WASHINGTON — In a statement released Thursday, the Bureau of Land Management made the decision after careful consideration and at the direction of Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt, will temporarily suspend the collection of all entrance fees until further notice.

As a result, site-specific standard amenity and day-use fees at BLM recreation sites and areas will be waived for the foreseeable future. Other fees, such as overnight camping, cabin rentals, group day use, and use of special areas, will remain in effect.

“I’ve directed the Bureau of Land Management to waive entrance fees at recreation sites and national monuments that remain open,” Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt said. “This small step makes it a little easier for the American public to enjoy the outdoors across the 245 million acres of public lands managed by the agency.”

In an effort to support social distancing, the National Park Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other states and municipalities recently made similar announcements to temporarily suspend entrance fees at parks, refuges and other public recreation sites.

“Our vast public lands overseen by the Department offer special outdoor experiences to recreate, embrace nature and implement some social distancing,” Bernhardt said.

At a majority of BLM-managed locations where it is currently possible to adhere to public health guidance, outdoor spaces remain open to the public, while many facilities will be closed.

Specifically, the CDC recommends high-risk populations, such as the elderly and people with underlying conditions, take extra precautions to be best protected against the spread of coronavirus.

Updates about the BLM response to the coronavirus will be posted on www.blm.gov. Please check with individual field and district offices and visitor centers for specific details about operations in your area.

For more information on recreation opportunities on BLM-managed public lands, visit www.blm.gov/programs/recreation or www.recreation.gov