If there’s one thing D.C. area photographers deal with more than most others throughout the country, it’s the onerous rules governing federal lands. They do change those rules on occasion, and if you care about photographers’ rights, you can be a part of it.

The National Park Service, the Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Department of the Interior published new, tentative rules on August 22 regarding commercial filming and still photography. They’ll go into effect September 23, 2013, but before then, you can voice your opinion during the Request for Public Comment, which can be done online. The last time the rules changed, in 2007, the NPS received only 30 comments, so if you are interested in commenting, you’re likely to be heard.

What are the new rules? The full list can be found on the Federal Register, and they affect news gathering, commercial filming, audio recording and still photography. For still photography, the new rules for permitting are more lenient. They state:
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