Great American Outdoors Act
The Payette National Forest began implementing projects with funding awarded by the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) in 2021. The Great American Outdoors Act provides funding that will enable federal land managers to take aggressive steps to address deferred maintenance and other infrastructure projects on national forests and grasslands through 2025.
Signed into law in August 2020, the GAOA provides permanent full funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and establishes the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund (LRF) to address the deferred maintenance backlog for 5 federal agencies.
The funding authorized by the GAOA will serve as a catalyst for rural economic development and employment opportunities through investments in land, water and infrastructure. These investments will promote public-private partnerships, tourism and recreation; protect public lands; and keep private forests working. For more information on the GAOA, visit the national webpage here. Proposed projects are selected based on seven criteria:
- Reducing deferred maintenance
- Promoting management of America’s forests
- Improving visitor experience
- Contributing to rural economic development
- Improving visitor access
- Ensuring health and safety
- Leveraging partner contributions and resources
This interactive map shows all projects nationally, and provides project details and status.
On the Payette National Forest, the following projects were selected for GAOA funding for FY21-FY25:
- Burgdorf Guard Station Deferred Maintenance
- Council and Weiser Bridge Repairs
- French Creek and Bear Pete Ridge Reroutes
- Huckleberry Campground Water System Replacement
- Jenkins Crossing (Trail Bridge) Replacement
- Krassel Developed and Dispersed Site Deferred Maintenance Project
- Last Chance and Hazard Lake Campground Deferred Maintenance
- Little Weiser Trail Rehabilitation
- South Fork Salmon River Trail #076/077 Deferred Maintenance Project
- Payette Bridge Repairs (road bridges)
- East Fork Trail Complex Deferred Maintenance Project
- South Fork Salmon River Road Pavement Rehabilitation
- West Zone Campground Reconstruction
- Idaho Airstrip Maintenance – Boise, Payette, and Salmon-Challis National Forest
- Paddy Flat Guard Station Deferred Maintenance
- Council Mountain Trail Reroute
- Forest Housing Deferred Maintenance for Year-round Use
- McCall Area Housing Barracks Replacement