Senate Passes Padilla, Collins Bipartisan Outdoors for All Act to Fund Urban Parks
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) announced that the Senate passed his bipartisan Outdoors for All Act, legislation that would expand outdoor recreational opportunities in urban and low-income communities across the nation. The bill passed today as part of the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences (EXPLORE) Act, which previously passed the U.S. House of Representatives and now heads to President Biden’s desk to be signed into law.
The Outdoors for All Act codifies the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) program in federal law. ORLP improves and funds new trails, green spaces, playgrounds, and cultural gathering spaces in underserved communities. As our cities grow and the effects of climate change intensify, the Outdoors For All Act would promote equitable access to the benefits of local parks — from job creation, to shade and tree cover, to clean air.
Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) co-led the Outdoors for All Act in the Senate. Representatives Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-Calif.-44) and Mike Turner (R-Ohio-10) led companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.
“Everyone deserves access to the outdoors regardless of where they live. Having grown up in Los Angeles, I’ve seen firsthand how urban and low-income communities often lack access to adequate park space,” said Senator Padilla. “The Outdoors for All Act will invest in new parks and open spaces — and upgrade existing ones — to bring critical natural benefits like shade, tree cover, and cleaner air to urban neighborhoods.”
“Our state is fortunate to have abundant natural resources that allow Mainers and visitors to enjoy our pristine environment,” said Senator Collins. “However, many Americans, particularly those living in urban and low-income areas, lack access to outdoor green spaces that give them the ability to experience the beauty of nature close to home. The bipartisan Outdoors for All Act will invest in these communities to support parks, playgrounds, trails, and other projects to help ensure Americans have outdoor recreation opportunities.”
“I’m thrilled that the EXPLORE Act, which includes my Outdoors for All Act is on its way to the President’s desk,” said Representative Barragán. “I’ve worked hard the last five years to get this done. The Outdoors for All Act ensures that millions of Americans, particularly those in underserved communities and communities of color, will have improved access to green spaces. Growing up in the Harbor Gateway, I had to take a bus to travel to a park for baseball practice – a reality for too many low-income families nationwide. By passing Outdoors for All, we are making a lasting commitment to fund urban parks and bring the benefits of green space to communities that need them most.”
“The unanimous passage of the Outdoors for All Act in the Senate marks a historic milestone in expanding outdoor access for all Americans,” said Dr. Carrie Besnette Hauser, President and CEO of Trust for Public Land. “As one of Congress’ final acts of 2024, this bipartisan achievement underscores the vital role parks and green spaces play in uniting us. For the first time, this legislation ensures that tribal nations can directly access funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund, while also providing essential resources to underserved urban communities. With this measure now heading to the President’s desk, we are one step closer to making the benefits and joys of the outdoors a reality for every community — regardless of location or income. The Outdoors for All Act wouldn’t have been possible without the leadership of Senators Alex Padilla and Susan Collins and Representatives Nanette Barragán and Mike Turner. We applaud their bipartisan efforts to prioritize equitable park access, and we look forward to working with communities across the country to bring this transformative legislation to life.”
Congress established the ORLP program in 2014 to support urban parks in underserved communities across the country. It is administered by the National Park Service and funded through the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) as a nationally competitive grant program to increase access to the outdoors for disadvantaged communities. While LWCF is a popular program with strong bipartisan support and mandatory funding, ORLP still remains a discretionary grant program, which jeopardizes funding for underserved communities who lack access to outdoor recreation. Donald Trump tried to eliminate the bipartisan program at the end of his first term, underscoring the need to protect this vital funding stream.
According to a report by the Trust for Public Land, in the 100 most populated cities, neighborhoods where most residents identify as Black, Latino, American Indian/Alaska Native, or Asian American and Pacific Islander have access to an average of 44 percent less park acreage than predominantly white neighborhoods. Similar park space inequities exist in low-income neighborhoods across cities, highlighting the urgent need to center equity and justice in park investment and planning.
The Outdoors for All Act has been endorsed by organizations including The Wilderness Society, KABOOM!, Sierra Club, Trust for Public Land, National Recreation and Park Association, City Parks Alliance, National Association of State Outdoor Recreation Liaison Officers (NASORLO), National Association of State Park Directors (NASPD), LWCF Coalition, Outdoor Industry Association, REI Co-op, Latino Outdoors, Kids Speak for Parks, Safe Routes Partnership, National League of Cities, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, American Heart Association, American Forrest, American Hiking Society, Outdoor Alliance for Kids (OAK), Vista Outdoor, PeopleForBikes, and Children and Nature Network.
The bill is cosponsored in the Senate by Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Angus King (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).
Full text of the Outdoors for All Act is available here.
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