Sierra Club Celebrates Four-Year Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The bipartisan Great American Outdoors Act passed in 2020 to great effect over the four years since, supporting thousands of jobs, contributing an average of $1.9 billion to the economy, and funding 326 infrastructure projects across the U.S. and its territories. The law permanently funded the Land and Water Conservation Fund at $900 million annually, funding projects and offsetting the cost of the maintenance backlog in parks and other public lands.

These projects have led to more accessible, welcoming, and safer public lands for visitors as well as staff and volunteers. There are an additional 83 proposed projects for 2025 funded through nearly $3 billion in investments from the Great American Outdoors Act.

In response, Sierra Club Outdoors for All Campaign Director Jackie Ostfeld issued the following statement: 

“Passage of the Great American Outdoors Act was a milestone for our national parks and public lands. After decades of broken promises, the passage of this bill showed that conservation and outdoors accessibility can be a bipartisan priority, with both sides of the aisle coming together to invest desperately needed funds into the protection and maintenance of America’s national treasures.  Working across party lines, we can solve multiple crises at the same time, mitigating the impacts of the climate crisis and working to close the nature equity gap, with these investments, and ensuring that our public lands remain protected for generations to come, to experience, and to enjoy.

"Let’s make sure we don’t stop here, and ensure the Senate passes a bipartisan, inclusive, and effective outdoor recreation package to build off the progress gained by the Great American Outdoors Act.”