Merkley Stresses The Importance Of Maintaining Roads To Public Lands

Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley said he’s reaching across the aisle to push funding for transportation projects that improve access to public lands.  It’s called the Federal Lands Access Program, FLAP, and it’s set to expire later this year.  Merkley wants to extend the program for five years, because he says the money benefits local communities.

"They want to maintain those roads for the local population because people love to hunt and they love to fish, and they love to hike and they love to gather mushrooms," Merkley said.  "But it’s also important for those who might be coming through the town as part of the tourist economy."

FLAP funds improvements to routes that provide access to, or are inside or adjacent to federal lands.

"Repairing a bridge to gain access to public lands, improving a road that’s completely rutted and impassable now, and so forth," Merkley added.

Merkley is working with Montana Republican Senator Tim Sheehy on the reauthorization act.

Click Here to learn more about FLAP. 

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