tourism has contributed to the state's overall room
tax collection revenue declining by 56.8 percent between 2019 and 2020,
led by losses in Clark County and Las Vegas, Nevada. At the same time,
however, rural visitor volume in the same period was down by only 20
percent, and visits to U.S. national parks and public lands more
generally experienced historic visitation by domestic U.S. travelers in
the pandemic period. For example, visitation to U.S. Forest Service
wilderness areas and dispersed camping areas increased by 70 percent
and 40 percent, respectively, in 2020. This jump in domestic visitation
resulted in significant user impacts to the Nation's outdoor recreation
resources represented by these parks and public lands, particularly in
undeveloped areas--and are the result of significant increases in
domestic visitation. Unprecedented domestic demand for outdoor
recreation opportunities in parks and campgrounds is stretching to the
limit recreation infrastructure, staff, and the sites themselves--
without the addition of international visitation. Thus, while the
decline in international travel has clear economic impacts, the overall
effect of a return to pre-pandemic levels of international travel on
the local economies that rely on outdoor recreation and tourism would
depend largely on whether U.S. residents continue to flock to our
Nation's public lands, parks, and forests.
______
Response to Written Question Submitted by Hon. Jacky Rosen to
Glenn Hughes
Expanding Access to Outdoor Tourism. According to a recent Outdoor
Industry Association report, new participants in outdoor activities
during this past year were more likely to be female, younger, living in
an urban area, and slightly more ethnically diverse than prior
participants. This is incredibly encouraging, especially since
according to research, Black and brown communities are more likely to
face more barriers to accessing outdoor recreation. Without access to
the outdoors, whole communities are cut off from the health benefits of
time spent in nature, and also from participating in the activities
that drive the outdoor recreation economy.
Question. What ways is your organization expanding access to
recreational opportunities for communities that may have been unable to
participate due to transportation or income barriers?
Answer. As an industry, we continue to provide equipment for many
organizations that introduce youth, women and multi-cultural families
to fishing. Also, our sportfishing industry pays an excise tax on
fishing equipment through the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust
Fund that totaled more than $200 million in fiscal 2020. 58 percent of
those funds go to the states to provide conservation and access for
these anglers.
The funds also go to support the Recreational and Boating Fishing
Foundation, who promotes fishing to these individuals via their
TakeMeFishing.org website and Hispanic version titled VamosAPescar.org.
These websites provide many tools to would-be participants to see how
easy it is to participate in fishing.
We have also begun a program called `Fishing In Schools', in which
we provide schools with fishing equipment and curriculum to teach their
students at the elementary school level.
It should be understood that most urban areas have parks and
locations with access to waterways that are possibly underutilized and
zero cost to entry. We depend on these local governments to share
information that support the health and well-being of their residents.
We also work with state and Federal agencies, sharing information
regarding opportunities to participate in outdoor activities via their
respective websites, social media, events and schools.
We'll continue to work with our manufacturers to ensure they are
inclusive with their marketing.
______
Response to Written Question Submitted by Hon. Roger Wicker to
Glenn Hughes
Question. Recreational fishing is a huge part of the heritage and
economy of Mississippi. About one in three Mississippians fish each
year, which is nearly double the national average. Mississippi is a
state with tremendous freshwater and saltwater fishing opportunities,
but given Congress's role in overseeing Federal marine fisheries
management, Mr. Hughes I'm particularly interested in getting your take
on what's happening in saltwater fishing, specifically in the Gulf of
Mexico. I authored the Modern Fish Act to require the National Marine
Fisheries Service to focus more on improving saltwater recreational
fisheries management. Mr. Hughes, could you provide your thoughts on
how the implementation of the Modern Fish Act by the National Marine
Fisheries Service is going in terms of providing better saltwater
recreational fisheries management, conservation, and opportunities?
Answer. The sportfishing industry remains deeply appreciative of
your leadership of developing and helping pass the Modern Fish Act,
which remains the only law that focuses on the recreational fishing
community's priorities for Federal marine fisheries management. ASA
works with the Center for Sportfishing Policy to track the National
Marine Fisheries Service's (NMFS) progress in implementing the Modern
Fish Act via a report card that scores the agency on each of the five
sections of the Act.
Scores for the NMFS in the last version are as follows:
1 section--``work is on track and satisfactory''.
2 sections--``work is meeting expectations in part but needs
more attention''.
2 sections--``work is not meeting expectations''.
One of our biggest challenges is getting NMFS to take action on the
additional clarification/reinforcement that the Modern Fish Act
provided regarding alternative management approaches for recreational
fishing. Proper implementation of this section will require NMFS
leadership working closely with the Regional Fishery Management
Councils to encourage and help develop programs, including pilot
studies, where alternative management approaches are applied. While in
recent years we have had numerous conversations with NMFS leadership
about this need, to date we have seen little progress.
______
Response to Written Question Submitted by Hon. Marsha Blackburn to
Glenn Hughes
Question. The tourism industry has gone through a terrible time due
to the COVID-19 pandemic. What effect would the reopening of
international travel have on outdoor tourism and the local economies
that revolve around outdoor recreation?
Answer. Without real numbers pre-pandemic, I can't provide an
actual impact with respect to fishing. We know that millions of
visitors enjoy our country's natural resources each year and the local
economies have truly missed this contingent of travelers. As Canada
continues to be closed, hundreds of thousands of Canadians remain
`north of the boarder' this year and we've missed their participation
in our many outdoor activities. The infrastructure that we provide in
the United States is superior to other parts of the world and
therefore, anglers from other countries enjoy the amenities that we can
provide, including hotels, restaurants, transportation and especially
the fishing.
Regarding trade, we know that the international markets make up 15-
20 percent of our fishing tackle trade show each year. When the rest of
the world opens up to travel, that means thousands of participants will
fly through our airports, stay in our hotels, eat at our restaurants,
buy our goods and services. We are one of hundreds of these events and
locations that will benefit from this.
______
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. Jacky Rosen to
Joe Henry
Expanding Access to Outdoor Tourism. According to a recent Outdoor
Industry Association report, new participants in outdoor activities
during this past year were more likely to be female, younger, living in
an urban area, and slightly more ethnically diverse than prior
participants. This is incredibly encouraging, especially since
according to research, Black and brown communities are more likely to
face more barriers to accessing outdoor recreation. Without access to
the outdoors, whole communities are cut off from the health benefits of
time spent in nature, and also from participating in the activities
that drive the outdoor recreation economy.
Question 1. The nation's current rental car crisis is having a
significant impact on access to the outdoor recreation economy--outdoor
tourism destinations generally require visitors to drive long distances
from the closest airport, train station, or hotel. Have you seen the
current shortage take a toll on tourism in your own state, what other
barriers are outdoor tourism visitors currently facing, and how can
Congress help?
Answer. Thank you, Senator Rosen, for your question.
The rental car crisis is certainly affecting some travelers. The
majority of tourists since the pandemic, however, are traveling by auto
vs air. We certainly see guests arriving via air travel rising each
month and consequently, if the inventory of rental cars and the
subsequent high rental car prices don't get corrected, it will continue
to have negative impacts.
In our area, the largest barrier to tourism we face is the U.S./
Canada border being closed. On the border of the U.S. and Canada is a
part of Minnesota called the NW Angle. In order to drive to the Angle,
one must travel 40 miles through Canada before re-entering the U.S. up
at the NW Angle. With this being said, the border has been closed to
non-essential travel since March, 2020. That means resorts, guides and
businesses have been cut off from their customers for 14 months. Many
are down 70--90 percent in revenue.
It also means U.S. citizens who own land and cabins at the NW Angle
have not been able visit, use or even check on their investments.
The only way to access the NW Angle without crossing the border is
to make a long 42-mile trip across the big water of Lake of the Woods
where waves can exceed 8 feet in height. There have been too many close
calls and traumatic stories boating across the lake with the border
being closed.
In the winter, the lake is frozen and some travel via snowmachine
across the big lake, again facing risks in an environment that can be
unforgiving.
Another area feeling the pain of the border closure are the hotels
in the small border town of Baudette, MN. This is a popular overnight
destination for travelers headed into Canada. They make the trip up to
Baudette, stay overnight, grab dinner and supplies and continue into
Canada across the international bridge over the Rainy River the next
morning.
There are hotel nights and the associated revenue into the local
economy that has been lost. Baudette is one border town amongst border
towns across the entire U.S./Canada border who benefit from cross
border travel.
Congress can help by allowing American residents, travelers and
guests to access a very special part of America, Minnesota's NW Angle.
This 40-mile stretch through Canada deserves an international travel
corridor. This would provide more security, consistency and peace of
mind to Americans trying to access their homes, cabins, businesses and
NW Angle resorts they choose to vacation at.
Currently, the rules and regulations of NW Angle residents,
business owners, cabin owners and tourists driving up to the Angle
through Canada are being made by Canada, not the U.S.
An international travel corridor would also eliminate many of the
banned products travelers cannot bring through Canada up to the Angle
such as live bait, plants, eggs, etc.
Congress could also support the businesses hurt financially by
being ``cut off'' from their customers since March, 2020 with grant or
forgivable loan programs.
Other barriers outdoor tourism visitors are facing are the closure,
reduced hours and reduced services of businesses, resorts, restaurants,
parks and other organizations due to the lack of labor.
Not having enough workers, a lack of short-term housing, a lack of
daycare and poor broadband in areas are all having an impact on various
segments, including outdoor tourism visitors.
Congress can help by bridging the gap to make these resources
available. In some instances, such as short-term housing or daycare
where it doesn't pencil out, for instance, for developers to build or
daycare providers to start a business, perhaps government could assist.
Thank you.
Question 2. What ways is your organization expanding access to
recreational opportunities for communities that may have been unable to
participate due to transportation or income barriers?
Answer. Lake of the Woods Tourism is a destination marketing
organization representing more than 60 lodging facilities in our area.
The vast majority of these businesses, along with the local economy,
are dependent upon outdoor recreation tourism for their livelihoods.
Our organization is working on messaging and education to
communities who have not had a strong presence in our area. Part of
this process is learning proper, tasteful messaging along with
understanding how best to reach these communities.
Many outdoor recreation activities offer a lot to do with little
cost. For example, local groups are creating more opportunities for
shore fishing with new fishing piers on Lake of the Woods and the Rainy
River.
There are numerous state parks, hiking trails and a plethora of
public land where people can enjoy a variety of outdoor recreational
activities without much cost. It is important to help others learn
about these valuable resources, how to use them and how to access them.
Thank you.
______
Response to Written Question Submitted by Hon. Marsha Blackburn to
Joe Henry
Question. The tourism industry has gone through a terrible time due
to the COVID-19 pandemic. What effect would the reopening of
international travel have on outdoor tourism and the local economies
that revolve around outdoor recreation?
Answer. Thank you, Senator Blackburn, for your question.
Reopening of international travel and specifically the Canadian
border, would have a very positive impact on outdoor tourism and the
economies that revolve around outdoor recreation. Those living,
working, running businesses and looking to vacation in this region have
been impacted both financially and emotionally.
On the border of the U.S. and Canada is a part of Minnesota called
the NW Angle. In order to drive to the Angle, one must travel 40 miles
through Canada before re-entering the U.S. up at the NW Angle. With
this being said, the border has been closed to non-essential travel
since March, 2020. That means resorts, guides and businesses have been
cut off from their customers for 14 months. Many are down 70--90
percent in revenue.
It also means U.S. citizens who own land and cabins at the NW Angle
have not been able visit, use or even check on their investments.
The only way to access the NW Angle without crossing the border is
to make a long 42-mile trip across the big water of Lake of the Woods
where waves can exceed 8 feet in height. There have been too many close
calls and traumatic stories of families and other groups boating across
the lake.
In the winter, the lake is frozen and some travel via snowmachine
across the big lake. Most don't have the equipment for this and for the
small number who does, they face risks in an environment that can be
unforgiving.
Another area feeling the pain of the border closure are the hotels
in the small border town of Baudette, MN. This is a popular overnight
destination for travelers headed into Canada. They make the trip up to
Baudette, stay overnight, grab dinner and supplies and continue into
Canada across the international bridge over the Rainy River the next
morning.
There are hotel nights and the associated revenue into the local
economy that have been lost. Baudette is one border town amongst many
border towns across the entire U.S./Canada border who benefit from
cross border travel.
The effect of international travel and specifically the U.S./Canada
border opening up will be very positive for outdoor tourism and the
local economies who depend upon outdoor recreation.
Thank you.
______
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. Jacky Rosen to
Zachary Hartman
Federal Conservation and Recreation Programs.
Question. Can you talk about which Federal conservation programs,
including LWCF, are most important to reviving and enhancing the
outdoor recreation economy and bringing more visitors to our Nation's
parks, mountains, deserts, lakes, and beaches?
Answer. LWCF along with the National Park and Public Lands Legacy
Restoration Fund that will provide funding to fix deferred maintenance
at national parks, wildlife refuges, forests and other Federal lands
will be great for our Nation's public lands and the millions of
tourists a year who visit them. Increased funding for other programs
like the North American Wetlands Conservation Act and the North
American Waterfowl Management Plan/Joint Ventures help deliver vital
conservation on both public and private lands by leveraging matching
contributions from nongovernmental partners bringing more money to the
table and delivering more conservation that is good for tourists,
businesses, wildlife and all taxpayers.
Expanding Access to Outdoor Tourism. According to a recent Outdoor
Industry Association report, new participants in outdoor activities
during this past year were more likely to be female, younger, living in
an urban area, and slightly more ethnically diverse than prior
participants. This is incredibly encouraging, especially since
according to research, Black and brown communities are more likely to
face more barriers to accessing outdoor recreation. Without access to
the outdoors, whole communities are cut off from the health benefits of
time spent in nature, and also from participating in the activities
that drive the outdoor recreation economy.
Question. What ways is your organization expanding access to
recreational opportunities for communities that may have been unable to
participate due to transportation or income barriers?
Answer. Growing the base of supporters for Ducks Unlimited is an
organizational priority. DU prides ourselves on leaving a legacy of
cleaner water and fresher air as well as passing along our waterfowl
hunting heritage to the next generation. DU has recruitment programs
designed to engage and attract the next generation of conservationists,
such as our Greenwing program for youth 11 or younger, our DU Varsity
program for high school aged youth, and our Ducks University program on
campuses across the US, the latter of which is increasingly female.
Per our current and previous National Business Plans, as DU
continues to engage new members, we have prioritized increasing
diversity in our membership, volunteers and staff. DU has a Diversity,
Equity, and Inclusion task force to identify new partnerships and
opportunities to reach and welcome people of color, and others who have
historically had difficulty connecting with the outdoors due to their
socioeconomic circumstances or just because of where they live. DU is
committed to sharing our love of wetlands, waterfowl and the outdoors
with everyone we can, and we will continue seeking innovative solutions
to reach new members and volunteers, particularly those for whom
connecting with nature can be a challenge.
______
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. Marsha Blackburn to
Zachary Hartman
Question 1. In your testimony, you mention the importance of
seasonal visitors to travel destinations. How important is it for
businesses and communities to receive clear and concise travel
guidelines from the Administration?
Answer. Certainly, clear and concise travel guidelines are
important. The more informed travelers are the safer they can be.
Question 2. Tennesseans are proud that Ducks Unlimited calls
Memphis home. Can you elaborate on how Ducks Unlimited helped encourage
Americans to enjoy outdoor recreation during the midst of the COVID
pandemic?
Answer. Ducks Unlimited (DU) has joined forces with other leading
conservation organizations to spearhead #ResponsibleRecreation--a media
campaign encouraging Americans to enjoy outdoor recreation while
adhering to proper COVID-19 safety protocols.
In addition to DU, the National Wild Turkey Federation, Theodore
Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, Congressional Sportsmen's
Foundation, Trout Unlimited, Pheasants Forever and the Association for
Fish and Wildlife Agencies are leading the effort.
Whether participating in hunting, fishing, shooting sports or
numerous other outdoor activities, the conservation community sees the
#ResponsibleRecreation campaign as a safe and constructive way to
encourage individuals and families to get outside and enjoy the
outdoors as a means to cope with the current COVID-19 pandemic.
In addition to advocating safe outdoor etiquette, the campaign also
encourages Americans to take advantage of the numerous opportunities
this country offers to recreate on public lands, waters and parks.
Question 3. In your testimony, you state Congress and the
Administration should consider eliminating ``regulatory green tape that
hinders the delivery of scientifically beneficial conservation
programs.'' Can you please explain to this committee how crucial it is
to eliminate these unnecessary regulatory burdens that stand in the way
of initiating conservation projects?
Answer. The Clean Water Act currently serves to protect our
Nation's waters against negative impacts, and if impacts occur, to
encourage mitigation of lost functions and services. This is a great
law that has served our Nation's waters very well, but it doesn't
adequately address projects that serve to improve many of the altered
and degraded wetlands/aquatic habitats that exist in our country.
Conservation restoration projects conducted by state and Federal
agencies, non-profit conservation organizations and private citizens
always result in positive outcomes related to net increases in
functions and services of wetlands, such as improving water quality,
wildlife habitat, climate adaptation and groundwater discharge, and
reducing sediments, flooding and contaminants. However, the regulatory
``lens'' and process that is currently used is the same for development
projects (those that are causing negative impacts) versus restoration
projects that are undertaken voluntarily to improve aquatic habitats.
Currently, only one nationwide permit addresses this positive net
outcome for work in our Nation's waters, NWP27--Aquatic Habitat
Restoration, Enhancement, and Establishment Activities. However,
because of the multiple federal, state and local agencies regulating
wetland/aquatic habitats, the permitting of these beneficial
restoration projects is often confounded. We propose a new universal
nationwide permit, or modified NWP 27, that would streamline the permit
system, eliminate unnecessary mitigation, and provide incentives for
restoring altered and degraded aquatic systems for projects that are
undertaken by entities for the sole purpose of restoring, enhancing and
managing aquatic habitats and that result in net increases in functions
and services. Creating this new permit system has been accomplished in
Michigan, and it is time to implement on a nationwide basis to reverse
the negative effects of long term drainage, alterations, and
development so that we can adapt to climate change, increasing
populations and human and wildlife needs for abundant clean and healthy
waterways.
Question 4. The tourism industry has gone through a terrible time
due to the COVID-19 pandemic. What effect would the reopening of
international travel have on outdoor tourism and the local economies
that revolve around outdoor recreation?
Answer. The United States is home to some of the most beautiful
landscapes in the world. Our national parks and national wildlife
refuges that attract travelers from all over the world, and the rural
communities around these treasures rely on tourists from both home and
abroad. Furthermore, international travel restrictions, like the
inability to travel to Canada, is having a significant impact on our
Canadian partners in outdoor recreation and conservation to the north.
The sooner people can travel freely, the better for outdoor recreation,
and for conservation, at home and abroad.
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