STARS Act
This bill, formally named the "Semiquincentennial Tourism and Access to Recreation Sites Act" (STARS Act), requires the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture to waive all entrance and standard recreation fees across major federal public lands on September 17, 2026. This date was selected to honor the 250th anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution (September 17, 1787), a key milestone in the nation’s founding. The waiver applies to all fee-charging units of the National Park System, National Wildlife Refuge System, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, and U.S. Forest Service. The goal is to encourage public access to federal recreation sites during the United States’ semiquincentennial (250th anniversary) celebrations, removing cost barriers for visitors while promoting historical awareness and outdoor engagement. If enacted, this would be a one-time fee-free day distinct from existing annual fee-free days.
Key Points
- 1Designates September 17, 2026, as a mandatory entrance-fee-free day for all fee-charging National Park System and National Wildlife Refuge System sites under the Department of the Interior.
- 2Requires the waiver of "standard amenity recreation fees" (charges for specific facilities like campgrounds or boat launches) at Bureau of Land Management and Bureau of Reclamation sites on the same date.
- 3Mandates the Secretary of Agriculture to waive standard amenity recreation fees at all fee-charging U.S. Forest Service sites on September 17, 2026.
- 4Explicitly defines "entrance fee" and "standard amenity recreation fee" using existing terms from the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act to ensure consistent implementation.
- 5Uses the commemorative date of September 17—marking the 1787 Constitutional Convention signing—as the focal point for the 250th-anniversary celebration, rather than July 4.