IRVINE, Calif. — The Motorcycle Industry Council, Specialty Vehicle Institute of America and Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association are praising an order, signed recently by U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke, that directs bureaus within the Interior Department to create plans that develop or expand recreational opportunities on public lands.

“Whether your favorite activity is kayaking on a river, riding an ATV on sand dunes, jogging on a trail or hunting on a refuge – recreating on public lands and waters is good for the mind, body and soul,” Zinke stated in the department’s news release about Secretarial Order 3366.

The order also is directing Interior bureau heads to designate a full-time staff member in charge of recreational opportunities. And Secretarial Order 3365, also signed by Zinke yesterday, establishes a Senior National Advisor to the Secretary for Recreation, a position to be held by Rick May, a retired U.S. Navy SEAL officer who has worked to help veterans with a variety of recreational activities. May's job will be to "ensure deliberate and active coordination of recreational policy in the U.S. Department of the Interior."

“We are excited about these positive developments at the Department of the Interior, that we expect to help ensure that powersports enthusiasts have proper riding and driving areas, for responsible use, open to them and open to future generations,” said Tim Buche, CEO of the MIC, SVIA, and ROHVA, and board member of the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable. “We appreciate and applaud Secretary Zinke’s efforts and congratulate Rick May on his new post. These secretarial orders and other welcome steps have already shown the value of our participation in the ORR as we work with others on a variety of challenges facing outdoor recreation, including trail maintenance and expanding land access for our fellow enthusiasts.”

Secretarial Order 3366 requires Interior bureaus to deliver plans to the department within 90 days. Interior bureaus have also been tasked with creating recommendations for streamlining and improving permitting (for guides, outfitters and facilitated recreation providers) and updating contracting processes for recreation concessioners.

Zinke also stated that outdoor public-land recreation is "incredibly vital to local economies who rely on recreation spending to help create jobs.”

The Outdoor Recreation Roundtable is America’s leading coalition of outdoor recreation trade associations and organizations working to promote the policy and legislative reforms needed to enhance the outdoor recreation economy. ORR members represent the thousands of businesses that produce vehicles, equipment, gear, apparel and services for the 144 million Americans who enjoy our national parks, waterways, byways, trails and outdoor spaces. The various outdoor recreation business sectors produce a combined $673 billion output for the U.S. economy and support 4.3 million direct jobs. We work to enhance the experience of America’s outdoor recreation enthusiasts by advocating for solutions that will responsibly improve America’s public lands, waters and infrastructure while conserving them for future generations.

The ORR coalition includes the Motorcycle Industry Council, the Specialty Vehicle Industry Association and the Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association. The Motorcycle Industry Council exists to preserve, protect and promote motorcycling through government relations, communications and media relations, statistics and research, aftermarket programs, AIMExpo, development of data communications standards, and activities surrounding technical and regulatory issues. As a not-for-profit, national industry association, the MIC seeks to support motorcyclists by representing manufacturers, distributors, dealers and retailers of motorcycles, scooters, ATVs, ROVs, motorcycle/ATV/ROV parts, accessories and related goods and services, and members of allied trades such as insurance, finance and investment companies, media companies and consultants.

The MIC is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., with a government relations office in metropolitan Washington, D.C. First called the MIC in 1970, the organization has been in operation since 1914. Visit the MIC at mic.org.

The All-Terrain Vehicle Safety Institute, develops rider training programs and promotes the safe and responsible use of ATVs. The ASI works to reduce crashes and injuries resulting from improper ATV use. Formed in 1988, the ASI is a not-for-profit division of the Specialty Vehicle Institute of America. For safety information or to enroll in the ATV RiderCourse nearest you, visit atvsafety.org or call (800) 887-2887.

Sometimes referred to as side-by-sides or UTVs, ROVs are motorized off-highway vehicles designed to travel on four or more tires, with a steering wheel, non-straddle seating, seat belts, an occupant protective structure, and engine displacement up to 1,000cc. Current models are designed with seats for a driver and one or more passengers. The performance and durability of ROVs make them ideally suited for a variety of outdoor recreational activities, as well as many work applications.

The Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association (ROHVA) is a national industry organization that promotes the safe and responsible use of ROVs. ROHVA is accredited by the American National Standards Institute to develop equipment, configuration, and performance standards. Based in Irvine, Calif., the not-for-profit association is sponsored by BRP, Honda, Kawasaki, Mahindra, Polaris, Textron Off-Road, Yamaha, and Yanmar. For more information, visit rohva.org.