House Scheduled to Vote on Bipartisan Public-Lands Bill This Week
Eric Tegethoff, Producer
Tuesday, July 21, 2020
BOISE, Idaho -- The House is expected to take up a milestone public lands bill this week. The Great American Outdoors Act passed the Senate with bipartisan support in June and would provide $9.5 billion over the next five years to address a backlog of maintenance costs on public lands.
Jonathan Oppenheimer, external relations director with Idaho Conservation League, said those funds will improve access to places such as national parks and forests.
"There are trails that are falling into disrepair," Oppenheimer said. "There are facilities and roads that also have been forced to close as a result of the lack of regular maintenance."
The measure also would fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund, a program that improves public lands access and invests in building parks and other recreational facilities. Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson is a co-sponsor of the bill and has been one of its lead champions.
Oppenheimer said national forests in Idaho's panhandle have suffered from a lack of maintenance funding and have some of the biggest backlogs in the country. He said this bill will go a long way toward improving these places for Idahoans.
"Whether you hunt or fish or hike or ride on our public lands, the bill will help maintain access to the special places that Idahoans love," he said. "And I really think that the strong bipartisan support for this legislation speaks volumes for how Americans care about their public lands."
Members of the House are expected to vote on the Great American Outdoors Act on Wednesday. President Donald Trump has promised to sign the bill if it passes Congress.
get more stories like this via email
Social Issues
Pennsylvania is among the states where massive protests and tent encampments opposing the war in Gaza are growing. Elez Beresin-Scher, a sociology …
Health and Wellness
Studies show suicide is a serious public health problem, claiming more than 48,000 lives each year in the nation. A new initiative from the Zero …
Social Issues
By Kate Mothes for Arts Midwest.Broadcast version by Mike Moen for Wisconsin News Connection reporting for the Arts Midwest-Public News Service Collab…
Health and Wellness
As Children's Mental Health Awareness Week kicks off in Arkansas, an expert said parents can help their children have a healthy brain to thrive…
Health and Wellness
Toughing it out during spring allergy season is not in your best interest if you want to avoid asthma later in life. New Mexico has plenty of grass …
Social Issues
Michigan legislators are tackling predatory lending practices, aiming to set standards for payday loans and maximum interest rates. In Kent County …