Dec. 20—The U.S. Senate approved a bipartisan bill Friday co-sponsored by Sen. Susan Collins to fund parks and outdoor trails in urban and low-income areas.
The Outdoors for All Act, which passed unanimously, will help provide outdoor recreational opportunities for people in the country’s largest cities by funding the creation and expansion of existing parks, open spaces, trails and playgrounds. Those spaces, according to a release, also help provide shade, tree cover and cleaner air.
“Our state is fortunate to have abundant natural resources that allow Mainers and visitors to enjoy our pristine environment,” Collins said in a written statement. “However, many Americans, particularly those living in urban and low-income areas, lack access to outdoor green spaces that give them the ability to experience the beauty of nature close to home. The bipartisan Outdoors for All Act will invest in these communities to support parks, playgrounds, trails, and other projects to help ensure Americans have outdoor recreation opportunities.”
The act codifies the Outdoor Legacy Partnership, which was created in 2014 to support urban parks in underserved areas of the country, and was included in the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences, or EXPLORE Act, which has already been approved by the U.S. House of Representatives.
The bill, which for the first time allows tribal communities to access funding, now heads to President Joe Biden to be signed into law.
A 2021 report by the Trust for Public Lands found that neighborhoods where most residents identify as people of color in America’s 100 most populated cities have 44% less park acreage than predominantly white neighborhoods. Similar inequities exist in low-income neighborhoods.
The approval was applauded by Maine environmentalists.
“Access to the outdoors and parks connects people with nature, providing valuable social, emotional, and physical health benefits,” said Anya Fetcher, lobbyist for the Natural Resource Council of Maine. “This bill will expand access to outdoor spaces for a wide diversity of people who live in both rural and urban places while supporting our nation’s outdoor recreation economy.”
The funding is awarded through a competitive grant process administered by the National Park Service. It’s funded through the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
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