Great American Outdoors Act

The Great American Outdoors Act is the largest federal conservation program created in the past 50 years. The law directs $2.8 billion in revenues annually from energy development on non-park, non-wilderness public lands and waters into national parks, wildlife refuges, and other public lands to fund conservation and repairs for visitor centers, trails, campgrounds, and other facilities.

We’re proud to say the program is funded almost exclusively from revenues generated by federal oil and natural gas production. According to data from the Office of Natural Resources Revenue, 95% of the energy revenue available in 2023 for conservation under the law was generated from oil and natural gas development.

Western Energy Alliance supports the Great American Outdoors Act. We worked to get it passed in 2020 and support re-authorization by Congress before it expires later this year because the law provides an appropriate balance between responsible energy development on working landscapes while preserving our nation’s treasured public spaces. And we care how the government uses the billions of dollars oil and natural gas companies generate annually.

Learn more about the ways oil and natural gas development helps protect our country’s incredible landscapes by signing up for email updates.