National funding proposed for outdoor recreation projects

The MIC has announced that the Departments of Agriculture and the Interior have proposed $2.8 billion in funding for fiscal year 2024, authorized by the Great American Outdoors Act, to improve infrastructure, recreation facilities, federal lands access, and land and water conservation.

For next year, the Interior department has proposed 56 Legacy Restoration Fund projects, and the USDA Forest Service has identified 83 deferred maintenance bundled projects aimed at improving recreation facilities, buildings, water and utility infrastructure, and overall enhancements to roads, trails, bridges and parking areas.

The budget allocates $900 million for Land and Water Conservation Fund projects and programs managed by Interior and the Forest Service. This includes $430 million for federal land acquisition programs and projects, and $470 million for state and local grants.

“For OHV enthusiasts, this would mean that we will see improvements to many of the trails and riding and driving areas we love to enjoy,” says Mario Mairena, senior manager of federal affairs at the MIC Government Relations Office. “There is a lot of overdue maintenance at numerous OHV sites, and with improvements we’d see better access to a lot of them. It would be good news for powersports people across the country.”