Friends Supports the Great American Outdoors Act
The Great American Outdoors Act would provide permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) at $900 million, and provide $1.9 billion annually for five years to address the backlog of maintenance needed on federal lands.
The bill would be the most significant conservation legislation to be enacted in decades and would support conservation efforts, recreation, and maintenance of national parks and other public lands.
Please tell your U.S Representative to support the Great Outdoors Act.
"The Great American Outdoors Act is a strong commitment to increasing public-land access and advancing conservation," said Margaret Frisbie, executive director of Friends of the Chicago River. "The bipartisan support of the LWCF is proof that investment in the protection of public land, our natural resources, and the expansion of access to the outdoors has broad support throughout the country. As we have all experienced recently, more than ever we need access to healthy, natural open space which provide us with so many public health and wellness benefits."
According to Openlands, a chief architect of the Great American Outdoors Act, LWCF has provided support for places like Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon, Rocky Mountain National Park, the Boundary Waters and local landscapes, including the I&M Canal, Starved Rock State Park, Deer Grove, and many more.
The legislation passed the Senate June 17 by a vote of 73-25. The bill now heads to the House.
