Omnibus Appropriations Bill Affirms Great American Outdoors Act Funding for Sportsmen’s Access

MISSOULA, Mont. – The Boone and Crockett Club today thanked members of Congress for negotiating a final spending bill for federal agencies that includes a commitment to funding recreational access projects. The bill affirms the intent of the Great American Outdoors Act that was signed into law in early August. The GAOA committed to provide full and permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and significant funding for deferred maintenance backlogs on federal lands. A portion of LWCF supports acquisitions or easements that help improve recreational access to federal public lands, a provision that was strongly supported by the Club and other sportsmen’s organizations. Although the amount of funding is now guaranteed, Congress is still required to provide specific funding direction through the appropriations process. The final omnibus appropriations bill will direct $20.5 million to the Bureau of Land Management, $17 million to the U.S. Forest Service, and $15.5 million to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to support sportsmen’s access projects.

“The Great American Outdoors Act was one of the most important conservation bills in our lifetime, and we appreciate Congress continuing its support for recreational access to federal public lands through the omnibus appropriations bill,” said Boone and Crockett Club president, Jim Arnold. “This has been a challenging year for all of us and hunting and other forms of outdoor recreation have helped so many Americans to cope with the coronavirus pandemic. Ensuring that the intent of the Great American Outdoors Act is fulfilled is a holiday package that we can all celebrate. We thank the leadership of the House, Senate, and the White House for working together to come to an agreement that will benefit our nation’s federal public lands for years to come.”