For more than fifty years, the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) has served as the engine for America’s conservation and outdoor recreation movement. Without using a single taxpayer dollar, LWCF invests in our quality of life, a booming recreation economy, and our history and culture by using Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) energy revenue to conserve land and build parks. This is America’s most important conservation program, which has protected our most treasured iconic landscapes.
The Fund has certainly been vital for redwoods conservation. Muir Woods National Monument and Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks have all been enhanced by funding from LWCF. The fund also helped the League expand Redwood National Park.
On the heels of that historic victory ensuring this critical program continues, the conservation community is now calling on Congress to pass legislation for permanent, dedicated funding to protect wildlands and open space and make parks accessible.
The Land and Water Conservation Fund Permanent Funding Act (H.R. 3195) and its Senate companion bill (S. 1081) demonstrate a bipartisan commitment to LWCF by ensuring that the program receives full and dedicated funding each year. The legislation builds off the successful permanent reauthorization of LWCF, making sure that funds already being deposited into the LWCF account in the U.S. Treasury – $900 million annually – are invested only in the conservation of our country’s natural, cultural and historic treasures.
California has received more than $2.4 billion in LWCF dollars over the past more than 50 years, helping to build ball fields, protect forestlands, and expand access to outdoor recreation. With the passage of Prop 68 – the $4.1 billion Park and Water Bond of 2018 – California voters signaled their strong support for parks and land conservation. The federal government should share these priorities, which are broadly supported. Congress must capitalize on the rare bipartisan cooperation LWCF inspires and ensure the program as permanent, full funding. Our public lands deserve nothing less.
Sign up to receive email to stay informed about this important issue and more.