A Big Win For Conservation

In a moment of bipartisanship, politicians from both sides of the aisle came together to create and pass one of the most important pieces of conservation legislation in history.  Last week, after signature from the President, The Great American Outdoors Act became official!   Perhaps one of the most important segments of the GAOA is the permanent and full funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which supports the protection of federally-owned public land and water.  On top of this, there is separate funding given to national parks so that they maintain everything from backcountry trails to visitor bathrooms. 

Thanks to the passing of the GAOA, about $3 billion will be allocated each year for these conservation projects.  Aside from these projects, some supports claim that as many as 100,000 jobs could be created because of GAOA  Whichever way you dissect this, it's a monumental day for the American angler, hiker, hunter, biker, wildlife photographer, kayaker, or anyone else who enjoys the outdoors.  This will help work on the backlog of federal projects in national parks, national forests, and national monuments.  It's a win across the board in a time when we desperately needed one, and the strong bipartisan support is a symbol that however much people may disagree politically, being outside and enjoying nature is universal. 

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