The RV Industry Association (RVIA) applauds the new Executive Order that establishes the Make America Beautiful Again Commission, which is charged with preserving the nation’s natural beauty while also expanding outdoor recreation opportunities for future generations.
The commission will focus on:
- Promoting the responsible stewardship of natural resources while driving economic growth
- Expanding access to public lands and waters for recreation, hunting and fishing
- Encouraging responsible, community-driven conservation efforts
- Addressing delays that hinder effective environmental management
- Restoring America’s fish and wildlife populations through proactive, voluntary, on-the-ground collaborative conservation efforts.
In parallel, the Department of the Interior has launched a new Patriot Program, a three-year initiative dedicated to restoring and revitalizing America’s public lands in honor of the United States’ 250th birthday.
The Patriot Program will engage in a public-private partnership to invest $250 million in critical infrastructure, preservation and public access projects at iconic sites. Every federal dollar invested in the Patriot Program will be matched by 50% in private funding or in-kind contributions leveraging philanthropic support to amplify impacts, increase efficiency and maximize impact of taxpayer resources. The RV Industry Association has long promoted public-private partnerships as a way to address the need for campground modernization and expansion on federal lands.
The Patriot Program’s scope includes historic preservation, masonry repairs, wildland fuel reduction, trail maintenance and improved access to iconic sites. To do this, the program will also engage youth and young adults in meaningful projects, provide hands-on training in skilled trades, and foster pathways to sustainable career paths.
The RV Industry Association supports these two initiatives, which also align with the association’s advocacy efforts surrounding the America the Beautiful Act. The association has been advocating for the act’s swift passage, since the legislation would ensure that millions of RVers have safe and adequate access to the outdoors.
The America the Beautiful Act, which was introduced on May 1, would reauthorize the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund for another eight years and ensure funding for public land deferred maintenance. Among other initiatives, the act would increase funding from $1.9 billion to $2 billion per year; allow next year’s projects to move forward under a Continuing Resolution; and bolster the ability for public donations to the funds. If enacted, the America the Beautiful Act would provide critical support for public land agencies when they need it most. This bipartisan bill is a reminder of how the outdoors brings people together from both sides of the aisle.
The RV Industry Association said it looks forward to seeing the Patriot Program, the newly established executive commission and America the Beautiful Act working together to ensure RVers can continue to access revitalized outdoor spaces for generations to come.
