SCHUMER REVEALS: PRE-PANDEMIC OUTDOOR RECREATION INDUSTRY PUMPED OVER $21 BILLION INTO UPSTATE NY ECONOMY ANNUALLY; SCHUMER INTRODUCES RURAL OUTDOOR INVESTMENT ACT TO HELP UPSTATE NY KEY INDUSTRY REBUILD AND RECOVER; BILL WILL BOOST FUNDING, CREATE NEW JOBS, SUPPORT THE EXISTING +240,000 NY JOBS IN THE INDUSTRY, & REVITALIZE UPSTATE NEW YORK'S PICTURESQUE TOWNS

Statement

A longtime champion for the environment and outdoors, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer today introduced the Rural Outdoor Investment Act (ROI) to provide vital investment and support to boost outdoor recreation, revitalize Upstate New York's downtowns, accelerate economic recovery from the pandemic, create good-paying jobs, and bring prosperity to underserved rural areas that need the most help. Schumer explained that New York State's outdoor recreation industry generates over $21 billion in added economic activity, $15.9 billion in wages and salaries, and in 2020 alone created and supported over 241,000 direct jobs. Schumer said that the recent resurgence and demand for outdoor recreation creates a unique opportunity for the federal government to support the transformation of local economies in Upstate New York to make communities more sustainable in the future.

"From the trails of the Adirondack Mountains to waters of the Finger Lakes, outdoor recreation is the lifeblood of so many of Upstate New York's communities, especially our rural areas. Since the start of the pandemic, people's passion for the outdoors has only grown, but investment for this vital economic engine has remained trapped inside," said Senator Schumer. "That is why I was proud to introduce the Rural Outdoor Investment Act, to hike up federal resources for communities across New York, boosting tourism, supporting small businesses, and strengthening our outdoor recreation economies. This bill will jump-start economic recovery from the pandemic for some of our most underserved areas, create good-paying jobs, and give a breath of fresh air to our main streets across New York."

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