The U.S. Forest Service would require reporters to pay up to $1,500 for permission to take photos or video in federal wilderness, says the Portland Oregonian. The restrictions are part of a proposed land-use regulation. The newspaper quotes the Reporters Committee on Freedom of the Press as saying, “It’s pretty clearly unconstitutional.” A Forest Service official said the limits have been part of a temporary rule for the past four years and are intended to keep the land as wilderness. in 2010, the Forest Service, a part of USDA, initially refused to allow a public television crew to film student conservation workers in a wilderness area.
“The rules allow exceptions only for breaking news coverage of events like fires and rescues. They’re more stringent than similar policies on wilderness areas managed by a different federal agency, the Bureau of Land Management,” said the Oregonian. Its story includes a link to a government summary of the proposal.