Helping 23 projects with funds from Great American Outdoors Act
Click here for a list of projects
May 17, 2023 - VALLEJO, Calif. - The USDA Forest Service announced $33 million in funding from the Great American Outdoors Act to help support 23 select projects across California in fiscal 
year 2023. The Great American Outdoors Act of 2021 established the Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund and represents the single largest investment in public lands in U.S. history, that will run for five years.
These projects support the recent announcement by the Departments of Agriculture and Interior proposing a combined $2.8 billion in funding for fiscal year 2024 to improve infrastructure, recreation facilities, access to public lands, and land and water conservation as the legislation enters its third year.
“These funds allow us to continue upgrades to trails and campgrounds, to provide enjoyment and increased access to many of the public’s favorite places.” said Jennifer Eberlien, Regional Forester for the Pacific Southwest Region. “At the same time, we acknowledge that there is much hard work ahead for us, work necessary to restore access in areas with damaged trails, roads, and bridges as a result of the heavy rain and snow that fell on our national forests in recent months.”
Adding to the current jobs, the Pacific Southwest Region has a total of 54 Legacy Restorations Fund projects in various stages of development. Since 2021, the Forest Service has completed more than 122 deferred maintenance projects across 53 national forests in 25 states with more than 880 additional projects currently funded and in various stages of completion.
One of the projects selected in California, the Southern Sierra Zone Recreation Facility Improvements, will upgrade the quality and diversity of sustainable recreation. Many recreation facilities on the Inyo, Sequoia and Stanislaus national forests have urgent health and safety maintenance needs. And the Highway 88 Trailhead Improvements and Trail Maintenance plan in the Eldorado National Forest will address capacity challenges at popular trailheads with trail maintenance and improvements to the parking area, signs and restrooms.
The Great American Outdoors Act addresses the growing $7 billion backlog of deferred maintenance on national forest and grasslands.
Source: USDA Forest Service
