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The Public Lands Alliance (PLA) voiced its strong support for the Every Kid Outdoors Act and the 21st Century Conservation Corps Act of 2017 in a recent letter to the Senate Subcommittee on National Parks.

In a letter to the subcommittee, Public Lands Alliance Executive Director, Dan Puskar, stated:

"These bills encourage greater stewardship of America’s parks, forests, refuges, conservation areas and other public lands by enabling land managers and partners to engage more powerfully with youth and veterans. PLA urges their speedy passage by the Senate."

PLA submitted the following positions on these bills:

S. 1522, EVERY KID OUTDOORS ACT

Since 2015, nonprofit organizations have provided substantial funding to transport 4th graders to federally managed public lands through the Every Kid in A Park program. Once on a public land, these students benefit from interpretive and educational programs that many nonprofit organizations conduct or provide critical funding to operate. PLA supports the continuation of these initiatives through the Every Kid Outdoors Act, codifying recent successes and adopting a new moniker that reflects the multiagency scope of the program.

S. 1403, THE 21ST CENTURY CONSERVATION CORPS ACT OF 2017

The goal of the 21st Century Conservation Corps (21CSC) is to place youth and veterans in the United States in national service positions to protect, restore, and enhance the great outdoors. PLA endorses the long-term authorization of 21CSC to tackle public lands infrastructure issues, increase stewardship opportunities for young people and veterans, and demonstrate the value of private-public partnerships to accomplishing goals.

Download PLA's letter to the subcommittee.