We’ve spent so much time covering the impending passage and signing of the Great American Outdoors Act, and gnashing our teeth and wringing our hands over every other bit of news in 2020, that yesterday, when President Trump signed GAOA into law, it almost seemed ho-hum. The big work was getting the legislation through the Senate, and once that was accomplished last month, it was inevitable it would become law.
The National Park Service, however, did not let the day go by without some serious celebration. As it should; part of GAOA is an injection of billions of dollars to pay for desperately need maintenance in the national parks. To celebrate, NPS is not charging admission into the nation’s parks today, August 5.
But more importantly, they’ve announced that going forward, August 4 will be a NPS holiday every year, with free entrance to parks.
“President Trump has just enacted the most consequential dedicated funding for national parks, wildlife refuges, public recreation facilities and American Indian school infrastructure in U.S. history,” said Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt. “I’ve designated August 4th as Great American Outdoors Day and waived entrance fees to celebrate the passage of this historic conservation law.”
The passage of this law comes at an interesting time for the Trump Administration and its stance toward conservation.
Backcountry skiers and climbers groups are preparing to sue the White House over a gutting of the National Environmental Policy Act, a bit of law that requires federal decision making to be transparent when it comes to approving projects with the potential for environmental harm. The Trump Administration has also gutted the Waters of the United States rule, which protects small streams and the headwaters of big watersheds from pollution.
The passage of the GAOA, however, was bipartisan, with wide support among a politically divided public, and among some republican legislators fighting difficult reelection battles in purple states, showing that while the White House clearly favors business over conservation interests, they also realize how popular legislation is that keeps the nation’s park systems fully functional.
Further, Donald Trump Jr. has recently taken to social media to push his father to block the Pebble Mine, an extremely controversial plan to mine precious metals near Alaska’s pristine Bristol Bay, the world’s biggest salmon fishery. Trump Jr., a dedicated hunter and angler, has said it isn’t worth the risk of damaging such a special place for wildlife. “The headwaters of Bristol Bay and the surrounding fishery are too unique and fragile to take any chances with,” he said in a Tweet.
In the midst of uncertainty surrounding how the White House will act regarding conservation, the passage of the GAOA is a big, and, frankly, surprising win for conservation groups, though some still question the logic of relying on funding from fossil fuel royalties to fund part of the legislation.
Regardless, the NPS is clearly proud of this historic achievement, and now, you can enjoy another day of free admission.
Photo: Everett McIntire
This is all good news! It’s proof that somehow bipartisanship is still possible, and it took the outdoors, something we all love, to show that. At a time when hate and intolerance for each other on both sides of the aisle are “on 11”, I’m celebrating this victory.
And since I don’t like crowds I doubt I’ll ever make use of the free parks day, I have an annual pass anyway. But if it gets folks into the parks who might not have the money and gives them exposure to the beauty and majesty, then I think it’ll pay itself back.
Protect our outdoors with a Great American Voting Day
Not to be the Debbie Downer here, but this is a Cheap & Minimum effort, plus Distraction, by probably THE WORST non-environmental president in over 100 yrs. He thinks-hope, idiots will remember this come November… I’ll take the win, but meanwhile millions of acres of Public Land are being ruined by his Other Policies…
Does this bill contain a bunch of perks for the extraction industries (mining, grazing, oil, etc.) or deregulate, even more, our public lands management to suit the Republican agenda. I know the “right” wants to privatize public lands and National Parks as much as possible. Just curious.
Once the Democrats get back in they will hopefully be able to undo all of Trump’s environmental mess. Acadia NP campgrounds in Maine are closed because of Covid.
So let me see if I have this straight… Pres. Trump pretty much gutted all EPA laws and protections for the past 3+ years and now he’s basically reinstating them 3 months before the presidential election?
No – Not re-instating any of the Environmental regs he’s gutted for the last 3+ yrs. – but is trying to put a spit shine on 1 thing – to show off come Oct. / Nov. The suspended regs are still gone and the rapists are running to steal what they can, as fast as they can. He still Spit on the Land and the People…
Remember – Remember, Come the 3rd. of November (paraphrase Guy Fawkes Day rhyme) – Don’t Get Fooled Again… (quote – The WHO…)
It should really be mentioned that this isn’t some shining light of bipartisanship, but merely a callous recognition that Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Steve Daines (R-MT) are facing super stiff re-election campaigns in blue-trending states that both support public lands. Its a callous attempt by Trump to keep a Senate majority and nothing more. Glad it went through though as its a long time coming.