U.S. Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) on March 30 led a bipartisan bill that would reauthorize and bolster federal funding for the Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program (VPA-HIP).
“This bipartisan bill will strengthen Montana’s outdoor recreation economy,” Sen. Daines said on Monday, “and open up more space for families and sportsmen to enjoy local wildlife for generations to come.”
Sen. Daines sponsored the Voluntary Public Access Improvement Act of 2023, S. 1161, with two original cosponsors, including U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO), to increase funding from $50 million to $150 million over five years for the VPA-HIP, which provides competitive grants to states and tribal governments to incentivize private landowners to voluntarily open their lands for public use while upholding private property rights.
In Sen. Daines’ home state of Montana, VPA-HIP grants have helped facilitate the opening of 60,000 acres for hunting and increased public access, according to a bill summary provided by his office.
“As a lifelong sportsman, I grew up hunting, fishing and backpacking and it’s a family tradition that I’ll pass down to my children, grandchildren and great grandchildren,” said Sen. Daines. “It’s all part of our Montana way of life.”
The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, and the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies endorsed the measure, which has been referred for consideration to the U.S. Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee.
“For years, this program has rewarded Colorado’s family farmers and ranchers for their efforts to improve wildlife habitat, provide new opportunities for sportsmen and women, and expand recreation options for Coloradans,” said Sen. Bennet. “I’ll continue to work to prioritize voluntary, successful programs like this one as we begin work on the 2023 Farm Bill.”