U.S. House should approve massive lands bill | Guest Opinion
Congressman Dan Newhouse and his colleagues have the chance to bring critical conservation issues across the finish line this week by passing the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA), just as the U.S. Senate did on June 17 in a 73-25 vote.
The Great American Outdoors Act combines provisions from the Restore Our Parks and Public Lands Act, as well as legislation to permanently fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF).
The bill would use energy revenue from federal lands to help address the National Parks Service deferred maintenance backlog, and it would provide funding to LWCF. Action to protect our national parks has been long overdue, but it’s nevertheless encouraging to now see Republicans and Democrats join forces to address an issue that the vast majority of Americans care deeply about.
Widespread concern for our public lands is not surprising considering nearly 9 million people visited national parks in Washington state in 2019.
From the Manhattan Project National Historical Park in Hanford to the North Cascades National Park in Central Washington, and the other 13 park units throughout the state, Washington saw $535.3 million spent in gateway communities. That spending supported 6,150 jobs and provided a cumulative benefit of $709.8 million to the state economy — money that helps businesses, schools and families.
Americans across generations and political ideology have been inspired by the vast natural beauty and historical significance our parks and public lands have to offer. But unfortunately, they are currently at risk because of the $427.6 million deferred maintenance backlog here in Washington state and $12 billion nationally.
Deteriorating roads, trails, campgrounds, buildings and facilities seriously threaten countless national parks and the opportunity for millions of Americans to experience our great traditions and icons.
As for the other component of the GAOA, established in 1964, LWCF works by investing royalties from offshore oil and gas leases and then distributes the funds to stakeholders to preserve and protect our national parks, forests, and recreation areas. Congress is responsible for appropriating the funds, but in the program’s history, lawmakers have only appropriated full funding once.
Republicans and Democrats have grappled for years over how much funding should be allocated to LWCF, but thankfully, this partisan posturing may soon be a thing of the past.
As is the case with national parks, the LWCF is an incredibly popular program, and providing it with sufficient funding should be something Congress, however polarized, can agree on.
This change in tone is part of a larger phenomenon of Republicans taking the lead on environmental issues thanks to a growing base of conservative environmentalists nationwide.
Even just a few years ago, a Republican who suggested addressing deferred maintenance or fully funding LWCF would have been out of step with the party. Today, however, Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and President Trump support GAOA and dozens of other important environmental policies. It is increasingly the case that both parties want to promote conservation.
The GAOA has far-reaching support from such diverse groups such as mine, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, Problem Solvers Caucus and others because it offers a common-sense, effective solution to a problem that most Americans want resolved.
By relying on energy royalties for funding, Americans can have their parks restored without being subject to a tax increase. Bipartisan cooperation seems increasingly rare in Congress, but with a solution as solid as this one, Republicans and Democrats can finally come together and restore our parks.
With the GAOA vote on Wednesday, it’s imperative that tremendous environmental allies like Rep. Newhouse, R-Wash., who have been at the forefront of protecting our national parks, vote YES.
As one of the lone bright spots to an already tough year, the passage of this legislation would cement a legacy of pro-American and pro-environment legacy for the entire Washington state delegation.
Benji Backer is the President and Founder of the American Conservation Coalition, the nation’s largest market-based environmental organization. He is a recent graduate from the University of Washington.
This story was originally published July 20, 2020 at 5:00 PM with the headline "U.S. House should approve massive lands bill | Guest Opinion."