Outdoor Industry Association (OIA), representing the interests of over 4,000 businesses and the $18 billon outdoor industry, supports the introduction of the Americans Outdoors Act which will establish a trust fund providing $1.425 billion in annual funding to encourage physical activity and recreation. The goal of the bipartisan Act is to get more Americans outdoors by providing access to parks and recreation areas in urban and rural communities, promote healthy lifestyles and provide other outdoor opportunities such as fishing and wildlife viewing for all Americans.
At a time when obesity is rapidly overtaking cigarette smoking as the leading cause of preventable deaths in the U.S., the outdoor business community is eager to support policymakers, such as Alexander and Landrieu, and their efforts to increase the investment in parks, trails and lands for Americans to play and pursue healthy, active lifestyles.
“Research has shown that accessibility to trails and recreation opportunities are directly related to increased physical activity and thus healthier Americans,” said Frank Hugelmeyer, president of Outdoor Industry Association. “We stand united to endorse the power and promise of this major legislative vehicle to reduce obesity and promote health and wellness through increased access to quality parks and recreation.”
The Americans Outdoors Act funds programs that are critical to the Outdoor Industry such as the Stateside Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and the Urban Park and Recreation Recovery Program (UPARR). Since its enactment in 1964, LWCF has been a critical tool in the protection of land and open space, and the development of more than 40,000 state and local athletic fields, hiking and biking trails, campgrounds and swimming facilities as well as hunting and angling areas. UPARR matches local dollars for projects that enhance recreation opportunities in urban communities.
“As the Americans Outdoors Act moves through the legislative process, we urge the Senate to also re-new its commitment to the federal portion of the LWCF,” said Hugelmeyer. “Federal LWCF has played a major role in establishing national parks, protecting important recreation destinations and providing wildlife habitat. We believe there continues to be an important role for federal LWCF, and look forward to working with Congress to add this important program back into the bill.”
