Bill of the Day: Funding Virginia’s Great Outdoors
Updated on February 14th, 2024.
Sorrells Majesty, Mt. Pleasant National Scenic Area. Image credit: Nancy Sorrells
Why Invest in Virginia’s Great Outdoors?
Virginia’s parks and outdoor spaces provide vital spaces for the health, welfare, and enjoyment of the public. With 42 parks across the Commonwealth, Virginia continues to add new parks to keep pace with its population growth and the rising demand for outdoor recreation. In addition, Virginia parks are a popular tourist destination, making a significant contribution to the state’s economy and employing more than 109,000 Virginians. Parks also promote public health by providing access to outdoor recreational opportunities for all, such as hiking, camping, and more. Overall, support for Virginia’s parks is high as over 70% of Virginians support additional public spending to prevent the loss of our natural areas, open spaces, and outdoor programs.
Yet, Virginia lacks a dedicated source of funding to support its outdoor spaces. Funding for parks has not kept pace with the public demand, causing both staffing shortfalls and delayed maintenance. As a result, chronically underfunded programs are not able to maintain the necessary staff and infrastructure. This has hurt Virginia’s parks and diminished the visitor experience.
Several pieces of legislation proposed in the General Assembly can ensure that the outdoor experiences provided by parks and public lands are accessible and equitable for all Virginians. You can take a deeper dive into investing and strengthening park funding in Our Common Agenda. To learn more, read our “Investing in Conservation & Outdoor Recreation” and “Strengthening Park Funding” policy papers.
Bills to Support Conservation Funding in the General Assembly
Legislators have introduced several bills to support conservation funding. VCN has taken a position on many of these bills:
(Delegate Terry Kilgore) Allocates five percent from the Corporate Income Tax revenue towards the State Park Conservation Resources Fund, further closing the funding gap for Virginia’s park system. This includes providing free entry to Virginia state parks and supporting the conservation, development, and maintenance of our state parks. Companion to SB 451. (Subcommittee recommends laying on table).
(Delegate Paul Krizek) “Virginia’s Great Outdoors Act” calls for $200 million in dedicated, annual funding for Virginia’s state parks, public lands, trails, and outdoor grant programs. This funding will help maintain park infrastructure and prevent the loss of our natural areas, open spaces, and outdoor programs. (Left in Appropriations)
(Senator Dave Marsden) Allocates five percent from the Corporate Income Tax revenue towards the State Park Conservation Resources Fund, further closing the funding gap for Virginia’s state park system. This includes providing free entry to Virginia state parks and supporting the conservation, development, and maintenance of our state parks. Companion to HB 660. (Continued to 2025 in Finance & Appropriations).
Take Action
Unfortunately, all of our support conservation and outdoor funding bills have been defeated. We will continue to work with our Partners to support efforts to increase conservation and outdoor recreation funding for Virginia’s Great Outdoors.