06.10.19

PRESS CONFERENCE: Rep. Van Drew, Chair Grijalva, Bipartisan Congressional Coalition to Propose Full Funding for Land and Water Conservation Fund

Washington D.C. – Rep. Jeff Van Drew (D-N.J.), Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and a bipartisan group of Congressional lawmakers and environmental leaders will lead a press conference on Wednesday morning at 9:30 a.m. Eastern time at the House Triangle outside the U.S. Capitol to announce the introduction of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Permanent Funding Act. This vital piece of legislation ensures that LWCF receives guaranteed, dedicated funding needed to protect the lands that communities depend upon. 

The public lands package that became law earlier this year included permanent LWCF reauthorization, which ensures that the program does not become a political football in future years but does not assure full funding. LWCF, which is funded by a royalty on oil and gas extracted from federal waters in the Outer Continental Shelf, is authorized to spend $900 million annually on state, local and national conservation projects, but Congress has routinely underfunded the program by 50 percent or more each year.

 Rep. Van Drew’s legislation, which is identical to S. 1081, a bill championed by Ranking Member Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, would guarantee LWCF receives funding at its full authorization level each year without further appropriation. 

 

Event Details

What: Press conference to announce the introduction of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Permanent Funding Act

When: 9:30 a.m. Eastern time on Wednesday, June 12

Where: House Triangle outside the U.S. Capitol

Who:

  • Rep. Jeff Van Drew (D-N.J.)
  • Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.)
  • Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.)
  • Jenny Brandt, Deputy Director, Conservation Programs, Hispanic Access Foundation
  • Patricia Rojas-Ungar, Vice President of Government Affairs, Outdoor Industry Association
  • Tiernan Sittenfeld, Senior Vice President for Government Affairs, League of Conservation Voters

The event will be livestreamed at http://bit.ly/2Wx44Op.

Press Contact

Adam Sarvana

(202) 225-6065 or (202) 578-6626 mobile