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Slugman
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PostWed Jul 22, 2020 4:19 pm 
the House, and earlier the Senate, both by veto-proof majorities. I don’t know if the White House supports it, but it doesn’t matter. https://www.wta.org/news/signpost/great-american-outdoors-act I was happy to see some bipartisan support in WA. In Colorado, every GOP Rep voted no, which surprised me a little.

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RodF
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PostWed Jul 22, 2020 5:33 pm 
Slugman wrote:
I don’t know if the White House supports it, but it doesn’t matter.
Yes, Trump tweeted his endorsement. Ivanka is scheduled to visit RMNP tomorrow, and can be expected to make a point of that.

"of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt" - John Muir "the wild is not the opposite of cultivated. It is the opposite of the captivated” - Vandana Shiva
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Slugman
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PostWed Jul 22, 2020 5:34 pm 
Cool, I hoped he did but hadn’t heard either way.

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Ski
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PostWed Jul 22, 2020 5:46 pm 
well... at least it's not bad news....
WTA's website wrote:
$1.9 billion funding (annually for the next five years) for priority deferred-maintenance projects on federal lands.
$1.9 billion X 5 = 9.5 billion Currently the National Park Service deferred maintenance backlog is $11.9 BILLION (with a "B") dollars still leaves $2.4 billion dollars worth of needed repairs and maintenance UNDONE, one of many reasons why Olympic National Park is planning demolition and removal of some area Ranger Stations.

"I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk upon the beach. I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each."
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Roy Jensen
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PostWed Jul 22, 2020 7:03 pm 
Wonder how much money of that will trickle down to the local National Forests where major funding for recreation is needed?

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jinx'sboy
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PostWed Jul 22, 2020 8:06 pm 
Full text here - its a pretty short bill! https://www.congress.gov/116/bills/hr7092/BILLS-116hr7092ih.xml A couple items; 1) The money is NOT subject to annual appropriations, so it is there for 5 years. 2) Looks like breakdown of funds is 70% to NPS, 15% to FS and 5% each to BLM, USFWS and BIA. For USFS that would be $285 M/yr. Who knows what sort of National ‘holdbacks‘ or pet projects might already be spoken for. Traditionally, OR and WA - Region 6 - might see something like 10-15% +/- of that total (my guess based on past legislation like this). That would be $30-35 Million or so. Spread across 20 National Forests. Minus any Regional ‘holds’., regional pet projects, etc Not insignificant....but there are so many ‘needs’; trails, campgrounds, visitor centers, ranger stations, roads, etc, etc

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PostTue Aug 04, 2020 8:17 pm 
President Trump signed The Great American Outdoors Act today. Interior Department declared tomorrow a fee free day at National Parks in celebration.

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altasnob
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PostTue Aug 04, 2020 9:15 pm 
The Trust For Public Land has an interactive map that shows projects that could now receive funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund https://web.tplgis.org/lwcfproposedprojects/

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Roy Jensen
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PostWed Aug 05, 2020 7:02 pm 
Not much for hiking trails in National Forest!

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altasnob
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PostThu Aug 06, 2020 9:11 am 
The recently passed Great American Outdoors Act contains funding provisions for both the Land and Water Conservation Fund (potential projects described by above map) and the Restore Our Parks Act, which addresses the backlog on funding infrastructure throughout the national park system. So I don't think you will see the money used for new trails on national forests. Per wiki, the Land and Water Conservation Fund provides funds and matching grants to federal, state and local governments for the acquisition of land and water, and easements on land and water, for the benefit of all Americans. So the funding is more about acquiring and protecting lands than building new trails. However, for instance, I saw one project that the Land and Water Conservation Fund could fund is the acquisition of a 14,000 acre block of land, costing $10.6 million, 14 miles south of Missoula that would be included in the Lolo National Forest. The land is former timber land "prized for its habitat, historic values and promise of public access" (per the article I read). So while the money would not be used for trail maintenance in this project, it could lead to additional trails in the future. I also read that to honor the Great American Outdoors Act, entrance fees to all national parks will be waived every Aug. 4.

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RodF
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PostThu Aug 06, 2020 4:26 pm 
jinx'sboy wrote:
Full text here - its a pretty short bill! https://www.congress.gov/116/bills/hr7092/BILLS-116hr7092ih.xml
H.R. 7092 is not the bill passed into law, although it is one of 18 bills related to it. H.R. 1957 is the Great American Outdoors Act passed into law. Its final text should be published within a day or two. Some funds might go to USFS trails. The Secretaries of Interior and Agriculture must send their lists of "priority deferred maintenance projects" for FY2021 to Congress within 90 days, and then each year thereafter. We'll have to wait and see if any trail projects make the list each year. CBO estimates it'll take the agencies about 3 or 4 years to get projects "shovel ready" (planning, environmental reviews, contracting or hiring, etc.) and anticipates most will be in FY2024-29.

"of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt" - John Muir "the wild is not the opposite of cultivated. It is the opposite of the captivated” - Vandana Shiva
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altasnob
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PostThu Aug 06, 2020 5:53 pm 
Thanks for the clarification. The enrolled bill is publicly available right now and has the financial breakdown among the federal agencies who will receive funds: National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund ‘‘(3) CREDITS TO FUND.—The income on investments of the Fund under this subsection shall be credited to, and form a part of, the Fund. ‘‘(e) USE OF FUNDS.— ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Amounts deposited in the Fund for each fiscal year shall be used for priority deferred maintenance projects in the System, in the National Wildlife Refuge System, on public land administered by the Bureau of Land Management, for the Bureau of Indian Education schools, and in the National Forest System, as follows: ‘‘(A) 70 percent of the amounts deposited in the Fund for each fiscal year shall be allocated to the Service. ‘‘(B) 15 percent of the amounts deposited in the Fund for each fiscal year shall be allocated to the Forest Service. ‘‘(C) 5 percent of the amounts deposited in the Fund for each fiscal year shall be allocated to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. ‘‘(D) 5 percent of the amounts deposited in the Fund for each fiscal year shall be allocated to the Bureau of Land Management. ‘‘(E) 5 percent of the amounts deposited in the Fund for each fiscal year shall be allocated to the Bureau of Indian Education. I assume the 70 percent to the "Service" is to the National Park Service.

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altasnob
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PostFri Aug 07, 2020 9:58 pm 
An alternative perspective: We Don’t Need No Stinkin’ Oil Money to Fund Public Lands https://www.counterpunch.org/2020/07/24/we-dont-need-no-stinkin-oil-money-to-fund-public-lands/

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altasnob
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PostThu Aug 20, 2020 7:55 pm 
Good analysis of both the good and bad of the law. Thanks for sharing.

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