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Jan. 7 (UPI) -- President Joe Biden has signed a bipartisan bill to improve outdoor recreation with more long-distance bike trails and protections for rock climbers in national parks and forests. The president signed the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences, or EXPLORE Act, into law over the weekend.
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"President Biden has signed the EXPLORE Act into law," Outdoor Recreation Roundtable announced Saturday in a post on X. "ORR thanks its members, many bipartisan leaders within Congress and supporters in the outdoor recreation and conservation communities for their efforts to make this historic accomplishment possible."
The bill, which will also improve access for military veterans and people with disabilities to public lands and waters, passed the House by a voice vote last April and passed in the Senate last month by unanimous consent.
"This influential bipartisan legislation will create new opportunities for climbers and bikers, increase access for veterans and service members, support small businesses and communities in the outdoor recreation economy and help modernize and improve visitor experiences," Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Ark., who co-sponsored the bill, said in December as he called it an "incredible win."
"Today, we have an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to preserving these lands for the future and for future generations," said Rep. Raúl Grijalva, D-Ariz., who also co-sponsored the EXPLORE Act.
The new law resolves an ongoing issue within the rock climbing community by officially sanctioning permanent safety anchors on climbing routes in national parks, including the Nose on El Capitan, big walls in Utah's Zion National Park and climbing routes in Washington's North Cascades.
"Passing this bill in a single legislative session is a testament to the growing power of the climbing advocacy movement," Heather Thorne, executive director of the nonprofit Access Fund, said in a statement. "Protecting sustainable wilderness climbing access also protects America's climbing legacy and the sense of awe that calls us to these amazing places."
In addition to protecting climbers and expanding bike trails, the new law will streamline the process for guiding companies to get permits as Jessica Wahl Turner, president of the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable, called it "a victory."
"The EXPLORE Act will supercharge the outdoor recreation industry and is a victory for our economy, our communities, our quality of life and our shared connection to the outdoors."
