Senate Passage of Great American Outdoors Act a Win for Conservation, MDF Calls on House to Act Swiftly
Salt Lake City, UT: The Mule Deer Foundation congratulated the U.S. Senate for their 73-25 vote today to pass the Great American Outdoors Act, lauding it as a significant boon for conservation and federal land management. The bill, which was introduced by Senator Cory Gardner (CO), Senator Steve Daines (MT), and Senator Joe Manchin (WV) and is co-sponsored by a bipartisan group of 60 Senators, finally provides full, permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund as well as authorizes new funding for deferred maintenance on federal lands.
“Western mule deer and black-tailed deer hunters depend on our country’s federal public lands for much of their hunting opportunity. The Great American Outdoors Act provides necessary funding to continue conserving western landscapes as well as working to improve the network of roads, trails, and facilities found on these federal lands,” commented MDF President/CEO Miles Moretti. “The Mule Deer Foundation applauds the leadership of Senators Daines, Gardner, and Manchin along with Senators Heinrich and Portman for working with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to ensure the passage of this bill in the Senate.”
The Great American Outdoors Act was introduced in early March after Senators Gardner and Daines secured support for the proposal from President Trump. The bill will permanently fund the Land and Water Conservation 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 important habitats. 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, Great American Outdoors Act authorizes $9.5 billion 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, “We hope the U.S. House of Representatives quickly passes their companion version of the bill and sends it to President Trump for his signature. If enacted, this will be a monumental step in our nation’s conservation history.”
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.
