Bergman Supports Outdoor Public Lands Legislation, President Trump to Sign and What it Means for the U.P.

The Great American Outdoors Act can be a wonderful thing for Delta, Dickinson and Marquette Counties that have access to thousands of acres of natural land. I wonder if we get these counties to coordinate if we will be able to hedge our tourism abilities and dollars to put together future advertising that encourages investment in the tourism industry and visitors. Each seems to have some of the benefits and together they offer a little of everything a person would want. Just thinking out loud. I guess that is what the Pure Michigan Campaign focuses on....which we will likely need to refund and refund big if we want to return to growth status! That matched with a better investment portfolio of the area and attracting industries that can grow within the local environment could be helpful. 

The press release....

Bergman Supports Historic Outdoor Public Lands Legislation, President Trump Set to Sign into Law

Washington - Yesterday, Rep. Jack Bergman voted in favor of the Great American Outdoors Act. This legislation fully funds the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), addresses the nearly $20 billion maintenance backlog in our national parks and other land management agencies, and provides more opportunities for hunters and anglers across the country.

"The First District of Michigan has four National Parks, three National Forests, five National Wildlife Refuges and more freshwater shoreline than any Congressional District in the United States. We also have the most avid hunters, anglers, and outdoor enthusiasts in the country, and we know firsthand the importance of our public land. Conserving our natural resources and protecting our way of life is not a partisan issue - I was proud to support this once in a generation legislation, and look forward to President Trump signing this into law," said Rep. Bergman.

The Great American Outdoors Act is widely supported across the First District by sportsmen and sportsmen groups, outdoor recreation businesses, forest owners, and the timber and logging industries. In March, President Trump called on Congress to "stop kicking the can down the road, fix the aging infrastructure at our national parks and permanently fund conservation projects through the Land and Water Conservation Fund."

This historic legislation:

• Provides $9.5 billion over 5 years to restore the infrastructure on our federal public lands and waters;
• Allocates $3 billion for hunting, fishing, and recreational shooting activities on public lands and waters within the U.S. Forest Service, the National Wildlife Refuge System, and the Bureau of Land Management;
• Permanently funds the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF); and
• Sets aside $15 million of LWCF funds annually for increasing opportunities for hunters, anglers, recreational shooters, and others.

In 2019, Rep. Bergman voted in favor of the Natural Resources Management Act, which was signed in to law by President Trump, to permanently authorize the LWCF and increase recreation opportunities on our public lands.

The National Park Service has over $49 million in deferred maintenance in the First District alone.

Learn more about the impact the National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service have on Michigan’s economy:

NPS: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/socialscience/vse.htm

USFS: https://www.fs.fed.us/emc/economics/at-a-glance/jobs-income.shtml