SANTA FE, N.M. (Jul. 22, 2020) – Today, the House passed the Great American Outdoors Act with a strong bipartisan majority, sending it to the President’s desk. The Great American Outdoors Act, which passed the Senate last month, will guarantee full funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), a victory for public lands decades in the making. The bill will also fund long-deferred maintenance of our nation’s national forests, trails, and other public lands, putting people to work at a critical time for our economy.
“LWCF is one of the most important tools we have for completing the Continental Divide Trail, and has helped protect public lands and waters in all 50 states,” said Teresa Martinez, Executive Director of the Continental Divide Trail Coalition. “Passage of the Great American Outdoors Act means that Congress is finally fulfilling a promise first made more than 50 years ago to fully fund this vital program, which means more places to play, more protection for parks and trails, and more investment in communities big and small.”
New Mexicans have long called for the need for full, dedicated funding for LWCF and for a solution to a growing backlog of maintenance in national parks and forests. For the last two years, small business owners from across the state have written to New Mexico’s Congressional delegation urging the passage of dedicated funding for LWCF, and in 2019, a survey of small business owners found that 98% of them supported full, dedicated funding of LWCF. In March, after years of proposing drastic cuts to LWCF, President Trump made an apparent about-face and joined these calls of support. He is expected to sign the Great American Outdoors Act into law. All of New Mexico’s delegation in Congress have long supported the Great American Outdoors Act and full funding of LWCF, and all voted to pass the bill.
“New Mexico is represented by true public lands champions in Congress,” said Martinez. “We are grateful for the ongoing support of Representative Torres Small, Representative Haaland, and Representative Luján, particularly for their support of the Great American Outdoors Act. When this bill is signed into law, it will be a historic day for our nation’s public lands, trails, and parks – and New Mexico’s Representatives and Senators have been at the forefront of making that happen.”
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About the Continental Divide Trail
The CDT is one of the world’s premiere long-distance trails, stretching 3,100 miles from Mexico to Canada along the Continental Divide. Designated by Congress in 1978, the CDT is the highest, most challenging and most remote of the 11 National Scenic Trails. It provides recreational opportunities ranging from hiking to horseback riding to hunting for thousands of visitors each year. While 95% of the CDT is located on public land, approximately 150 miles are still in need of protection.
About the Continental Divide Trail Coalition
The CDTC was founded in 2012 by volunteers and recreationists hoping to provide a unified voice for the Trail. Working hand-in-hand with the U.S. Forest Service and other federal land management agencies, the CDTC is a non-profit partner supporting stewardship of the CDT. The mission of the CDTC is to complete, promote and protect the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail, a world-class national resource. For more information, please visit continentaldividetrail.org.
