U.S. Rep. John Katko (R-NY) last week helped pass the bipartisan Great American Outdoors Act, which on Friday was presented to the president for his signature to make the bill a federal law.
“As an avid outdoorsman, I strongly believe we must take steps to preserve and protect our public lands for future generations,” Rep. Katko said. “The Great American Outdoors Act serves as a major step forward by fully and permanently funding the Land and Water Conservation Fund and addressing the $12 billion maintenance backlog across our National Park System.”
The U.S. House on July 22 voted 310-107 to approve H.R. 1957, which had received U.S. Senate approval in June by unanimous consent. The measure supports national parks and public lands by fully and permanently funding the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF).
Specifically, H.R. 1957 for fiscal years 2021 through 2025 will deposit into the LWCF an amount equal to 50 percent of all federal revenues from the development of oil, gas, coal, or alternative or renewable energy on federal lands and waters, according to the text of the bill, which notes that deposited amounts must not exceed $1.9 billion for any fiscal year.
In Rep. Katko’s 24th Congressional District, for instance, more than $15 million in funds have been delivered through the LWCF to support nearly 100 community projects, according to the congressman’s staff.
However, more recently, inadequate annual funding for the LWCF and deferred maintenance on national parks and public lands has led to deteriorating roads, visitor centers and trails, in turn negatively impacting the program’s ability to preserve public lands and increase public recreation access, according to information provided by Rep. Katko’s office.
Approval of the bill, the congressman said, “will create economic opportunities for central New Yorkers and provide much-needed investments in our public lands, waterways and wetlands.”
Rep. Katko in June had joined more than 250 of his colleagues in signing on to the identical bill, H.R. 7092.