Today, U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) will visit Northern Indiana to talk about the importance of the Great American Outdoors Act, which passed the Senate earlier this week.
“The outdoor recreation industry generates $15.7 billion in spending by consumers in Indiana and supports 143,000 jobs, especially in Elkhart County – the RV Capital of the World. The Great American Outdoors Act will enable long-delayed park maintenance to move forward, which will help create jobs, support our RV manufacturers, and improve our parks,” said Senator Young.
In Indiana alone, deferred National Park Service maintenance costs totaled $34.2 million in 2018, including needed maintenance and infrastructure repairs at Indiana Dunes National Park, the George Rogers Clark National Historical Park in Vincennes, and the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial in Spencer County. The Great American Outdoors Act will enable these repairs to move forward. It also includes funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund, protecting treasures such as the Hoosier National Forest, Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge, and Indiana Dunes National Park.
Indiana supporters of the Great American Outdoors Act include local businesses, the Indiana Manufactured Housing Association-Recreation Vehicle Indiana Council, Indiana Dunes Tourism, Indiana Forest Alliance, Indiana Parks Alliance, and the Indiana Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects. Additional supporters include the RV Industry Association, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, The Pew Charitable Trusts, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, and more.
