MT Conservation, Public Lands Leaders Applaud Daines' Leadership on
the Great American Outdoors Act
This week, the Senate voted in support of my
bipartisan conservation bill, the “Great American Outdoors
Act.”
My bill provides full,
mandatory funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and
addresses the national park and public lands maintenance
backlog.
Here’s what Montana conservation,
sportsmen and public lands leaders and stakeholders are saying about the
passage of the “Great American Outdoors Act” out of the
Senate.
F.H. Stoltze Land &
Lumber Company is very appreciative of the leadership of Senator Daines to
introduce and pass the Great American Outdoors Act through the
Senate. This is a huge step forward in the conservation of our natural
resources, providing habitat management for our wildlife, and for the
Forest Legacy Program in allowing private forest owners to keep their
lands in working sustainable forests. Senator
Daines’ tireless efforts to secure full and permanent funding for the Land
and Water Conservation Fund will be appreciated by many future
generations of Americans when we recreate in our great outdoors.
--- Chuck Roady, Vice President & GM - FH Stoltze Land &
Lumber Co.
“Montanans
love our outdoor heritage, public lands and open spaces. The Great
American Outdoors Act is an important investment in conservation, it
secures resources needed to care for our public lands and helps us seize
future opportunities to enhance the places where we work and play. The
Senate’s overwhelming vote to fully fund the Land and Water
Conservation Fund and invest in our national parks and public lands reflects
the importance of these places to our economy, our communities and
our well-being. Though we still need a positive vote in the House,
we’re grateful to Senator Daines for his leadership and dedication in
guiding the Great American Outdoors act through the
Senate.”—Mark Aagenes, Director of External Affairs, Montana
Chapter of The Nature Conservancy
“The Great American Outdoors Act is historic legislation that
will provide more high-quality and more equitable access to outdoor
recreation across the county, make a strong investment in our public
lands, and provide full funding for the LWCF,” said
REI Co-op President and CEO Eric Artz. “I applaud the
bipartisan leadership for its commitment to passing this vital
legislation and remaining united outside.”
“Western Energy Alliance strongly supports taking
funding from oil and natural gas production on non-park federal lands
and directing it into fixing our national parks. For too long our parks
have suffered from eroded trails, crumbling roads and bridges, and
other maintenance shortfalls. Offshore oil and natural gas production
already provides 100% of the funding for the Land and Water Conservation
Fund, and this bill would enable onshore oil and natural gas royalty
and lease revenues to go directly into our beloved national
parks.” Kathleen Sgamma, President of Western Energy
Alliance
"The Great American
Outdoor Act is landmark conservation to protect our public lands. The
full funding of the LWCF is a benefit to our parks and forests at the
local and state level. Mystery Ranch appreciates Senator Daines
leadership in support of this Bill not only for the state of Montana
but also for the nation's public lands and National
Parks." – Alex Kutches, Mystery Ranch
“Outdoor recreation experience providers from
all across the country are thrilled to see the Senate pass the Great
American Outdoors Act,” said Aaron Bannon,
Executive Director of America Outdoors. “The backlog in
maintenance and infrastructure on public lands has led to access issues
and to subpar infrastructure, and the problem has only worsened over
years. Better-maintained roads, trails, boatramps, campgrounds, and
more will ensure that operators can worry less about getting to the
places they need to get to, and instead focus on providing world-class
outdoor experiences to those seeking authentic connection with the crown
jewels and hidden gems that make up America’s awe-inspiring
landscape.”
"This is good news
for all sportsmen and sportswomen concerned about access to places to
hunt, fish, target shoot and recreate on public lands. Hunters and
recreational shooters need access to public lands, and the Land and Water
Conservation Fund projects are opening up access across the country."
- Tim Brady, President, Boone and Crockett
Club
“The Senate’s passage
advances one of the most significant conservation bills in 50 years a
tremendous step closer to enactment. The Great American Outdoors Act
includes full and permanent funding for the LWCF, which will be an
essential tool for America’s economic recovery through the
improvement of access to our beloved public lands. LWCF can also play an
important role in helping to revive and grow local outdoor recreation
economies. We commend Senators Daines, Tester, Manchin, Gardner and all of
the bipartisan leaders in the U.S. Senate for championing this critical
conservation program.” - Larry Selzer, President
and CEO, The Conservation Fund
“Senator Daines today asked for ‘overwhelming
affirmation' of the Great American Outdoors Act in the Senate, and thanks
to his leadership the Senate delivered exactly that with a 73-25
vote,” said Glenn Marx of the Montana Association of
Land Trusts. “Senate passage of the GAOA is a
significant accomplishment, but two more major steps are needed:
House passage and the President’s signature. When those actions
are taken, the Congress and America will have achieved
a generational conservation accomplishment, and LWCF champions like Steve
Daines will be a major reason why."
“We applaud Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO)
and Steve Daines (R-MT) for their persistent leadership to advance the
most significant conservation legislation in nearly half a century
– The Great American Outdoors Act. This
important bipartisan legislation provides dedicated funding to the Land
and Water Conservation Fund and addresses the maintenance backlog
plaguing our national parks and treasured public lands. Utilizing
public lands for responsible clean energy development is a
win-win for the environment and the livelihood of our national
parks. It creates immediate job opportunities, encourages outdoor
recreation, and protects our public lands for generations to
come.” – Heather Reams, Executive Director, Citizens for
Responsible Energy Solutions (CRES)
“The passage of the Great American Outdoors Act is
a truly historic conservation victory that will ensure that
America’s public lands and treasured landscapes endure for
future generations. It will also accelerate our economic recovery
from the COVID-19 crisis by creating hundreds of thousands of good
jobs, while expanding outdoor recreational opportunities for every
community in the country. We are grateful for the bipartisan
leadership of Senators Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.),
Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Lamar Alexander
(R-Tenn.) to pass this legislation. We urge the House to act swiftly
to pass the bill and send it to the President’s desk.”
- Collin O’Mara, president and CEO, National Wildlife
Federation
“This is
a truly incredible day for the Land and Water Conservation Fund and
the communities in Montana and across America who depend on it for
access to the outdoors. The Senate vote to assure permanent,
dedicated, full funding — a first in the 55-year history of the program
— sends the clearest possible signal that these funds should
and will be used to provide access for all, protect the places Montanans
love, and sustain our nation's vital outdoor economy. The Trust
for Public Land is especially grateful to Senator Daines for all his
work with Senate colleagues and the White House to advance the bill,
and we urge quick action in the House so the LWCF promise to the
American people can at long last be honored.” - Dick
Dolan, Northern Rockies Director, The Trust for Public
Land
“Finally a public lands
conservation and access enhancement bill that will receive the federal funding
and attention it desperately needs.” - Derek
Aspinwall, Owner and Founder, Aspinwall Mountain
Wear
“The Senate's bipartisan vote reflects
what we all know -- protecting and enhancing our public lands is an
essential part of the American ethos,” said Environment
America’s Senior Conservation Program Director Steve
Blackledge. “By locking in $900 million a year for outdoor
projects, plus providing a short-term infusion of money to address
maintenance issues, the Senate has acted to enhance America’s
beautiful public lands. We thank them and we urge the House to follow
suit.”
“Tourism
is a leading industry in Montana and by supporting national parks and
public lands, Senator Daines has secured the permanent funding in the
Great American Outdoors Act to plan for Montana’s future with
more certainty. Our lodging members rely on visitors to support
growing more jobs and when we invest in our public lands, we ensure a
better guest experience, unleashing more job opportunities with industry
growth. We appreciate Senator Daines’ leadership with the entire
Montana delegation to push this bipartisan legislation to the
forefront to finally become law.”—Karen Baker, Chair, MT
Lodging & Hospitality Assoc. & GM, Grouse Mountain Lodge in
Whitefish, MT
“The
Great American Outdoors Act will boost local economies, create jobs, and
ensure universal access to outdoor recreation. It will also ensure
there is clean drinking water, habitat protection, disaster risk
reduction, and carbon removal activities. Thank you Senator Daines for
leading on this important issue. We applaud the Senate for approving
consistent funding of conservation and public land infrastructure and hope it
continues moving through Congress.” – Fred
Humphries, Corporate Vice President of U.S. Government Affairs at
Microsoft
“Southwest
Montana is in great support of Senator Daines’s Conservation Bill
the “Great American Outdoors act. Both Yellowstone and
Glacier National Parks, our national treasurers, are in great need
of repairs and upgrades and ongoing plans to keep them
well-maintained. They are top outdoor attractions in the country and they
are great economic drivers for the whole state. The Land and
Water Conservation will big a big boost for outdoor recreational
enthusiasts everywhere as Montana is one of the top states for unspoiled
scenery and access. This bill will help enhance, preserve,
sustain, and allow spectacular enjoyment of the natural outdoors for
us now and for the generations of children yet to come.”
- Sarah Bannon, Southwest Montana Executive
Director.
"Today's U.S. Senate passage of
the Great American Outdoors Act can be celebrated by all those who
enjoy our public lands," said Alec Underwood,
Federal Conservation Campaigns Director with the Montana Wildlife
Federation. "Fully funding the Land and Water Conservation
Fund and investing in our public lands will benefit Montana's hunters
and anglers, and protect our fish, wildlife, and outdoor recreation
opportunities for future generations to come. We commend Senator
Daines on his commitment to passing this critical bipartisan
legislation."
“I applaud Senator Daines
and the rest of the Senate for passing the bipartisan Great American
Outdoors Act, which will address the National Park Service’s
nearly $12 billion deferred maintenance backlog and permanently fund the
Land and Water Conservation Fund – two ASCE
priorities,” said K.N. Gunalan “Guna”, Ph.D., PE, President,
American Society of Civil Engineers. “This legislative
victory is one step closer to raising the grade on our parks
infrastructure, which currently sits at a
D+, and will help get the economy moving and improve the quality of life
for all citizens.”
“On top of cuts to funding and staffing, our national parks are
dealing with a growing backlog of repair needs, totaling nearly $12
billion,” said Theresa Pierno, President and CEO of the
National Parks Conservation Association. “In Montana
alone, national parks are facing more than $187 million in needed repairs
to crumbling trails, roads and buildings from Yellowstone to Bighorn
Canyon National Recreation Area. Today, with Senator Daines’ help
to pass the Great American Outdoors Act, we are one step closer
to ensuring our parks can continue to provide safe and enjoyable
conditions for millions of visitors, support local communities and protect
the resources that help tell our nation’s
stories.”
“The Great American Outdoors
Act is the single greatest piece of conservation and outdoor
recreation legislation passed in decades,” said Jessica
Turner, executive director of Outdoor Recreation Roundtable.
“It is proof that the outdoors crosses party lines and resonates
with all Americans. We applaud Senate Republicans and Democrats —
particularly Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Steve
Daines (R-MT) and Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and the other Land and Water
Conservation Fund (LWCF) and Restore our Parks Act sponsors — for
working together tirelessly to get this done. The entire outdoor
recreation industry thanks every Senator who supported this bill and looks
forward to the House moving quickly to pass this measure so we can
finally fully fund LWCF and begin the much-needed work on rebuilding
infrastructure on our public lands and waters.”
“The Senate passage of the Great American
Outdoors Act is a major victory for the hiking community that will expand
access to the outdoors for all. With the pandemic shining a bright
light on the need for equitable access to natural spaces, securing LWCF
permanent funding and tackling a substantial portion of the public lands
maintenance backlog will greatly increase recreation opportunities on
public lands and in neighborhoods across the country, including those
that have historically lacked access. The House of Representatives
must quickly take up and pass this legislation and send it to the
President to be signed into law.” Kate Van Waes,
Executive Director, American Hiking Society
“Senator Daines’ diligence to preserve our
parks and public lands has paid off with Senate passage of the landmark
Great American Outdoors Act,” said Marcia Argust,
project director of The Pew Charitable Trusts’ Restore
America’s Parks campaign. “Our national parks and
public lands are economic engines for the communities that depend on the
billions of dollars that visitors spend each year in nearby cities and
towns across the nation, especially in
Montana.”
“Thanks to Senator Daines’
leadership as a member of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus, the
Great American Outdoors Act will provide additional public hunting,
fishing and recreational shooting access and opportunity for generations
to come. The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation salutes
Senator Daines for his unwavering commitment to advancing this
milestone legislation for the benefit of land, water, people, fish and
wildlife habitat and our nation’s robust outdoor recreation
economy.”—Jeff Crane, President Congressional Sportsmen
Foundation
"The Great
American Outdoors Act is a great victory for public lands and for our economy
here in the Rocky Mountain West," said Teresa Martinez,
Executive Director of the Continental Divide Trail Coalition.
"Full funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund is vital to our
efforts to complete the Continental Divide Trail, and will bring
investment and new recreation opportunities to communities of all sizes.
The restoration fund will address critical maintenance needs on our
trails and forests, and create much-needed jobs in rural areas. We are
grateful to Senator Daines for his leadership on this bipartisan effort,
and thrilled that we are one giant step closer to seeing that happen
with the Senate's passage of the Great American Outdoors Act."
“Conservation
isn’t just about acquiring land; it’s also about taking care of
the lands we already own. This bill will help do so by establishing an
innovative fund exclusively devoted to addressing the billions of
dollars of unmet maintenance needs in our national parks and other public
lands,” commented Brian Yablonski, PERC
CEO. “It’s an exciting day for those of us who have
worked for years to clean off the tarnish from our crown
jewels.”
“My outdoor recreational
business operates on the doorstep of Glacier National Park and we depend
heavily on it as well as Montana’s outdoor economy for our
livelihoods. The Great American Outdoors Act is a tremendous win and will
allow billions of dollars in funding for recreation, conservation and
National Park enhancements that would help sustain businesses like mine.
I thank Senator Daines for all his hard work to get this
done.”—Jeff Baldelli; Co-owner Glacier Raft
Company
I wanted to reach out to express the
gratitude of Business for Montana’s Outdoors, and the 225
businesses and 4500 jobs we represent - for all of the good work that
Senator Daines has done, and continues to do, to try and get the Great
American Outdoors Act across the finish line in Congress. At a time when
our outdoors have become a pivotal piece of how we will heal and regain
our economic strength in Montana, we are even more charged with
encouraging the support of good legislation like this, to ensure that our
outdoors, public lands, access, community parks and federal parks are
funded, and taken care of for future generations. BFMO will continue to
applaud and support the Senator’s good work with respect to
Montana’s public lands, and moving forward we are happy to be
considered for adding our voice and our name to the supportive statements
that show the wide spectrum of support for this work.”
- Marne Hayes, Business for Montana's
Outdoors
“Senate passage of the Great American
Outdoors Act (GAOA) is a remarkable achievement in advancing historic
bipartisan legislation for our national parks. The National Park
Foundation thanks Senator Daines for his longtime support of
Montana’s majestic national parks, and his leadership on behalf of our
special places as Chairman of the Senate Energy & Natural
Resources’ Subcommittee on National Parks. GAOA will ensure that
national parks receive the funding required to address deferred maintenance
needs, that parks remain accessible to all Americans, and continue to
serve as economic engines for local communities in Montana and across
the country.” -- Will Shafroth, President &
CEO, National Park Foundation
“At a time when Americans are more eager than ever to get
outside, overdue maintenance at our national campgrounds and parks
remains a threat to the entire RV and outdoor industry. The historic Great
American Outdoors Act will address years of deferred maintenance
backlog and create sustainable funding for our public lands and national
parks into the future. Thanks to Senator Daines’ leadership, our
cherished national lands will continue to serve as a place of relaxation
and refuge for generations of Montanans and visitors alike.”
- Russell Pierce, President MMH & RV Dealers
Association
"As a Montana-based
company with a mission to connect people to the outdoors and each other,
we at Kampgrounds of America, Inc. recognize the need for investment
in our public lands and waters and stand in support of the Great
American Outdoors Act. We applaud the efforts of Senator Daines and
Senator Tester in working to advance this landmark legislation which
will support the outdoor recreation economy and make the outdoors more
accessible," says Toby O'Rourke, president and CEO of
Kampgrounds of America, Inc. "Our campgrounds in Montana and
across the country serve millions of camping guests who embrace the
benefits of being outside. Further, we know from our research that
people are prioritizing the outdoors more than ever as the nation emerges
from months of stay at home orders, and we believe that outdoor
recreation can play a vital role in our nation’s recovery both from a
health and economic standpoint. Passage of the Great American Outdoors
Act will help enable that recovery through ensuring necessary
improvements are made to outdoor recreation infrastructure, vital jobs are
created and that America’s outdoor spaces can be enjoyed for years
to come."
“In
Montana, our parks and public lands are the heart of our communities.
The Senate passage of the Great American Outdoors Act gets us a step
closer to Congress keeping a promise to Montanans to invest in the
natural, cultural and recreational resources that anchor our communities.
We thank Sen. Daines for his work to get us to this point, and look
forward to getting the Great American Outdoors Act signed into law and
full, permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund over
the finish line.” – Scott Brennan, Montana
State Director at The Wilderness Society
“NRPA applauds the Senate for passing the Great
American Outdoors Act. The Land and Water Conservation Fund is a program
that is incredibly important for communities across America. This marks
a huge win for our more than 60,000 members and advocates, who work
tirelessly to serve the public with parks and trails in urban and rural
communities throughout the country. The Great American Outdoors Act
enjoys strong bipartisan support for providing critical resources to
local communities for conservation, parks and recreation. Now, we urge
the House to pass the Great American Outdoors Act and ensure that LWCF
becomes fully funded and therefore can effectively serve communities
through parks, outdoor recreation, conservation, and health and
wellness. It’s time for the House to finish the
job.”—Kristine Stratton, President and CEO of the National Recreation and
Park Association
“Montana's Outdoor Legacy Foundation strongly supports the passage of
the Great American Outdoors Act and appreciates the role that Senator
Daines has taken in building the bipartisan support needed to move this
iconic conservation legislation to the floor of the Senate for final
consideration. Public recreational access is a long-standing
priority of Montana's Outdoor Legacy Foundation and this single piece of
legislation represents the boldest step forward in decades towards
advancing opportunities for public access for hunting, angling and just
getting outdoors. While the conservation community has seen
numerous attempts to implement full and permanent funding of the Land and
Water Conservation Fund (a $900 million annual commitment), the Great
American Outdoors Act and the bipartisan coalition built by Montana's
own Senator Daines has now positioned this legislation for final
passage out of the Senate. In addition, the Great American Outdoors
Act recognizes the importance of maintaining recreation-based
infrastructure on federal lands by including a $9.5 billion commitment (over 5
years) to our Federal land management agencies to repair and restore
this crumbling infrastructure. Montana's Outdoor Legacy Foundation looks
forward to the next steps towards moving this legislation for final
signature.” - Mitch King, Montana Outdoor Legacy
Foundation
“We are
thankful for the leadership of Senator Daines to secure permanent,
dedicated funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund, and encourage
Congress to act. Its five decades of success and potential to make
additional lasting impact are why we wholeheartedly make this endorsement.
The Fund, and ultimately the ranching, conservation, recreation and
most importantly the vitality of our rural communities in all our
states, deserves the full support of all Americans.”
– Gary Burnett, Executive Director, Heart of the Rockies
Initiative
“On
behalf of the SWMMBA Board I want to extend our thanks to Senator Daines
for his championing of the Great American Outdoors Act by both
co-signing and working across the aisle to ensure it's swift passage through
the US Senate. As you and the Senator are aware, this act will do a
great deal to improve federal public lands access for our membership, as
well as all trails users who experience our federal public lands. The
Senator's hard work on this bill is very much appreciated. Thank you
Senator Daines, and thank you Dan for all the work getting us to this
point.” –Ian Jones,
SWMMBA
“Pairing Montanan’s love for public
lands with funding infrastructure is win-win. We are very pleased that
Sen. Daines was able to help push the Great American Outdoors Act
forward. Let’s Build Montana.” -David Smith,
Executive Director Montana Contractors Association
“Weyerhaeuser appreciates the leadership of
Senator Daines on the introduction and passage of the Great American
Outdoors Act. This act will provide vital long-term stability and
consistent funding for the Forest Legacy Program, which has been the key
federal program that allows private forest landowners to put important
working forests under conservation easements. This federal program
complements strong investment from states in forest conservation, and it
provides critical support for keeping working forests on a continuous
cycle of growing, harvesting and replanting. Senator Daines is a champion
of conservation, forests and forest products, and his leadership on
the Great American Outdoors Act will provide for sustainable
stewardship of forestland for the long-term benefit of the state and
country.”– Kristen Sawin,
Weyerhaeuser
We commend Sen. Daines for his role in
passing the Great American Outdoor Act in the Senate, which includes
full, permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund. This
achievement shows how much we can get done for public land protection in
Montana when our Congressional delegation is working together on
behalf of public land legislation that Montanans overwhelmingly support. We
look forward to more of these same achievements in the near
future.—Montana Wilderness Association, Ben
Gabriel
“Dear Senator Daines, As the
President CEO I am writing on behalf of Glacier Country Regional Tourism
Commission, to support you as a co-sponsor of the Great American
Outdoors Act (GAOA) (S.3422). We are the officially recognized destination
marketing organization for the eight Northwest Montana counties known
as Glacier Country. Our region is home to Glacier National Park,
National Bison Range, four national forests, five wilderness areas and
millions of acres of public lands that benefit the most intact ecosystem
in the lower 48 states and a vibrant travel economy that brings $1.2
billion nonresident and $351 million resident spending (new revenue) to
our 75 communities in-region each year - $3.7 billion nonresident and
$1.2 billion statewide. Outdoor recreation drives our industry with
Glacier and Yellowstone National Park visitation averaging well over 7
million visitors in the last two years. As great as our public lands
are, they have been overwhelmed with stalled efforts and too little
funding to create better access for people of all abilities, allow for
healthy stewardship and catch up on a mountain of maintenance backlog.
These investments are critical to reigniting local economies not only in
Montana but across the nation, creating jobs, helping small
businesses get back on their feet, and providing urgently needed stimulus to
the outdoor recreation and greater tourism industry that generates more
than 5.2 million American jobs and contributes $778 billion in
national economic output each year. Thank you. We support you and our Montana
delegation in passing the bipartisan Great American Outdoors
Act.”—Glacier Country Tourism, Racene
Friede
“Montana Trout Unlimited thanks
Senator Daines for his commitment to supporting Montana’s public
lands heritage and his tireless efforts to secure permeant, dedicated
funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund through the Great
American Outdoors Act. Today’s vote gets us one step closer to
closing the deal for our state’s coldwater fisheries and public
access. As the Senate takes up the legislation this week, we are also
excited to see progress on addressing decades of maintenance backlogs on
our public lands that benefit our wild and native fish and their
habitat.” - David Brooks, Executive Director, Montana
Trout Unlimited
“I am
very proud of the work Senator Daines has done on behalf of Montana
sportsmen and outdoor recreation… MOGA has supported this bi
partisan effort from the beginning. Thank you Senator Daines for your
leadership on this important effort and thank you for your insistence
that it be bipartisan.” – Mac Minard, Executive
Director, Montana Outfitters and Guides
Association
“The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is
proud to stand with Senator Daines as we recognize his leadership in
securing Senate approval of critical legislation benefitting the
multiple uses of our treasured public lands, securing public access and
improving infrastructure for outdoor recreation and habitat management.
This is a significant and tremendous step forward in benefitting
conservation work nationwide, but we’re not there yet. We strongly
encourage the House of Representatives to pass this bill and send it to
President Trump without delay,” said Kyle Weaver,
RMEF President and CEO.
Dear Senator Daines: Russell County Sportsmen’s
Association of Central Montana strongly supports the Great
American Outdoors Act and specifically FULL funding for the Land and
Water Conservation Fund. As you are aware, Montanan’s are only
second to Vermont in the amount of time we spend outdoors. All aspects of
S. 3422 will provide, into the future, the quality of outdoor
experience that our grandparents and explorers observed.
Dear Senator Daines: Thank you for the great work on
getting the LWCF permanently funded. Our community has benefited
from this fund and I know a great deal of smaller rural communities
could benefit as well from the opportunities afforded by this fund.
If you need any further help or information on this matter, I would be
honored to get involved. Thank you Senator and hope to see you on the
Mountain Front soon! - Chris Hindoien, Mayor of
Choteau
“The Great American Outdoors Act is smart conservation that is
long overdue. This bipartisan bill will make it easier for hunters and
anglers to access natural resources while also improving our trails
and recreation sites. It also makes lasting investments in our outdoor
recreation economy at a time when we need to get Americans back to
work. We want to thank all the co-sponsors for working across the aisle
and advancing this legislation.” - Whit Fosburgh,
president and CEO of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation
Partnership
“Sportsmen and women
have been leading voices in the effort to fully fund the Land and Water
Conservation Fund, as well as providing maintenance funding to
agencies that manage places critical to public access and fish and
wildlife. Our public lands and waters have traditionally been places of
refuge, of solace and of adventure. Never has this been truer than right
now, when we need to recenter and get our minds right. Now is the
moment to strategically invest in these places of refuge by funding
shovel-ready projects that sustain important habitat, increase public
access opportunities, and get people back to work. Backcountry Hunters
& Anglers thanks Sen. Daines for recognizing the importance of
these strategic investments and we look forward to seeing the Great
American Outdoors Act enacted into
law.” - Land Tawney, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers
president and CEO
"There's a
good reason the Land and Water Conservation Fund has enjoyed
bipartisan support since the 1960's: it's just good policy. For more than 55
years, LWCF has supported and funded the open spaces and public land
that we in Montana rely on for work, for play, and for our way of life.
Thank you to Senator Daines for helping to guarantee full and permanent
funding for this essential piece of legislation." -
Ben Horan, Executive Director of Mountain Bike
Missoula
“The City of Great Falls
appreciates Senator Daines’ support for the Land Water Conservation
Fund. For many years, the City has utilized the LWCF appropriations
to complete a wide variety of projects. These projects
help support and develop park land and recreational facilities for Great
Falls residents and visitors.”
– Greg Doyon, City Manager of Great Falls
"Over the years Billings has received almost $2
million to fund construction and repairs in our parks. The GAOA will
be a great help as we plan future projects and address a backlog of
maintenance needs. Parks and trails are critical to our Western quality
of life. They attract visitors and support our economy. Senator
Daines has fought long and hard to get this football over the goal
line, and we appreciate his efforts." – Bill Cole,
Mayor of Billings
“Senator Daines has my trust on any conservation plans. In the past, he has
always kept Montana and the public’s best interest in mind.
Whether it be using natural resources or saving access and land for
Montanans and their children to use responsibly- he always comes through.
He really cares and acts responsibly when it comes to
conservation.” – Brad Butler, Owner of Sweetwater
Trucking
“As one of the
country’s largest national parks concessionaires, employing more than
1,800 people each year at the national parks, Delaware North is
grateful for Senator Daines’ leadership in working to address the
longstanding parks maintenance backlog. America’s national parks are
treasures that should be protected, preserved and maintained, and this
bipartisan bill will help ensure they are for generations to
come.” - Scott Socha, President, Delaware North’s
parks and resorts division
