Referred to as the most significant piece of conservation legislation in more than 50 years, the Great American Outdoors Act will provide $9.5 billion over the next five years to fund the backlog of maintenance projects at national parks across the United States. The law also provides permanent funding of $900 million for the Land and Water Conservation Fund. This spending by the government will lead to many improvements for the average visitor at one of our nation’s many national parks. Here is what the Great American Outdoors Act means for you and how it will improve national parks near you.
Infrastructure Improvement
The biggest beneficiaries of these additional funds will be those parks with buildings or other items that require repairs. Structures such as bridges and tunnels that have been worn with age can finally be repaired and made safe for usage by visitors. Visitor centers and ranger stations will also get the attention and upgrades that they need to bring them into the 21st century.
Repairing the Roads
Many of the roads in this nation are in need of repair, and this doesn’t cease to be true just because they’re on park service land. Basic road and trail repairs have been neglected due to a lack of funds, so specifying that the money will go directly to the backlog of maintenance projects will help get the roads up to snuff. It is estimated that these road repairs will create hundreds of new jobs across the country as crews are hired to complete the work.
Land and Water Conservation Fund
Originally authorized in 1965 to help purchase the rights to land and water for the benefit of all Americans, the Land and Water Conservation Fund is designed to improve citizens’ enjoyment of the nation’s parks. The law that authorized the creation of the fund specifies that at least 40% of the funding must be used by the federal government and at least 40% must be allocated to states, with the remaining 20% being divided between the two, based on need. Apart from helping to fund the purchase of land near national and state parks, money from this fund is also used to support the efforts of local parks to erect playgrounds and sports fields.
Knowing what the Great American Outdoors Act means for you will help foster a greater appreciation for the wonders present at all our national parks. Trash Cans Depot is a trash can company that proudly offers waste and recycling receptacles that are sure to meet the needs of any office, park, or industrial complex.