U.S. House of Representatives Plans Vote on the Great American Outdoors Act

The U.S. House of Representatives plans to vote on the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) during the week of July 20. The House schedule builds on the momentum from the U.S. Senate’s approval of the GAOA on June 17. 

If signed into law, the bill will provide $900 million annually for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and $9.5 billion over the next five years for the maintenance and infrastructure needs at our country’s national parks and national forests. 

New Hampshire has received a total of $165.4 million in LWCF funds since the program’s establishment in 1964. It has funded major additions to the White Mountain National Forest and the establishment of the Lake Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge. It has supported Forest Legacy projects, placing permanent conservation easements on privately owned forest lands, like the 146,100 acre Connecticut Headwaters conservation easement in Coos County, and the Moose Mountains Reservation (owned by the Forest Society) in Middleton and Brookfield.

Also significantly, the bill will benefit the White Mountain National Forest. Both the National Forest and National Park systems are suffering from aging infrastructure facilities, including trails, and outdated visitor amenities. The GAOA will help to address the $18 billion overdue maintenance needs on these public lands.

Both Congresswoman Anne Kuster and Congressman Chris Pappas are co-sponsors of the GAOA. Please call Congresswoman Kuster and Congressman Pappas to thank them for their support and leadership.  Let them know you also support the bill for two broad reasons:

• As we have seen from the increased crowd levels at many of the outdoor areas in New Hampshire, the COVID-19 crisis has demonstrated that people want to connect with nature and are drawn to these special areas. More than ever, we need to ensure that everyone has access to outdoor recreation and that these places are protected and maintained so they can continue to provide these benefits for decades and generations to come. 
• Outdoor recreation is an important part of a vibrant economy. The Outdoor Industry Association notes that this sector generates 79,000 direct jobs in New Hampshire and 8.7 billion dollars in consumer spending. As Congress considers measures to assist the country heal from the pandemic’s damaging effects, increased investments in the protection of our natural resources should be a part of this economic recovery.