Commentary: The Nuestra Tierra Conservation Project applauds the passing of the Great American Outdoors Act in the U.S. Senate this morning by a vote of 73-25. This landmark conservation bill ensures the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) will be fully and permanently funded.
We, as a country, and as Latino and Hispanic communities, are facing a multitude of environmental and social crises. This bill not only addresses the protection of our natural spaces, but it helps expand access to parks and open space so that all communities have equitable access to outdoor recreation, which Nuestra Tierra has championed for years, including by helping draft and pass the New Mexico Outdoor Equity Fund. The LWCF program offers powerful tools in the fight against the climate crisis and this bill is an important step towards an inclusive plan that benefits urban and rural communities.
“LWCF helps build local neighborhood parks in addition to conserving landscape-scale public lands, it’s a unique tool that brings additional access for everyone to enjoy the outdoors. While the work is just beginning to address the inequities and injustices related to climate, conservation, and economic justice, fully funding a program that provides more people access to the outdoors is a step in the right direction, and will have a significant impact on Latino and Hispanic communities in New Mexico, ” said Angel Peña, president of the Nuestra Tierra Conservation Project.
The Great American Outdoors Act will also help in America’s economic recovery. The Act will provide massive economic benefits in the short and long term as it will put tens of thousands of people back to work while boosting outdoor recreation and tourism, strengthening New Mexico’s local economies when they need it most.
We urge the House to pass their mirror legislation, also introduced with bipartisan support, and ensure the Great American Outdoors Act gets to the President’s desk and be signed into law.