BURLINGTON, VT – Today, Senator Peter Welch (D-VT) joined U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, Rep. Becca Balint, and leaders of Vermont conservation and outdoor recreation organizations for a roundtable discussion on the conservation and climate initiatives within the Biden-Harris Administration’s historic Investing in America agenda that support Vermont’s outdoor recreation economy.  

“We’re blessed to call Vermont home and enjoy all that the Green Mountain State has to offer—and it’s up to us to make sure the next generation of Vermonters gets to enjoy it too,” said Sen. Welch. “It was a pleasure to join Congresswoman Balint in welcoming my former colleague, and now Interior Secretary Deb Haaland to Vermont, to discuss all of the wonderful work the Biden-Harris Administration is doing to protect our lands, invest in our outdoor economy, and ensure everyone can access and enjoy the great outdoors.”     

Senator Welch has been a longtime champion of the environment and legislative efforts to support and track the economic impact of the outdoor recreation economy. As a member of the House of Representatives, he passed the Outdoor Jobs and Economic Impact Act, which requires—for the first time—the Bureau of Economic Analysis to track the impact of the outdoor recreational economy. He has also championed bills to protect public lands, permanently fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund, and protect trails. 

Through the Investing in America agenda, the Biden-Harris Administration is dedicating $25 million for landscape conservation and climate resilience projects throughout the Northeast and Midwest. These efforts will help combat the impacts of climate change and invest in our land and waterways so future Vermonters can enjoy the beauty of the state for generations to come.  

Vermont has a thriving outdoor recreation economy, which is responsible for over 14,000 jobs and brings in millions into the state’s economy. The U.S. Department of the Interior, in collaboration with other federal and state agencies and organizations, supports Vermont’s outdoor environment and local economies by providing resources for resilience and restorations projects to the Land and Water Conservation Fund, the Champlain Valley Heritage Partnership Program, the Mississquoi National Wildlife Refuge, and the Silvio Conte Wildlife Refuge – Nulhegan Division.  

View photos from the event below:  

###