[Leica] Fees for photography on public lends hearings

[s.dimitrov at charter.net (slobodan dimitrov)]

I thought this might be of interest for those of you who shoot outdoors:


NPPA President Tony Overman is set to testify Wednesday, Dec. 12,  
before the House Committee on Natural Resources. NPPA General Counsel  
Mickey Osterreicher is set to assist Overman at the committee's  
hearing on "New Fees for Filming and Photography on Public Land," at  
the Longworth House Office Building in Washington.

We encourage you to view the hearing, live via webcast, at  10 a.m.  
EST Wednesday, at http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/.

The hearing is to address concerns over the Department of the  
Interior's proposed revision to its filming regulations. Under the  
proposal, the department would establish a permit system for some  
commercial filming and photography in national parks and other  
federal lands. Some of the proposed revisions contradict a very  
acceptable set of regulations put forth in Law 106-206 by Congress in  
2000. Specifically, the revisions call for fees on documentary films  
deemed "commercial," permits for audio taping and the denial of  
permits for still photography when deemed "inappropriate" by the agency.

The National Press Photographers Association opposes the proposed  
changes because they would expand restrictions on still photography  
in the parks. The NPPA also has concerns about the definition of  
commercial filming under the proposed statute, and the expansion of  
restrictions regulating audio recording.

The NPPA is sending representatives to this hearing to ensure  
professional visual journalists are represented as completely as  
possible, and to fulfill our mission to defend the rights and access  
afforded to journalists by the First Amendment.

For more information on the Department of the Interior?s proposed  
revisions, please visit http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/E7-15845.htm.

Please check the News Section of www.nppa.org after the hearing for  
updates on this issue.
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