Alliance of Outdoors Groups, Businesses Call on Congress to Expand Nature Access

A group of more than 20 outdoors advocacy organizations, youth and family interest groups, and businesses are urging members of Congress to pass critical legislation to expand access to the outdoors.

The Outdoors Alliance for Kids (OAK) sent two letters to Capitol Hill on Monday calling for members of Congress to pass the Environmental Justice for All Act and a proposed outdoor recreation legislative package being considered by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

"Our members and supporters recognize that in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for equitable access to the outdoors has never been more apparent," the group stated.

The group called for a significant outdoor recreation package to include the following four legislative pieces: 

• Outdoors for All Act to codify and guarantee funding for the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership.
• Parks, Jobs, and Equity Act to invest $500 million in local parks, trails, schoolyards and green spaces in under-resourced communities.
• Simplifying Outdoor Access for Recreation (SOAR) Act to make necessary updates to the recreational permitting systems of the federal land management agencies to enable more young people to experience the outdoors.
• Environmental Justice in Recreation Permitting (EJRP) Act to determine whether the recreational permitting systems of the federal land management agencies adequately serve environmental justice communities.

The House Committee on Natural Resources is considering the Environmental Justice for All Act at a hearing scheduled for February 15.

OAK is a national strategic partnership of more than 100 businesses and organizations that represents more than 60 million Americans. Its allied organizations share a common interest in connecting children, youth and families with the outdoors.