With America’s 250th anniversary on the horizon, new bipartisan legislation just introduced in Washington, D.C., aims to upgrade public lands and national parks, while promoting public access for hunting and fishing.
The Great American Outdoors Act 250 (GAOA 250), introduced by House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-AR) and Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-CA),seeks to reauthorize the Legacy Restoration Fund that pays for deferred maintenance on federal lands and invests $1.9 billion annually over five years to pay for restoring hunting and fishing sites, campgrounds, trails, boat ramps and other recreational infrastructure. Its funding is derived from new foreign visitor fees, private donations and onshore energy revenue.
Proponents say it will boost the $1.3 trillion outdoor recreation economy, support 72,500 jobs and generate vital income for rural economies near national parks, forests, wildlife refuges and public lands.
The legislation reauthorizes a 2020 public lands bill, which originally included permanent authorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). That vital measure received permanent and full funding in 2020 after President Trump, during his first term, signed it into law after learning about the crucial role LWCF played in the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation’s Falls Creek project. LWCF receives $900 million annually from federal offshore drilling fees to protect import land, water and recreational areas for Americans to access and enjoy.
GAOA 250 also creates a pilot program that supports outdoor recreation and sportsmen’s access projects, including enhancing habitat for hunting and fishing.
Hunt 2 Conserve and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation are among more than 80 conservation, hunting and outdoor-related organizations that support the legislation.
About Hunt 2 Conserve
Hunt 2 Conserve is a 501(c)4 nonprofit organization affiliated with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Its mission is to advance a legacy of hunting and conservation by educating, activating and developing stewards and defenders of these fundamentally American ideals. For more information, go to hunt2conserve.org.
