Outdoor Industry Association' (OIA) today thanked President Obama for his continued focus on recreation and conservation funding and key youth initiatives; and a new commitment to helping U.S. companies sell their goods in markets overseas. All three areas received significant increases in the president's FY2011 budget released today.

The president's budget reflects the importance of properly funding the management of our nation's wildlands and revitalizing our close-to-home recreation infrastructure.  Here are some highlights:

  • The budget recommends $50 million for the Land and Water Conservation Fund State Assistance program.  The program received $40 million in FY2010.
  • $384 million would be set aside for federal land acquisition under the federal LWCF program. Overall LWCF would receive an increase of $100 million for parks, refuges, public lands and to promote outdoor recreation.
  • A responsible approach to wildfire that increases Wildland Fire Management by $78 million and contemplates additional tiers of funding to address particularly severe fires.
  • The Department of Interior (DOI) budget calls for $171.3 for Climate Change Adaptation, including research on the effects of climate change on wildlife, a $35.4 million increase over FY2010.
  • The DOI budget recommends $71.4 million for protection and management of Treasured Landscapes, new funding for ecosystem-level restoration in seven regions including the Everglades, Great Lakes and the California Bay-Delta.
  • DOI recommends $45.4 million to “engage, employ and educate the next generation of conservation leaders” a $5.8 million increase for youth programs at the National Park Service and $2 million for similar programs at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

President Obama also pledged during the State of Union to help companies located in the U.S. increase their exports to overseas markets, thereby generating economic activity and jobs in the U.S.  His budget recommendations set aside the dollars to back up that pledge.

  • $534 million, a 20 percent increase, to the International Trade Administration (ITA). As part of the Administration's National Export Initiative, a broader federal strategy to increase American exports, ITA will strengthen its efforts to promote exports from small businesses, help enforce free trade agreements with other nations, fight to eliminate barriers to sales of U.S. products, and improve the competitiveness of U.S. firms.
  •  Provide the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) full access to its fee collections, including additional resources provided through a 15 percent fee increase on patent services, to strengthen USPTO's efforts to improve the speed and quality of patent examinations.
  • Increase the annual number of Small and Medium-size Enterprises (SMEs) the Commercial Service successfully assists in exporting to a second or additional country by 40 percent from 2009 to 2011.
  • Raise the number of firms adopting sustainable manufacturing processes through the Manufacturing Extension Partnership by 250 by the end of 2011.

“The president's budget recognizes outdoor recreation as a major economic driver in America.  A commitment to invest in America's recreation infrastructure will create sustainable jobs in local communities.  OIA is also pleased to see a focus on ensuring that American companies have fair access to foreign markets.  We believe our innovative products can compete anywhere and will enable more people to get outside and recreate,” said Frank Hugelmeyer, president and CEO of OIA.