Ian Brickey (202) 675-6270 or ian.brickey@sierraclub.org
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, the Sierra Club welcomed the National Park Service’s announcement of nearly $17 million in grants to support urban parks and green space projects across the country as part of the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership program. The awards will support 19 projects across 13 states, including the construction of new parks, the rehabilitation of riverfronts, and the construction of downtown greenways and multi-use trails.
Created in 2014, ORLP supports urban parks and green space projects in historically marginalized communities. The Biden White House announced it would raise the funding for the program to $150 million earlier this year as part of their America the Beautiful initiative to protect 30% of lands and waters in the US by 2030.
In response, Jackie Ostfeld, Sierra Club’s Outdoors for All campaign director, released the following statement:
“The ORLP program is critical to promoting equitable access to the outdoors. The parks and greenspace projects supported by this program ensure the communities that have been robbed of access to the outdoors are able to experience the benefits of nature that boosts our health and heals our spirits. In making these investments, we can take important steps towards building an outdoors — and a liveable planet — for all.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.5 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.