Outdoors Act will bring jobs, park repairs, more outdoor recreation to state

A stable and increased revenue stream not dependent on taxpayers will benefit outdoor recreation and land conservation in West Virginia and across the nation for generations to come through passage of the Great American Outdoors Act, according to Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va.

The legislation, which Manchin introduced in March, would also create a $9.5 billion fund to pay for backlogged repairs and upgrades to aging National Park Service infrastructure, including about $20 million worth of deferred maintenance work in New River Gorge National River.

Last week, following a presentation by Manchin on the Senate floor, the Senate voted 80-17 to end discussion and avoid possible amendments to the act. That action, Manchin said, makes a formal vote on the legislation possible later this week.

The Great American Outdoors Act would restore full funding to the Land and Water Conservation Fund, established in 1964 to benefit wildlife, outdoor recreation, land and water conservation, historic preservation projects and increase access to public lands across the nation.

The conservation fund is authorized to collect $900 million a year from a percentage of royalties paid on oil and gas leases in the Gulf of Mexico and disburse it to project sponsors across the nation. But the conservation fund has only been fully funded twice in its 55 years, with annual appropriations averaging well below half of the authorized amount. To date, more than $20 billion has been diverted from the fund and spent elsewhere.

West Virginia has received more than $243 million in LWCF funds over the years, benefiting nearly 500 projects. Since 2010, West Virginia projects have received, on average, about $520,000 annually from the fund. That amount is expected to rise substantially with a fully funded conservation fund.

Money received through the fund has been “responsible for some of our most cherished outdoor spaces in West Virginia,” Manchin said.

Projects benefiting from the fund include Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge, the New River Gorge National River, Gauley River National Recreation Area, Cheat Canyon Wildlife Management Area, and the purchase of mineral rights beneath the Cranberry Wilderness in the Monongahela National Forest.

West Virginia state parks and forests have received more than $8 million over the years, while county and city parks across the state have been allocated more than $30 million.

Many of the conservation fund projects involve improving access to public lands and increasing opportunities for hunting and fishing, which Manchin described as “a part of our culture — a tradition we cherish and value. This bill will help us pass on that legacy for generations of West Virginians to come.”

The second component of the Great American Outdoors Act channels a percentage of royalties from energy leases, including solar and wind projects, on federal lands for five consecutive years to provide about $9.5 billion for deferred maintenance projects at national parks.

In West Virginia, the National Park Service manages the New River Gorge National River, Gauley River National Recreation Area, Bluestone National Scenic River, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, the headquarters building for the Appalachian Trail, and the Harpers Ferry Center, which produces interpretive exhibits for NPS units nationwide.

Deferred maintenance projects awaiting funding at New River Gorge National River include stabilization and restoration work on historic buildings at Thurmond; the Prince Brothers’ Store building in Prince; the historic Trump-Lilly Farmstead near Hinton; and fire grates and picnic shelters built by Civilian Conservation Corps members at the Grandview during the Great Depression.

Passage of the Great American Outdoors Act would create 120,000 to 140,000 jobs nationally, Manchin said, and draw more visitors to the state.

“Getting 80 votes in the Senate is incredible in this time of toxic partisan politics,” Manchin said. “But everyone should feel good about voting for this.”

The Senate bill has 59 co-sponsors — a majority for that chamber. An identical companion bill has been introduced in the House.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has said he will allow a vote on the legislation. President Donald Trump has stated that if the bill passes, he will sign it into law.

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