Senate Passes Bill to Permanently Fund LWCF Programs at $900 Million Annually

The Senate has passed the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA), which provides permanent, mandatory funding for programs funded through the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). The measure also creates the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund, which addresses maintenance backlogs on federal lands.

This Issue Brief discusses these proposed changes to the LWCF, primarily as they relate to the state assistance formula program. Table 1 at the end of the brief estimates fiscal year (FY) 2021 formula allocations under the bill.

Update: This bill was signed by the president and became Public Law 116-152.