Nominate U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Lands in Need of Better Public Access
The John D. Dingell Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act, signed into law in 2019, includes a provision intended to increase recreation access to public lands.
Section 4105 instructs the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other federal land management agencies to develop a priority list of lands they manage where public access for fishing, hunting and other outdoor recreation could be improved.
The Act directs each agency to update their priority list every two years, and to seek public nominations when developing the list. The public is encouraged to identify Service-managed lands, including national wildlife refuges and national fish hatcheries that meet the complete criteria.
Nominated lands must meet the following criteria:
- Must be managed by the Service.
- Must be at least 640 contiguous acres.
- Must have significantly restricted access or no public access.
- Must be open under federal or state law to hunting, fishing or use of the land for other public recreational purposes.
- Should have potential for public access and the likelihood of changing the current lack of public access or restriction to public access.
For example, if a 640-acre or greater parcel of Service-managed land is completely surrounded by privately owned land with significantly restricted access or no public access, the Service may consider adding this parcel to the priority list and begin working with states, local governments, nonprofit organization and/or property owners to acquire land or collaborate with partners on conservation measures that could provide public access to the parcel.
The Service has increased public access through this priority direction by the Dingell Act for nearly 7,000 acres.
How to Submit Nominations
Nominations are being accepted by email at PriorityList@fws.gov starting December 16, 2024 through January 16, 2025 and must include the following information:
- Location of the land or parcel.
- Total acreage of the land or parcel.
- Description or narrative about the land's access restrictions or complete lack of access.
- Additional information the Service should consider when determining if the land should be on the Service's priority list.
Nominations that you submit in response to this request are a matter of public record. Before including your address, telephone number, email address or other personally identifiable information in your nomination, you should be aware that your entire nomination (including your personally identifiable information) may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us to withhold your personally identifiable information from public view, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
Once the comment period closes, the Service will evaluate the nominations to determine which lands meet the requirements and considerations specified by the Dingell Act.
Read More:
