---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 8442"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "8442"
heading: "Improved recreation visitation data"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/8442"
units:
  - "Chapter 103 — Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences"
  - "Subchapter I — Outdoor Recreation and Infrastructure"
  - "Part C — Supporting Gateway Communities and Addressing Park Overcrowding"
---

# §8442. Improved recreation visitation data

- (a) **Consistent visitation data—**
  - (1) **Annual visitation data—** The [Secretaries](/usc/16/8401.md?p=6) shall establish a single visitation data reporting system to report accurate annual visitation data, in a consistent manner, for—
    - (A) each [unit](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=4) of [Federal recreational lands and waters](/usc/16/8401.md?p=2); and
    - (B) land held in [trust](/usc/16/450ss–1.md?p=4) for an [Indian Tribe](/usc/16/8401.md?p=4), on request of the [Indian Tribe](/usc/16/8401.md?p=4).
  - (2) **Categories of use—** Within the visitation data reporting system established under [paragraph (1)](#a-1), the [Secretaries](/usc/16/8401.md?p=6) shall—
    - (A) establish multiple categories of different recreation activities that are reported consistently across agencies; and
    - (B) provide an estimate of the number of visitors for each applicable category established under [subparagraph (A)](#a-2-A) for each [unit](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=4) of [Federal recreational lands and waters](/usc/16/8401.md?p=2).
- (b) **Real-Time Data Pilot Program—**
  - (1) **In general—** Not later than 5 years after January 4, 2025, using existing funds available to the [Secretaries](/usc/16/8401.md?p=6), the [Secretaries](/usc/16/8401.md?p=6) shall carry out a pilot program, to be known as the “Real-Time Data Pilot Program” (referred to in this section as the “Pilot Program”), to make available to the public, for each [unit](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=4) of [Federal recreational lands and waters](/usc/16/8401.md?p=2) selected for participation in the Pilot Program under [paragraph (2)](#b-2)—
    - (A) real-time or predictive data on visitation (including data and resources publicly available from existing nongovernmental platforms) at—
      - (i) the [unit](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=4) of [Federal recreational lands and waters](/usc/16/8401.md?p=2);
      - (ii) to the extent practicable, [areas](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) within the [unit](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=4) of [Federal recreational lands and waters](/usc/16/8401.md?p=2); and
      - (iii) to the extent practicable, recreation sites managed by any other Federal agency, a [State](/usc/16/8401.md?p=9) agency, or a local agency that are located near the [unit](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=4) of [Federal recreational lands and waters](/usc/16/8401.md?p=2); and
    - (B) through multiple media platforms, information about lesser-known recreation sites located near the [unit](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=4) of [Federal recreational lands and waters](/usc/16/8401.md?p=2) (including recreation sites managed by any other Federal agency, a [State](/usc/16/8401.md?p=9) agency, or a local agency), in an effort to encourage visitation among recreational sites.
  - (2) **Locations—**
    - (A) **Initial number of units—** On establishment of the Pilot Program, the [Secretaries](/usc/16/8401.md?p=6) shall select for participation in the Pilot Program—
      - (i) 10 [units](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=4) of [Federal recreational lands and waters](/usc/16/8401.md?p=2) managed by the [Secretary](/usc/16/8401.md?p=7);
      - (ii) 5 [units](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=4) of [Federal recreational lands and waters](/usc/16/8401.md?p=2) managed by the [Secretary](/usc/16/8401.md?p=7) of Agriculture (acting through the Chief of the Forest Service);
      - (iii) 1 [unit](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=4) of [Federal recreational lands and waters](/usc/16/8401.md?p=2) managed by the [Secretary](/usc/16/8401.md?p=7) of Commerce (acting through the [Administrator](/usc/16/450rr–1.md?p=a) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration); and
      - (iv) 1 [unit](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=4) of [Federal recreational lands and waters](/usc/16/8401.md?p=2) managed by the Assistant [Secretary](/usc/16/8401.md?p=7) of Army for Civil Works.
    - (B) **Report—** Not later than 6 years after January 4, 2025, the [Secretaries](/usc/16/8401.md?p=6) shall submit a report to Congress regarding the implementation of the pilot program, including policy recommendations to expand the pilot program to additional [units](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=4) managed by the [Secretaries](/usc/16/8401.md?p=6).
    - (C) **Feedback; support of gateway communities—** The [Secretaries](/usc/16/8401.md?p=6) shall—
      - (i) solicit feedback regarding participation in the Pilot Program from communities adjacent to [units](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=4) of [Federal recreational lands and waters](/usc/16/8401.md?p=2) and the public; and
      - (ii) in carrying out subparagraphs [(A)](#b-2-A) and [(B)](#b-2-B), select a [unit](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=4) of Federal recreation lands and waters to participate in the Pilot Program only if the community adjacent to the [unit](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=4) of [Federal recreational lands and waters](/usc/16/8401.md?p=2) is supportive of the participation of the [unit](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=4) of [Federal recreational lands and waters](/usc/16/8401.md?p=2) in the Pilot Program.
  - (3) **Dissemination of information—** The [Secretaries](/usc/16/8401.md?p=6) may disseminate the information described in [paragraph (1)](#b-1) directly or through an entity or organization referred to in [subsection (c)](#c).
  - (4) **Inclusion of current assessments—** In carrying out the Pilot Program, the [Secretaries](/usc/16/8401.md?p=6) may, to the extent practicable, rely on assessments completed or data gathered prior to January 4, 2025.
- (c) **Community partners and third-party providers—** For purposes of carrying out this section, the [Secretary concerned](/usc/16/8401.md?p=8) may—
  - (1) coordinate and partner with—
    - (A) communities adjacent to [units](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=4) of [Federal recreational lands and waters](/usc/16/8401.md?p=2);
    - (B) [State](/usc/16/8401.md?p=9) and local outdoor recreation and tourism offices;
    - (C) local governments;
    - (D) [Indian Tribes](/usc/16/544.md?p=g);
    - (E) trade associations;
    - (F) local outdoor recreation marketing organizations;
    - (G) permitted facilitated recreation providers; or
    - (H) other relevant stakeholders; and
  - (2) coordinate or enter into agreements, as appropriate, with private sector and nonprofit partners, including—
    - (A) technology companies;
    - (B) geospatial data companies;
    - (C) experts in data science, analytics, and operations research; or
    - (D) data companies.
- (d) **Existing programs—** The [Secretaries](/usc/16/8401.md?p=6) may use existing programs or products of the [Secretaries](/usc/16/8401.md?p=6) to carry out this section.
- (e) **Privacy clauses—** Nothing in this section provides authority to the [Secretaries](/usc/16/8401.md?p=6)—
  - (1) to monitor or record the movements of a visitor to a [unit](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=4) of [Federal recreational lands and waters](/usc/16/8401.md?p=2);
  - (2) to restrict, interfere with, or monitor a private communication of a visitor to a [unit](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=4) of [Federal recreational lands and waters](/usc/16/8401.md?p=2); or
  - (3) to collect—
    - (A) information from [owners](/usc/16/429b–3.md?p=4) of land adjacent to a [unit](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=4) of [Federal recreational lands and waters](/usc/16/8401.md?p=2); or
    - (B) information on non-[Federal land](/usc/16/3102.md?p=2).
- (f) **Reports—** Not later than 1 year after January 4, 2025, and annually thereafter, the [Secretaries](/usc/16/8401.md?p=6) shall publish on a website of the [Secretaries](/usc/16/8401.md?p=6) a report that describes the annual visitation of each [unit](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=4) of [Federal recreational lands and waters](/usc/16/8401.md?p=2), including, to the maximum extent practicable, visitation categorized by recreational activity.
- (g) **Definitions—** In this section—
  - (1) **Federal recreational lands and waters—** The term “[Federal recreational lands and waters](/usc/16/8401.md?p=2)”—
    - (A) has the meaning given the term in [section 6801 of this title](/usc/16/6801.md); and
    - (B) includes [Federal lands](/usc/16/620e.md?p=2) and waters managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
  - (2) **Secretaries—** The term “[Secretaries](/usc/16/8401.md?p=6)” means—
    - (A) the [Secretary](/usc/16/8401.md?p=7), with respect to lands under the jurisdiction of the [Secretary](/usc/16/8401.md?p=7);
    - (B) the [Secretary](/usc/16/8401.md?p=7) of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, with respect to lands under the jurisdiction of the Forest Service;
    - (C) the [Secretary](/usc/16/8401.md?p=7) of Commerce, acting through the [Administrator](/usc/16/450rr–1.md?p=a) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, with respect to Federal waters under the jurisdiction of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and
    - (D) the Assistant [Secretary](/usc/16/8401.md?p=7) of Army for Civil Works, with respect to lakes and reservoirs under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 118–234, title I, § 132, Jan. 4, 2025, 138 Stat. 2859.)