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The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) applauds the bipartisan passage of the reconciled Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) authorization for the 118th Congress and issued a letter to Senator Thomas Carper, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works; Senator Shelley Moore Capito, Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works; Representative Sam Graves, Chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure; and Representative Rick Larsen, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

In the letter, NMMA and a coalition of outdoor recreation organizations congratulated the lawmakers for their leadership to advance WRDA. The bill strengthens the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (Corps) role in managing public lands and waters by enhancing public access and improving recreational facilities. Notably, Sections 1153 and 1154 of the bill pave the way for important improvements to recreation infrastructure by expanding joint management agreements and allowing fee retention to maintain and modernize sites like boat ramps, campgrounds, and other public access facilities.

Outdoor recreation is a vital economic driver in the United States, contributing 2.3% of the national GDP and generating $1.2 trillion in gross economic output in 2023. Activities like boating, fishing, and camping account for over 30% of this output, supporting over 5 million American jobs.

NMMA commends the bipartisan efforts of Congress to prioritize recreation in this year’s WRDA and encourages further investment in infrastructure to meet the surging demand. The recreational boating industry looks forward to continuing its work with lawmakers to advance policies that protect public access, improve and expand recreation infrastructure, drive sustainability and innovation progress, and keep U.S. marine manufacturing globally competitive.

Read the full text of the letter here.