Good Neighbor Authority
Section 351 lets states and counties build recreation infrastructure on BLM land — but it sunsets in 2030.
Section 351 of the EXPLORE Act expands Good Neighbor Authority to recreation, creating a powerful but time-limited pathway for disc golf development on BLM land.
What it does
Good Neighbor Authority allows states, counties, and Indian Tribes to carry out “authorized recreation services” on BLM, NPS, and USFS lands. Authorized services include establishing, repairing, restoring, improving, relocating, constructing, or reconstructing recreation infrastructure. Agreements are executed via cooperative agreements or contracts.
The 5-year sunset
This provision expires in January 2030. That creates genuine urgency. Any GNA-based disc golf project must be initiated, agreed upon, and substantially underway within this window. BLM confirmed in January 2026 testimony that it is “developing guidance to support recreation-related Good Neighbor Authority agreements.”
How disc golf fits
Disc golf courses are not explicitly named in the Good Neighbor list of authorized services, which includes day-use areas, restrooms, parking, trails and trailheads, and access improvements. The smartest approach is to frame proposals as “a low-impact day-use/accessibility/stewardship package that includes disc golf” — keeping NEPA decisions federal while using GNA for the construction and maintenance partnership.
A typical GNA disc golf project would:
- Identify a county or tribal partner willing to enter a GNA agreement with BLM
- Bundle disc golf with other recreation improvements: parking, signage, restrooms, trail connections, accessible features
- Keep the framing broad: “recreation infrastructure improvement” rather than “disc golf course”
- Leverage the county’s capacity for procurement, labor coordination, and insurance
- Pair with volunteer authority (Section 341) for installation labor
Current status
BLM is actively developing guidance for recreation GNA agreements. No disc golf project has yet been proposed through this pathway, but the combination of county partnership, volunteer labor, and low infrastructure cost makes disc golf one of the most achievable GNA recreation projects.
Why this matters
For disc golf advocates, GNA offers a way to build courses on BLM land through a government-to-government agreement — potentially faster and simpler than navigating the full cooperative agreement process independently. The county partner adds credibility and administrative capacity. But the clock is ticking.