Deb Haaland Secretary at U.S. Department of Interior | Official website
WASHINGTON — The Departments of the Interior and Agriculture have announced a proposed investment of $2.8 billion for fiscal year 2025 through the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) to protect and sustain public lands and Bureau of Indian Education (BIE)-funded schools. Projects are planned across all 50 U.S. states, Washington D.C., and multiple U.S. territories.
In August 2020, GAOA established the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund (LRF), authorizing up to $1.9 billion per year from fiscal year 2021 through 2025. GAOA LRF funding addresses overdue maintenance needs for facilities and infrastructure in national parks, forests, wildlife refuges, recreation areas, and BIE-funded schools. GAOA also provides permanent funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) at $900 million annually to secure public access, improve recreation opportunities on public lands, protect watersheds and wildlife, and preserve ecosystem benefits for local communities.
Investments from GAOA align with President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to strengthen infrastructure and prepare it for future needs. These investments support equitable access to outdoor spaces and meet commitments outlined in the America the Beautiful initiative, which aims to restore and conserve at least 30 percent of U.S. lands and waters by 2030.
“Addressing the long-delayed maintenance needs of the nation’s aging infrastructure allows safe and equitable access to our outdoor spaces, creates new jobs, and preserves our natural heritage,” said Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland. “Working together with state, local, and Tribal governments, we are committed to ensuring that every child, family, and community has access to nature and its benefits.”
“The Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) has enabled the Forest Service to begin addressing our $8.6 billion deferred maintenance backlog,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “These investments in Forest Service infrastructure demonstrate the agency’s commitment to caring for the land and serving people.”
For fiscal year 2025, the Department of the Interior has proposed 83 GAOA LRF projects while the Department of Agriculture has proposed 89 bundled GAOA LRF projects across all states, Washington D.C., and four U.S. territories to improve recreation facilities, water infrastructure, BIE-funded schools, historic structures, among others. This marks the first time that Interior will invest in all states within a single funding year.
These projects will support over 20,000 jobs and contribute more than $2.5 billion to the economy as they span urban, suburban, rural areas across U.S. territories.
GAOA LRF serves as a crucial funding source for major investments typically out of reach with annual funding. However, GAOA’s LRF funding sunsets after fiscal year 2025 unless reauthorized by Congress.
The fiscal year 2025 budget allocates $900 million for LWCF projects managed by Interior's Departments along with USDA Forest Service programs: $437 million for federal land acquisition programs/projects; $455 million for state/local grants; $8 million for a first-ever Tribal LWCF program.
Interior will allocate $681.9 million towards mandatory funded LWCF programs including $313 million for land acquisition projects aimed at protecting at-risk resources like critical habitats/migration corridors while increasing outdoor recreation access.
An additional $360.8 million will support locally driven conservation/outdoor recreation efforts through National Park Service formula grants/Outdoor Recreation Legacy Program (ORLP) grants aimed at creating new outdoor spaces/reinvigorating existing parks in disadvantaged communities.
In FY2025 USDA Forest Service proposes $94.2 million towards Forest Legacy Program projects alongside another $124 million towards Land Acquisition Program projects addressing recreation access/other needs advancing President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative ensuring overall benefits flow towards marginalized communities overburdened by pollution.
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