Great American Outdoors Act Is a Success in Its First Year

On August 4, 2020, a bipartisan group of lawmakers approved the Great American Outdoors Act. A year later, industry supporters, administration officials, and more are celebrating the legislation as a win.

According to RV Business, the Great American Outdoors Act was approved to fund a National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund in order to address the maintenance backlog for various federal outdoor and recreation groups. These groups include the National Park Service, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Forest Service, and the Bureau of Indian Education.

The legislation also provides permanent, dedicated funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund as well as other outdoor and recreation-related purposes.

Image by Good Sam

“As Americans look to spend more time outside in our national forests and grasslands, state and local parks, GAOA becomes more important than ever to support the growing outdoor recreation industry and help millions of visitors enjoy our shared lands and water every year,” said Jessica Turner, executive director of the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR),

In its first year, the GAOA helped the Forest Service identify more than 1,000 vital infrastructure improvement projects, including campgrounds, roads, bridges, trails, visitor centers, and various park water and electrical systems.

“GAOA really couldn’t have come at a more poignant and relevant time when parks and public waters continue to provide respite and rejuvenation to a pandemic-weary public,” Estenoz said. “These investments are being made under the act at a time when people really are clamoring for more access to the outdoors.”

When it comes to the RV industry, the campground upgrades and improvements are the most important, but it’s great to see any maintenance and updates being done to the parks and other public lands. This will likely only help contribute to people wanting to enjoy the outdoors.