A new report says that outdoor recreation accounts for $51.5 billion in consumer spending in New England, 432,000 jobs and $3.1 billion in state and local tax revenues.
The report reporting on all sectors of the country was released Tuesday by the Outdoor Industry Association.
New Hampshire Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen says the report underscores the need for the federal government to measure the outdoor recreation economy like other major sectors.
Last year, then-President Barack Obama signed into law a measure sponsored by Shaheen and Republican Sen. Cory Gardner of Colorado to require the government to measure the impact of outdoor recreation on the economy.
The law also requires that the Commerce Department submit a comprehensive analysis to Congress capturing the outdoor recreation sector's contribution to the economy.