Source: Wild Life
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The Senate approved the Great American Outdoors Act last week, which would fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund and provide money for federal maintenance of recreational infrastructure such as roads, trails, campsites and more.
A 73-25 vote in the Senate highlights broad support for the bill as it advances in the House of Representatives next.
“The Great American Outdoor Act … will provide improved access by funding the backlog of federal maintenance for roads, trails, piers, campsites, parking lots, boat ramps, and other recreational infrastructure,” the letter said. “As visitors return to our national parks and federal lands, Congress can ensure these special places will be safe, accessible and ready to help generate tourist dollars in local communities.”
The landmark conservation legislation combines the “Restore Our Parks and Public Lands Act” (H.R. 1225), which would provide five years of funding for federal land and resource management agencies to perform deferred maintenance on federal lands, with dedicated, permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
Earlier this month, The Wildlife Society wrote to Congressional leadership, expressing support for the GAOA and asking that lawmakers either include it in a future stimulus bill addressing the COVID-19 pandemic or pass it separately.
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