FUNDING Public Lands
Adequate funding is one of the biggest obstacles to protecting public land, and it’s a problem that doesn’t get nearly enough attention. Outdoor Alliance works to ensure that Congress allocates enough funding for the outdoors.
Appropriations
Appropriations is the process by which Congress allocates money to different government programs. Outdoor recreation is one of our country’s largest economic sectors, generating $887 billion annually and supporting 7.6 million jobs. Public lands are the infrastructure for this economic sector. Right now, public lands account for just 2.6% of the government’s discretionary spending, which is a tiny fraction of our overall national budget.
Great American Outdoors Act
The Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) provides up to $1.9 billion a year for maintenance of National Parks, National Forests, BLM lands, and other public lands. Outdoor Alliance and the wider outdoor community were key to getting the legislation passed with strong bipartisan support.
GAOA will expire in 2025, and Outdoor Alliance is working to reauthorize this critical program to fund the maintenance and protection of our parks and other public lands.
Land and Water Conservation Fund
The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) has been called “America’s best conservation program.” LWCF redirects a portion of revenue from offshore oil and gas drilling into conservation for local, state, and federal lands and waters. Since its inception, LWCF has helped to create new places to get outside in all 50 states, protecting iconic places, among them the Black Canyon of the Gunnison and Garden of the Gods in Colorado, the Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia, Cuyahoga National Park in Ohio, Bozeman Pass in Montana, Olympic National Park in Washington, and Castle Crags State Park in California.
Outdoor Alliance works to protect LWCF and expand conservation funding.