The Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR) commended measures included in the federal Build Back Better plan released Oct. 28.
The federal plan aims to address climate change, infrastructure, childcare costs, health care and other social issues. ORR President Jessica Wahl Turner said the plan offers historic investment levels for fighting climate change, aiding the $788 billion outdoor recreation economy and protect public lands and waters that the outdoor recreation industry relies on.
“Funding climate resilient outdoor infrastructure strengthens communities and provides Americans with more opportunities to get outside and reap all the benefits of spending time in nature,” Turner said.
The roundtable also supported the creation of the Civilian Climate Corps. The Corps would be staffed by 300,000 individuals, mainly young adults, to complete conservation and recreation projects across the U.S.
The framework plan includes other programs ORR applauded which will support the needs of recreation access and infrastructure being impacted by climate change.
Those programs, and intended funding, include $1.25 billion to carry out projects for the protection and resiliency of public lands and resources, $750 million to carry out ecosystem and habitat restoration projects on public lands and waters, $500 million for wildfire management, $1.25 billion for the Forest Legacy Program, and $6 billion for restoring habitat and bolstering coastal resistance.
