The 'Great American Outdoors Act' Signed Into Law

By signing this new law into effect, President Trump seems ot have departed from his administration's previous actions on public lands.

2 minute read

August 5, 2020, 8:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Hiking Trail

RonGreer.Com / Shutterstock

"After spending his presidency denying climate change, placing coal and oil industry officials in top environmental jobs, and weakening dozens of public health and wildlife rules, President Donald Trump on Tuesday reversed course and signed a historic law to pump billions of dollars into long-neglected repairs and upgrades at America’s national parks," reports Paul Rogers.

"The measure, known as the 'Great American Outdoors Act,' is the most significant new federal conservation law in 40 years, since President Jimmy Carter doubled the size of the national park system by establishing 157 million acres of new parks, wildlife refuges, scenic rivers and other wilderness areas in Alaska during his final weeks in office in 1980."

The two major changes included in the Great American Outdoors Act include $9.5 billion in funding to be spent over the next five years to repair roads, restrooms, trails, and campgrounds at America’s 419 national parks, as well as guaranteeing $900 million a year to the Land and Water Conservation Fund in perpetuity.

Justin Wingerter provides additional news coverage of the law, covering the story with the additional angle of the benefits the act delivers to the state of Colorado. 

"The Senate version of the bill was sponsored by Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Yuma, and co-sponsored by Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Denver. It was Gardner who convinced a reluctant Trump in March to back the bill, clearing it for passage through Congress," according to Wingerter.

Up until signing the new law, President Trump had championed several efforts to decrease the size and weaken protections of public lands.

An article by Carl Segerstrom responds with a skepticism earned by the Trump administration's track record, arguing that the Great American Outdoors Act's victory for conservation comes at the expense of the climate:

To pay the bill’s hefty price tag, Congress is tapping revenue from the fossil fuel industry. Though the new law has been cheered by conservation groups, it fails to address either the modern crisis of climate change or the impacts of the West’s growing recreation and tourism economy on wildlife. In this way, the Outdoors Act exposes the gaps between conservation and climate activism, while providing a grim reminder of the complicated entanglements of energy, economics, climate — and now, a pandemic.

Tuesday, August 4, 2020 in The Mercury News

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

June 11, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Rendering of Shirley Chisholm Village four-story housing development with person biking in front.

San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning

SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.

June 8, 2025 - Fast Company

Yellow single-seat Japanese electric vehicle drivign down road.

The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs

The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.

June 6, 2025 - PC Magazine

White Waymo autonomous car driving fast down city street with blurred background at night.

Seattle's Plan for Adopting Driverless Cars

Equity, safety, accessibility and affordability are front of mind as the city prepares for robotaxis and other autonomous vehicles.

2 hours ago - Smart Cities Dive

Two small wooden one-story homes in Florida with floodwaters at their doors.

As Trump Phases Out FEMA, Is It Time to Flee the Floodplains?

With less federal funding available for disaster relief efforts, the need to relocate at-risk communities is more urgent than ever.

4 hours ago - Governing

People riding bicycles on separated bike trail.

With Protected Lanes, 460% More People Commute by Bike

For those needing more ammo, more data proving what we already knew is here.

6 hours ago - UNM News