(Photo by Laura Pluth on Unsplash)
During a ceremony at the White House Thursday (July 20), the Biden Administration announced the revival of the Federal Interagency Council on Outdoor Recreation (FICOR), an interagency effort that includes leaders from the Departments of the Interior, Agriculture, Commerce and Defense.
The charge of FICOR is to focus on improving access to nature, expanding outdoor recreation opportunities and providing the public with improved and more affordable experiences on America’s public lands and waters.
RV Industry Association staff were present for the announcement that included remarks from Outdoor Recreation Roundtable President Jessica Turner, along with leaders from the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce and Interior, as well as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
“A record number of Americans have turned to RVs as a way to enjoy the health benefits of the outdoors or to pursue their dream of working virtually from their favorite national park campground,” said RV Industry Association Director of Federal Affairs Chris Bornemann, who was present at the announcement. “It’s vital that federal land agencies coordinate at the highest level to provide robust access and prepare our parks and forest campgrounds for current and future generations of RV campers and emerging EV technologies.”
The Outdoor Recreation Roundtable, along with the RV Industry Association, has been advocating for this convening body’s establishment since the beginning of the Biden administration, meeting with the transition team, agency officials and cabinet secretaries to discuss the importance of breaking down silos and creating government efficiencies through this coordinated entity.
“The RV Industry Association is honored to be invited to the White House today and applauds the Administration for acknowledging the significant benefits of outdoor recreation and RV camping by creating FICOR to advance federal outdoor recreation policy and to ensure our iconic parks and forest campgrounds are safe, accessible, and continue to be favored destinations for many generations of RVing Americans,” added Bornemann. “We look forward to continuing to work with the Administration, Congress and the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable to advance these critical issues.”
