Public Lands Corps May Expand Volunteer Opportunities

from the Outdoor Industry Association

Congress is considering a major expansion of the Public Lands Corps program to expand volunteer and paid opportunities for work on federal lands and to recruit a new generation of public land managers.

The bill (H.R. 1612) would rename the corps the "Public Lands Service Corps." The new corps would have the potential to receive greater funding and it would give the departments of Interior, Agriculture and Commerce broader authority to recruit new members with a focus on attracting participants from under-represented communities.

The mission of the existing Public Lands Corps would also be broadened to address the new environmental challenges posed by climate change as well as continuing its original mission of addressing a severe backlog in maintenance and infrastructure projects on public lands.

Sally Jewell, CEO of REI, was one of several witnesses who testified before a House committee in support of the bill last week.

On March 19, the bill was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, and Education and Labor, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Follow the bill at thomas.gov, enter HR 1612 in the search bar.
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