The Southwest Montana Mountain Bike Association (SWMMBA) supports the Great American Outdoors Act (S.3422), championed by both Senator Steve Daines and Senator Jon Tester of Montana.

The Great American Outdoors Act establishes the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund to support deferred maintenance projects on federal lands. The act directs the investment of 50% of all federal revenues from the development of oil, gas, coal, or alternative or renewable energy on federal lands and waters into the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund. The fund must be used for priority deferred maintenance projects in specified systems that are administered by the National Park Service, Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Bureau of Indian Education. Additionally, this act makes the Land and Water Conservation Fund permanent.

This is a huge step in the right direction toward funding deferred maintenance of trails that mountain bikers use and will benefit all public-lands users.

SWMMBA wants to thank our Senators for Montana in working together to forward bipartisan land-management legislation that directly improves one of Montana’s largest industries, outdoor recreation. Outdoor recreation directly generates over $7 billion for the state economy and supports over 71,000 jobs.

Our Federal Lands are some of the most prized in the nation, bringing mountain bikers who aim to ride Copper City Trails (Bureau of Land Management), the Bangtail Divide (US National Forest), and the Lionhead Trails in the Henry’s Lake Mountains (US National Forest).

The results of Senator Daines’s and Senator Tester’s hard work on this bill will directly result in the improvement of mountain-biking opportunities and resolution of the maintenance backlog on the lands managed by these agencies.

On behalf of the SWMMBA Board and Membership, thank you Senator Daines and thank you Senator Tester. This legislation is incredibly impactful, and will enable future generations of Montanans to enjoy our federal public lands as we do today.