---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 8546"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "8546"
heading: "Reviews for long-term permits"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/8546"
units:
  - "Chapter 103 — Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences"
  - "Subchapter III — Simplifying Outdoor Access for Recreation"
  - "Part A — Modernizing Recreation Permitting"
---

# §8546. Reviews for long-term permits

- (a) **Monitoring—** The [Secretary concerned](/usc/16/8401.md?p=8) shall monitor each [recreation service provider](/usc/16/8531.md?p=3) issued a [special recreation permit](/usc/16/8531.md?p=4) for compliance with the terms of the permit—
  - (1) not less than annually or as frequently as needed (as determined by the [Secretary concerned](/usc/16/8401.md?p=8)), in the case of a temporary [special recreation permit](/usc/16/8531.md?p=4) for outfitting and guiding issued under [section 8545 of this title](/usc/16/8545.md); and
  - (2) not less than once every 2 years or as frequently as needed (as determined by the [Secretary concerned](/usc/16/8401.md?p=8)), in the case of a [special recreation permit](/usc/16/8531.md?p=4) described in paragraph (13)(A)(iv)(I) of [section 6801 of this title](/usc/16/6801.md) (as amended by this title) that is issued for a term of not more than 10 years.
- (b) **Use-of-allocation reviews—**
  - (1) **In general—** If the [Secretary](/usc/16/8401.md?p=7) of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, or the [Secretary](/usc/16/8401.md?p=7), as applicable, allocates [visitor-use days](/usc/16/8531.md?p=5) among [special recreation permits](/usc/16/8531.md?p=4) for outfitting and guiding, the [Secretary](/usc/16/8401.md?p=7) of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, shall, and the [Secretary](/usc/16/8401.md?p=7) may, review the use by the [recreation service provider](/usc/16/8531.md?p=3) of the [visitor-use days](/usc/16/8531.md?p=5) allocated under a long-term [special recreation permit](/usc/16/8531.md?p=4) described in paragraph (13)(A)(iv)(I) of [section 6801 of this title](/usc/16/6801.md) (as amended by this title), once every 5 years.
  - (2) **Requirements of the review—** In conducting a review under [paragraph (1)](#b-1), the [Secretary concerned](/usc/16/8401.md?p=8) shall determine—
    - (A) the number of [visitor-use days](/usc/16/8531.md?p=5) that the [recreation service provider](/usc/16/8531.md?p=3) used each year under the [special recreation permit](/usc/16/8531.md?p=4), in accordance with [paragraph (3)](#b-3); and
    - (B) the year in which the [recreation service provider](/usc/16/8531.md?p=3) used the most [visitor-use days](/usc/16/8531.md?p=5) under the [special recreation permit](/usc/16/8531.md?p=4).
  - (3) **Consideration of surrendered, unused visitor-use days—** For the purposes of determining the number of [visitor-use days](/usc/16/8531.md?p=5) a [recreation service provider](/usc/16/8531.md?p=3) used in a specified year under [paragraph (2)(A)](#b-2-A), the [Secretary](/usc/16/8401.md?p=7) of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, and the [Secretary](/usc/16/8401.md?p=7), as applicable, shall consider an unused [visitor-use day](/usc/16/8531.md?p=5) that has been surrendered under [section 8542(c)(1)(B) of this title](/usc/16/8542.md?p=c-1-B) as—
    - (A) 1/2 of a [visitor-use day](/usc/16/8531.md?p=5) used; or
    - (B) 1 [visitor-use day](/usc/16/8531.md?p=5) used, if the [Secretary concerned](/usc/16/8401.md?p=8) determines the use of the allocated [visitor-use day](/usc/16/8531.md?p=5) had been or will be prevented by a circumstance beyond the control of the [recreation service provider](/usc/16/8531.md?p=3).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 118–234, title III, § 317, Jan. 4, 2025, 138 Stat. 2905.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

As amended by this title, referred to in subsecs. (a)(2) and (b)(1), means as amended by title III of Pub. L. 118–234.