Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) commended Governor Jay Inslee for his recent executive order creating a blue-ribbon task force to support outdoor recreation in Washington state.
“Inslee’s task force is a step forward for outdoor recreation in Washington, demonstrating the state’s commitment to supporting and expanding the recreation and tourism industries,” OIA said in a statement.
Inslee, a Democrat who resigned from Congress to run for Governor, announced the initiative last week with the Big Tent Outdoor Coalition, which includes Kent-based REI and other organizations representing the outdoor recreation community.
“Outdoor recreation is an untapped economic opportunity that can benefit every state in the nation,” said Kirk Bailey, OIA's VP of government affairs. “We are pleased that the governor is continuing to invest in Washington’s future. This task force will develop recommendations to strengthen and grow outdoor recreation and tourism, as well as examine opportunities in funding sources for recreation lands. OIA will be excited to see their report due out in the fall of 2014.”
The nation’s network of public lands and waters are the very foundation of the $646 billion outdoor recreation industry. In Washington, outdoor recreation generates $22.5 billion in spending, 227,000 jobs and produces $1.6 billion in state and local tax revenue.
