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A sprawling public lands and outdoor recreation legislative package is headed to President Joe Biden’s desk after receiving congressional approval this week. 

The Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences Act, which passed the U.S. Senate on Thursday after the House of Representatives approved it earlier this year, is composed of several bills aimed at improving outdoor access and conservation on public lands. 

It includes: 

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• The Biking On Long-Distance Trails Act, which identifies potential long-distance bike trails and bolsters mapping resources for bikers 
• The Improving Access to Outdoor Recreation Coordination Act, which establishes a new federal body to coordinate outdoor recreation policies between various land management agencies to streamline processes 
• The , aimed at helping slow and prevent the spread of invasive aquatic species, including fast-spreading zebra mussels, in the Colorado River and other waters across the West
• The Simplifying Outdoor Access for Recreation Act, which simplifies the permitting process for outdoor guides, outfitters, education organizations, and college and university programs

The legislation, which Biden is expected to sign, also includes the reauthorization of a program that allows the U.S. Forest Service to lease its own land for the purpose of building affordable housing. The deal only applies to land used as an administrative site, meaning wilderness areas will be protected. 

Originally , the program expired at the end of September. 

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To date, Summit County is the only community in the country that has successfully used the provision. Last fall, the county government signed a lease for an 11-acre parcel of land near Dillon, where it plans to build .

The Yampa Valley Housing Authority in Routt County with plans to acquire a vacant, 8-acre Forest Service site in the Steamboat Springs area. Officials, who want to build 84 income-restricted apartments, had to put their plans on hold after the leasing provision expired in September. 

The housing authority’s executive director, Jason Peasely, said at the time that officials would still be able to hammer out lease details and complete the appraisal process as they waited on the next steps from Congress.

“We’re all still committed to the project and moving the parts forward that we can,” Peasley said. “I feel fairly optimistic that we’ll get to that endpoint.”

Other mountain resort areas, including Eagle and Pitkin counties, have also expressed interest in one day using the leasing authority to build new housing. 

The EXPLORE Act as a key legislative priority. Neguse represents Colorado’s 2nd Congressional District, nearly 60% of which is public lands.

“It’s as simple as this — in Colorado, the preservation of our public lands and the strength of our outdoor recreation economy is not only integral to the spirit of our state but to the success of our people,” Neguse said in a statement Thursday. “I am proud to see these bills through to the finish line — and even more excited for the ways in which they will deliver for our communities.” 

The EXPLORE Act’s passage represents a rare legislative breakthrough for public lands legislation, which has languished in Congress in recent years. 

Another of Neguse’s chief bills, the , which he is pushing alongside Sen. Michael Bennet, has passed the U.S. House five times since 2019 but has yet to advance out of the Senate.Ìý

Bennet, during a September news conference in which he introduced new legislation to in and around Gunnison County, acknowledged efforts to pass public lands bills have been difficult, particularly in Congress’ upper chamber.