Babaamaajimowinan (Telling of news in different places)
The legislation will fund parks, trails, and green spaces, and restore public lands and waters nationwide
Washington, D.C. — The U.S. House of Representatives took an historic vote on July 22 when it approved the Great American Outdoors Act, which will provide $1.9 billion in funding for up to five years for maintenance of National Parks, National Forests, and other public lands, and permanently funds the Land and Water Conservation Fund at $900 million each year.
The Senate passed the legislation by an overwhelming bipartisan vote in June. The bill will benefit the millions of Americans who get outside each year and, crucially, will help fund the creation of new green spaces at a time when equitable access to the outdoors is more important than ever.
“The outdoor recreation community is over the moon to finally see full, guaranteed funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund and a new funding stream to begin addressing decades of congressional neglect in the funding of public lands and waters maintenance,” said Louis Geltman, Policy Director for Outdoor Alliance. “As the past few months have shown, outdoor recreation opportunities are absolutely essential to health and well being, and far too many Americans lack ready access to the outdoors. This vote is the culmination of years of advocacy by the outdoor recreation, conservation, and hunting & angling communities among others, and we are tremendously grateful for the efforts of everyone who contributed to this win."
The legislation is the most significant investment in almost 65 years for National Forests, BLM lands, National Parks, and other public lands and waters. Equally important, it will put Americans back to work in restoring and maintaining these places.
“This bill represents the culmination of years of work by people across the country, and across the political spectrum, who value public lands and outdoor recreation. Every single person who's taken action for the Land and Water Conservation Fund and to restore our Parks and other public lands deserves a round of applause today. It's heartening to see that even in a time when it seems Congress can't agree on anything, they still recognize the importance of investing in public lands,” said Hilary Eisen, Policy Director at Winter Wildlands Alliance.
Millions of Americans participate in outdoor recreation each year. A study from the Trust for Public Land showed that for each dollar invested in the Land and Water Conservation Fund, four dollars are returned to the economy through natural goods and services, as well as supporting local economies through visitor spending.
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