COMMENTARY: Congress and preserving Nevada’s public lands

Nevadans can have opportunities for outdoor relaxation and recreation only if we have the right policies and programs to protect and expand our access to the great outdoors. Now that the 116th Congress has been sworn in, our new elected leaders must tackle the many public lands challenges awaiting them.

It’s been more than 100 days since the last Congress allowed what’s been hailed as America’s best parks program to expire in September. This is a profound mistake that must be urgently corrected. Since 1965, the Land and Water Conservation Fund has helped provide funding for local parks, recreation areas, playgrounds, sports fields and pools through its matching grant program for states. The program is funded through fees from offshore oil and gas leasing to ensure that taxpayers carry no burden. Every day this program remains defunct, the American people lose $2.45 million in funding for our parks. We’ve now lost more than $240 million for our parks and trails.

Sen. Jacky Rosen and Reps. Susie Lee and Steven Horsford should stand together with Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto and Rep. Dina Titus in securing full, permanent authorization and funding for this program. If the fund dies, our state will lose out on millions of dollars — such as $100 million Nevada has already received — and Nevada families will be deprived of important recreation spaces. The time to act is now.

One of the greatest success stories of the past few years has been the boom in our outdoor recreation industry. Last year, the Bureau of Economic Analysis released data showing that outdoor recreation accounted for 2.2 percent of GDP in 2016. The BEA found that, while the overall U.S. economy grew 1.6 percent in 2016, the outdoor recreation economy grew faster, at a rate of 1.7 percent. A 2018 Outdoor Industry Association study also found that the outdoor recreation industry in Nevada generates $12.6 billion in consumer spending and $4 billion in tax revenue, while employing 87,000 people. This sustainable industry represents an opportunity to strengthen and diversify Nevada’s economy.

Yet Nevada lacks the structures to ensure this economy’s success. We are one of the few states in the West without an Office of Outdoor Recreation, and we’re already losing ground to states such as Colorado. We could be doing much more to strategically draw more visitors, investors and job creators to our state. Gov. Stevev Sisolak and the Legislature have the opportunity to study what others have done and improve upon it, highlighting the Silver State as an outdoor destination gem while strengthening our economy.

All of Nevada’s elected leaders, from the governor to legislators to our congressional delegation, must support our great outdoors and oppose any measure that threatens to debilitate this important economic and recreational sector.

Mauricia M.M. Baca is executive director of Get Outdoors Nevada.