1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Rural Outdoor Investment Act”.
Rural Outdoor Investment Act
A BILL
To amend the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 to provide grants for outdoor recreation projects to spur economic development, with a focus on rural communities, and to provide training for rural communities on funding opportunities for outdoor recreation, and for other purposes.
2. Outdoor recreation grants
Title II of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 is amended by inserting after section 207 (42 U.S.C. 3147) the following:
“208. Outdoor recreation grants
“(a) Definition of outdoor recreation—In this section, the term outdoor recreation means all recreational activities undertaken for pleasure that—
“(1) generally involve some level of intentional physical exertion; and
“(2) occur in nature-based environments outdoors.
“(b) Establishment—The Secretary shall make grants to eligible recipients for outdoor recreation projects to spur economic development, with a focus on rural communities.
“(c) Authorization of appropriations—There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026—
“(1) $30,000,000 for grants under section 201 for outdoor recreation projects to spur economic development, with a focus on rural communities;
“(2) $5,000,000 for grants under section 203 for outdoor recreation projects to spur economic development, with a focus on rural communities; and
“(3) $2,500,000 for grants under section 207 for outdoor recreation projects to spur economic development, with a focus on rural communities.”
3. Training for rural funding opportunities for outdoor recreation
Beginning not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development, in consultation with the Administrator of the Small Business Administration and the Secretary of Agriculture, shall develop a partnership agreement—
to provide for the development of—
basic training, including in-person or modular training sessions, for small business concerns (as defined in section 3 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632)) and rural communities relating to existing funding opportunities for outdoor recreation, including funding opportunities for—
business development;
community planning;
infrastructure investment;
community capacity building; and
marketing and communications;
informational materials relating to existing funding opportunities described in subparagraph (A); and
opportunities to coordinate among Federal departments and agencies to share the basic training and informational materials developed under subparagraphs (A) and (B) with those departments and agencies and relevant nongovernmental organizations;
to provide the basic training and informational materials developed under paragraph (1)—
through electronic formats, including internet-based webinars; and
at physical locations, including offices of the rural development mission area; and
to make the basic training and informational materials developed under paragraph (1) available to rural business development entities that partner with programs of the rural development mission area, including institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, business incubators, and business accelerators.
4. Recreation economy for rural communities
Definition of program— In this section, the term program means the Recreation Economy for Rural Communities planning assistance program sponsored by the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Under Secretary for Rural Development, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service.
Partnerships— To build on the program, the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Under Secretary for Rural Development, in partnership with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, shall develop partnerships to connect the program to—
the Economic Development Administration and the Small Business Administration; and
the basic training and informational materials described in section 3.
Grants— The Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Under Secretary for Rural Development, in partnership with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, shall carry out a competitive grant program to assist entities otherwise eligible to receive assistance under the program in carrying out an action plan developed under the program.
Consultation—
In general— On request of a regional commission described in paragraph (2), the entities carrying out the program shall consult with the requesting regional commission in carrying out the program.
Regional commissions described— A regional commission referred to in paragraph (1) is any of the following:
The Appalachian Regional Commission established by section 14301(a) of title 40, United States Code.
The Delta Regional Authority established under subtitle F of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2009aa et seq.).
The Denali Commission established under the Denali Commission Act of 1998 (42 U.S.C. 3121 note; title III of division C of Public Law 105–277).
The Northern Border Regional Commission established by section 15301(a)(3) of title 40, United States Code.
The Northern Great Plains Regional Authority established under subtitle G of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2009bb et seq.).
The Southeast Crescent Regional Commission established by section 15301(a)(1) of title 40, United States Code.
The Southwest Border Regional Commission established by section 15301(a)(2) of title 40, United States Code.
Authorization of appropriations—
In general— There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out the program $12,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026.
Grants— Beginning with fiscal year 2023, of the funds made available under paragraph (1) for each fiscal year, not less than 50 percent shall be used to carry out the grant program under subsection (c).