The Great Outdoors: Protecting New Hampshire’s Public Lands
Today, the United States Senate passed the Great American Outdoors Act to help protect and preserve federal lands across the country. Senator Hassan has championed this legislation, which will protect the special places that drive New Hampshire’s economy and enhance the quality of our lives.
New Hampshire’s natural beauty is part of what defines us as a place and as a people.
We’re home to many beautiful federal lands, including the White Mountain National Forest — where people from all over flock each fall to watch as the leaves turn shades of yellow and red — and the Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge — where black bears, moose, and more than 200 species of birds reside.
These places evoke special memories for many Granite Staters. They’re reminders of summers hiking with friends, leaf peeping in the fall with family, and skiing down New Hampshire’s slopes on snowy winter days. And they remind us too of nature’s power — and its fragility.
Beloved natural sites like these are also major economic drivers of our communities. New Hampshire’s outdoor industry brings in almost $9 billion annually to our state and supports the livelihoods of almost 80,000 Granite Staters.
These places are critical to Granite Staters’ ways of life. That’s why I cosponsored the bipartisan Great American Outdoors Act, which my colleagues and I passed today in the Senate. This critical legislation will help in two big ways:
1. It will address the maintenance backlog on federal lands in New Hampshire, such as White Mountain National Forest, which currently is struggling with about $34 million in deferred maintenance needs that are critical to helping maintain and improve forest infrastructure.
2. It will provide permanent funding to the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which has long helped protect New Hampshire’s most treasured places.
This legislation comes at a critical time. As the COVID-19 pandemic has struck our economy, investing in these vital projects will help create jobs. And as we continue to practice social distancing, providing Americans with a place to go outside and enjoy nature is more important than ever.
Over 850 conservation groups have called for this legislation. And today, I was proud to pass this bipartisan bill to preserve our precious natural resources, support Granite Staters, maintain our public lands, and continue bringing joy and prosperity to our region.