Today, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee began its mark-up of a major outdoor recreation legislative package, which includes the Outdoors for All Act. If passed, the Outdoors for All Act would permanently authorize the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) program, which is the only program administered by the Department of the Interior to promote the development of equity-focused parks and green space projects in urban communities. The committee is expected to send the bill to the full House in the coming days.
The annual National Park Week returns from April 16–24. The event celebrates national parks and historical sites and encourages everyone to get outdoors and explore the history, culture, and landscapes of these lands and waters. Many national parks are increasingly threatened by the effects of climate change, including the shrinking of glaciers and snowpacks, warming temperatures that displace native wildlife, and increases in the populations of invasive species. These trends demonstrate why we must protect more lands and waters to address the climate crisis and increase access to the outdoors.
Today, the Biden Administration announced the America the Beautiful Challenge, a $1 billion initiative to accelerate land, water, and wildlife conservation efforts across the United States. The initiative will be based on a public-private partnership to be administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, supported by an initial commitment of $440 million of federal funding.
With its scientifically proven benefits to physical and mental health, one solution to the national youth mental health crisis is to encourage youth access to nature and the outdoors. Multiple studies demonstrate nature can help relieve depression and anxiety in youth, and even help heal their traumas, with positive effects on physical and mental health, boosting concentration, improving social skills and even helping kids perform better in school.
Today, President Joe Biden signed the FY2022 omnibus spending package into law. The bill provides much-needed funding increases for vital government agencies and essential services, reversing years of cuts under the previous administration. The package also features important funding for the outdoors and nature access, including support for programs to protect community forests; develop parks and save green spaces in urban neighborhoods; and eliminate barriers preventing children, youth, and families from accessing public lands and waters.
The Outdoors Alliance for Kids (OAK) sent two letters to Capitol Hill on Monday calling for members of Congress to pass the Environmental Justice for All Act and a proposed outdoor recreation legislative package being considered by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
Nearly 30 outdoor recreation groups, youth advocacy organizations, and businesses sent a letter to Capitol Hill urging members of Congress to pass an FY22 budget that includes ambitious funding to expand access to the outdoors for all.
Today, the Outdoors Alliance for Kids called on Congress to maintain full funding for critical outdoors programs in the final version of the federal reconciliation bill. The package drafted by the House of Representatives includes nearly $35 billion in funding for federal programs to support community tree planting, urban parks development, nearby nature access, and youth access to the outdoors and nature. While these programs are popular and necessary for taking on the climate crisis, their full funding is being threatened by potential cuts to the $3.5 trillion package.
Reports emerged this month that Congress was considering massive cuts to the proposed Civilian Climate Corps in the Build Back Better Act to meet the fiscal demands of moderate Democrats. Such a move would severely limit the impact of the modern CCC, leaving many vulnerable communities at risk to the increasing threats of climate change. The modern CCC is consistently one of the most popular proposals in the reconciliation bill, with a majority of Americans — including a majority of Republicans — in favor of the program.
President Biden’s Build Back Better Act is a once-in-a-generation investment in the effort to tackle the climate crisis.
One of the important but lesser known aspects of the package put together by House Democrats is the nearly $3.5 billion in funding to support urban and community forestry and green space development across the country, which are essential efforts for protecting our most vulnerable communities from the worst consequences of the climate crisis.
The federal reconciliation bill drafted by House Democrats is shaping up to be one of the largest investments in outdoor accessibility and equity in a generation.