The U.S. Forest Service announced that it will modify proposed plans to charge fees for taking pictures on federal lands to ensure that the policy is not applied to news photography,
The Washington Post reported.
The Forest Service received complaints from members of Congress and others that the rules, first reported in
The Oregonian, were unnecessarily restrictive, according to
The Hill.
Critics said the policy violated the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment.
"Based on the feedback we've [had] so far, we'll make changes to make sure this doesn't apply to news gathering," said Tom Tidwell, chief of the Forest Service, the Post reported.
The issue came up as the Forest Service sought to formalize a policy that already requires permits for commercial filming. "If you're news media, it has no effect at all," Tidwell said, adding, "if you're a private individual, this doesn't apply," the Post reported.
Even if private individuals plan to sell the pictures they take on federal lands no permit is required unless the shoot involves props, according to the Post.
According to
The Washington Times the original rules would have required members of the media to pay $1,500 in permit fees to take photographs on federal lands.
The deadline for public comment on the issue has been extended to Dec. 3, the Post reported.
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