Members of Oregon’s congressional delegation are criticizing new rules from the United States Forest Service that restrict photography and video in national forests.
Following a report that photos and videos would require a $1,500 permit, lawmakers said the rules were unnecessary and an overreaching restriction on First Amendment rights, according to the Salem, Ore., Statesman Journal.
“This seems like a fairly ridiculous overreach by the Forest Service,” Rep. Kurt Schrader
Walter (Kurt) Kurt SchraderHouse members race to prepare for first-ever remote votes The 14 Democrats who broke with their party on coronavirus relief vote House votes to condemn Trump Medicaid block grant policy MORE (D) told the newspaper. “I understand the need to protect our wilderness areas from commercial exploitation, but this is just silly.”
Rep. Greg Walden
Gregory (Greg) Paul WaldenRepublicans in campaign mode for top spots on House environmental committees Ensuring more Americans have access to 5G technology Race heats up for top GOP post on powerful Energy and Commerce Committee MORE (R) wrote to Forest Service Chief Thomas Tidwell, saying “anything less than full transparency in public land management activities is unacceptable,” the Statesman Journal said.
Rep. Peter DeFazio
Peter Anthony DeFazioOVERNIGHT ENERGY: Down ballot races carry environmental implications | US officially exits Paris climate accord Democrats, GOP fighting over largest House battlefield in a decade Trump says talks on COVID-19 aid are now 'working out' MORE, the top Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee, said the rule “is vague and could have a major impact on the way the media captures, documents, and promotes our public lands.”
DeFazio said he would soon draft a letter complaining about the policy to the Forest Service and seek bipartisan agreement on the letter.
Sen. Ron Wyden (D) said the Forest Service “needs to rethink any policy that subjects noncommercial photographs and recordings to a burdensome permitting process for something as simple as taking a picture with a cell phone.”
The Forest Service said it is extending the comment period on the rules until early December, a month longer than it had planned.
Spokesman Larry Chambers said in a statement that the rules are “a good faith effort to ensure the fullest protection of America’s wild places.”
