MT. BAKER-SNOQUALMIE NATIONAL FOREST, Wash. — Backdropped Monday morning by one of Washington's most popular trails, Deputy Agriculture Secretary Jewel Bronaugh unveiled $503 million in new funding for outdoor recreation infrastructure as part of the Great American Outdoors Act.
Speaking at the Franklin Falls Trailhead in Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest before embarking on a hike to the waterfall, one of the most heavily trafficked trails in the state, Bronaugh announced the creation of the Legacy Restoration Fund, a federal pot of money intended to clear the backlog of deferred maintenance projects on U.S. public lands. The fund will receive an injection of $285 million for 450 projects in 38 states and Puerto Rico.
"This administration is a champion for outdoor recreation and public access," Bronaugh said at the trailhead, which attracts 1,500 daily visitors on summer weekends. As a result of the new funding, the trailhead parking lot will expand by 100 spaces. "Outdoor recreation is such a critical part of our economy, especially our rural economy," she said.
