Congress passes major public lands bill.

WASHINGTON >> The nation’s conservation community achieved a longstanding goal Wednesday when the House passed and sent to President Donald Trump a measure that for the first time guarantees maximum annual funding for the premiere federal program to acquire and preserve land for public use.

Fueled by election-year politics, the legislation was easily approved on a bipartisan 310-107 vote. It would allocate $900 million each year to the Land and Water Conservation Fund while also providing up to $9.5 billion over five years to begin clearing up a mounting maintenance backlog at national parks.

Conservation leaders hailed the measure as a landmark achievement. They said it would protect and expand access to public lands at a time when Americans are gaining in appreciation for outdoor activities because of the pandemic, while providing tens of thousands of jobs in tourism-dependent communities that have seen their economies suffer because of reduced travel.

“Passing the Great American Outdoors Act is quite simply the most significant investment in conservation in decades,” said Collin O’Mara, president of the National Wildlife Federation. “It’s a huge win for wildlife, our national treasures, our economy and all Americans who enjoy our public lands for solace, recreation and exercise, especially amid this pandemic.”

Established in 1964, the fund is supposed to distribute revenues from oil and gas drilling royalties paid to the government for public land improvement as well as acquisition from willing sellers. But Congress has regularly siphoned money away from it. The fund was made permanent last year, but the legislation approved Wednesday was viewed as a critical final step to assure its full allotment of dollars.

“This commitment to conservation will pay economic, health and society dividends for generations to come,” said Jennifer Morris, chief executive of the Nature Conservancy.

Some House Republicans from the West fought the measure, portraying the legislation as a badly flawed federal land grab that could end up costing taxpayers money if energy production slowed by the pandemic does not produce the $900 million in annual funding that will be mandatory under the legislation.

But two Senate Republicans from the West facing tough re-election fights — Cory Gardner of Colorado and Steve Daines of Montana — seized on the measure as beneficial both for their states and for their election prospects, and provided strong momentum for the legislation.