Parks and Open Spaces News: Federal

There has recently been a push to protect 30% of our lands by 2030. Nationally, the Biden Administration committed to this goal in January and legislation at the state level would codify the goal.

On July 22, 2020, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Great American Outdoors Act, one of NYLCV’s top policy priorities, with overwhelming bipartisan support. The U.S. Senate passed a same-as bill in June.

The Great American Outdoors Act has passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in the U.S. Senate by a vote of 73-25. The GAOA combines two major conservation bills: S.500 (the Restore Our Parks Act), which seeks to address the maintenance backlog on public lands, and S.1081, which permanently allocates $900 million a year to the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). More than 60 members co-sponsored the legislation including New York Senators Schumer and Gillibrand.

There is strong bipartisan support from a group for a bill known as The Great American Outdoors Act (S. 3422). The bill, if passed, would provide full dedicated funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and address the maintenance backlog facing America’s national parks and other public lands.

With bipartisan support from a group of 59 Senate co-sponsors including the Majority Leader and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer as well as President Trump, “The Great American Outdoors Act,” if passed, would provide full dedicated funding for the LWCF and address the maintenance backlog in America’s national parks and other public lands.

Last month, the Trump Administration announced the repeal of the 2015 Clean Water Rule (also known as “Waters of the United States”) under the Clean Water Act. These new changes will weaken the protection of the nation's waters by allowing the federal government to reduce the number of waterways it protects.

The Endangered Species Act helps conserve biodiversity in ecosystems around the country. However, recently-approved changes to the way the ESA is enforced will weaken protections for thousands of protected species

With the continuation of the Land & Water Conservation Fund now guaranteed, we now need to draw our attention towards ensuring that the Fund receives its full appropriation every year.