The outdoor recreation industry is growing faster than the rest of the economy, according to fresh numbers from the federal government’s Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Adjusted for inflation since 2017, the industry puts about $427 billion in the gross domestic product into the U.S. economy, the report states.

Outdoor recreation spending grew by 3.9% nationally in 2017, while the overall U.S. economy expanded by about 2.4%.

Outdoor recreation puts about $11 billion annually into Colorado’s economy, according to the new analysis.

For the first time — and thanks in part to the bipartisan work of Colorado U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner —  the Department of Commerce examined the importance of outdoor recreation for each state. Colorado, ranked in the top tier, with 3.3% of its gross domestic product coming from outdoor recreation.

Because Colorado’s overall economy is so strong, however, the state didn’t top the list of those that depend on outdoor recreation.

Montana gets 5.1% of its GDP from outdoor activities, followed by Maine with 4.8%, Wyoming with 4.4% and Florida with 4.3%. Colorado and Utah tied at 3.3%.

“The outdoor industry has always known it is a huge contributor to the national economy,” Amy Roberts, executive director of the Boulder-based Outdoor Industry Association, said in a statement Friday. “This report brings new data to bear to underscore that fact.”

She called the state-level data “icing on the cake” for policymakers, communities and businesses.

Gardner, a Republican, and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat from New Hampshire, led the passage of the Outdoor Recreation Jobs and Economic Impact Act in 2016, which led to the assessment released Friday.

The text of the bill can be found by clicking here.

“Outdoor recreation in Colorado is a pillar of our local communities, our Western heritage, and attracts people from all over the world to our state,” Gardner said in statement Friday. “Today’s announcement that the recreation economy contributes more than $11 billion dollars to our state and local economies will help inform policy decisions to further enhance our thriving outdoor industry.

“I thank Senator Shaheen for working with me on the Outdoor REC Act to provide this much-needed insight into the impact recreation has on our economy.”