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WASHINGTON—Congressman Paul D. Tonko joined with a majority of his colleagues today to advance the Great American Outdoors Act, bipartisan legislation that fully funds the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) to support local parks, including John B. Thacher State Park in the Capital Region. The bill also establishes the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund to address the approximately $22 billion maintenance backlog on federal public lands.

“Our parks and public lands are national treasures,” Congressman Tonko said. “They hold cultural and historical significance as well as serving as economic drivers for our communities. Despite the importance of these green spaces, meaningful and necessary federal investments to protect and maintain these locations have not been made. Our bipartisan legislation changes that and advances the cause of environmental justice by investing in low-income and underserved communities to improve outdoor access. I am proud to advance this critical legislation and I thank my colleagues for their efforts to preserve our wild spaces, urban parks, waterways, and oceans so that they may be cherished and enjoyed for generations to come.”

Julie Tighe, President of the New York League of Conservation Voters, said, “Investing in our parks, beaches, and trails through a permanently and fully funded Land and Water Conservation Fund will expand access to natural areas like Shuttleworth Park and John B. Thacher State Park. It will also provide economic stimulus to the outdoor recreation businesses that support them, which will help create the jobs and tax revenue that are critical to our economic recovery. That's why the Land and Water Conservation Fund has been one of NYLCV's top priorities for years. We thank the House of Representatives for passing the Great American Outdoors Act and Congressmember Tonko for support of this important conservation issue.”

In June, the U.S. Senate voted 73-25 to pass the Great American Outdoors Act. The bill will now go to the President’s desk for signature.

The Great American Outdoors Act ensures that the $900 million permanently authorized by Congress last year funds the Land and Water Conservation Fund at the levels that were promised. The LWCF is America’s most successful conservation program and these resources will make sure that it continues to:

• Support enhanced park and recreational access for local communities throughout the country;
• Addresses environmental injustice by creating green spaces near low-income communities and communities of color across the country by preserving our natural heritage in an equitable manner;
• Strengthens the recreation economy, which is one of the fastest growing economic sectors and a key driver of jobs across the country; and
• Implements recommendations from the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis’ Solving the Climate Crisis action plan to support the goal of protecting at least 30 percent of all U.S. lands and ocean areas by 2030 while helping fragile ecosystems, wildlife populations and communities become more resilient to the impacts of the climate crisis.

The legislation also establishes the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund, providing federal land management agencies with critical resources to address the $22 billion deferred maintenance backlog on our public lands. The Fund must be used for priority deferred maintenance projects in specified systems that are administered by:

• The National Park Service,
• The Forest Service,
• The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
• The Bureau of Land Management, and
• The Bureau of Indian Education.
  

A fact sheet on the Great American Outdoors Act can be found HERE.

A fact sheet on New York State-specific statistics can be found HERE.

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