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SILVER SPRING – The Public Lands Alliance (PLA) releases the following statement from President and CEO Dan Puskar:

"The Public Lands Alliance supports the Great American Outdoors Act for its commitment to a simple promise: our national parks and public lands will be there for the American people when they are needed most. The COVID-19 pandemic has reaffirmed the American people's desire to experience the great outdoors in their neighborhoods and municipalities, but also in the grand, inspiring wide open spaces like Grand Canyon and Yosemite. And citizens should be able to expect safe facilities, trails and roads when they go to these parks and public lands, encouraging tourism and recreation that is so important to local economies.

"PLA and our member organizations want to express our sincere gratitude to the bipartisan Senate leaders who have demonstrated incredible vision and fortitude, and we urge the House to take up this legislation immediately.

"The Great American Outdoors Act of 2020 provides permanent and full funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and more than $9 billion to help the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Bureau of Land Management to reduce their maintenance backlogs. With approximately $20 billion in deferred maintenance needs across the Department of the Interior and Forest Service alone, the problems are both numerous and diverse.

"PLA urges those who love our public lands to ask their Representatives to co-sponsor the Senate's bill, and to pass it without amendment so that it can get to the President's desk. We also encourage you to contact the Senators who made this possible and thank them for their support of America's public lands."

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Additional Resources

Provided by: Appalachian Mountain Club, The Pew Charitable Trusts, The Nature Conservancy, National Parks Conservation Association

Last updated: 6/18/2020

• GAO Act - One Pager

• GAO Act - Economic Benefits