Great American Outdoors Act Passes House; Mule Deer Foundation Praises Public Lands Conservation Bill
Salt Lake City, UT: Today the Mule Deer Foundation commended the U.S. House of Representatives for its historic action in passing the Great American Outdoors Act by a vote of 310-107. The bill is a victory for public lands hunters because it fully and permanently funds land conservation through the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) for the first time ever, including a dedicated percentage to improve recreational access, along with creating a new fund to address deferred maintenance on federal public lands. The legislation, that passed the Senate in June is expected to be signed into law by President Trump.
“Our country’s federal public lands provide most of the hunting opportunity for mule deer and black-tailed deer hunters. The Great American Outdoors Act provides necessary funding for sportsmen’s access and will help to improve the network of roads, trails, and facilities found on these federal lands,” commented MDF President/CEO Miles Moretti. “The Great American Outdoors Act adds to our country’s conservation legacy and the Mule Deer Foundation thanks House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy for leading this bill through the House.”
The Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) will permanently fund LWCF at its authorized level of $900 million per year for land conservation as well as state and local parks. The program has been in place since the 1960s but only received its full funding allocation a handful of times; it was permanently reauthorized in 2019 as part of the John D. Dingell Jr. Conservation, Management and Recreation Act, however funding was still subject to annual appropriation. Permanent funding at the authorized level will allow strategic acquisitions or easements to conserve habitat. Importantly, the law now also prioritizes a portion of the funding for sportsmen’s access to federal lands, an issue advocated by MDF and its conservation partners.
In addition to LWCF funding, the GAOA authorizes significant funding over five years to address the backlog in maintenance on federal public lands. After a coordinated effort by the sportsmen’s community, the legislation includes funding for deferred maintenance on lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and other agencies. As originally proposed, the legislation would have only funded maintenance on National Park Service lands, however other federal land agencies are also facing significant maintenance backlogs. National forests, wildlife refuges, and BLM lands often provide most of the opportunity for sportsmen and women so ensuring these agencies also receive funding will benefit those who hunt and fish on federal lands.
Moretti concluded, “The Great American Outdoors Act is a monumental step in our nation’s conservation history and the Mule Deer Foundation looks forward to the bill being signed into law by President Trump.”
About MDF
The Mule Deer Foundation is the only conservation group in North America dedicated to restoring, improving and conserving mule deer and black-tailed deer and their habitat, with a focus on science and program efficiency. MDF is a strong voice for hunters in access, wildlife management and conservation policy issues. MDF acknowledges regulated hunting as a viable management component and is committed to recruitment and retention of men, women and youth into the shooting sports and conservation. Get involved in your state or become a member at www.muledeer.org or call 1-888-375-3337.
