04.15.15

Ranking Member Grijalva, Rep. Fitzpatrick Introduce Bill to Permanently Establish Land and Water Conservation Fund, Prevent Sept. Expiration

Washington, D.C. – Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) today introduced bipartisan legislation to permanently reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Act. Over its 50-year history, the LWCF has come to be recognized as America’s most important conservation program. Without congressional action, the program’s current authorization will expire at the end of September.

LWCF is the only federal program dedicated to the continued conservation of our national parks, forests, wildlife refuges, wilderness, Civil War battlefields, state and local parks, working forests and critical wildlife areas. The bill ensures that public lands remain truly accessible to the American people for outdoor recreation by setting aside at least 1.5 percent (a minimum of $10 million) of LWCF funds to increase access to existing federal public lands for hunting, fishing and other recreational purposes.

The new bill is the House companion to S.338 and incorporates language approved by a Senate majority in January.

“Conserving land for future generations is one of our government’s primary responsibilities to the American people,” Rep. Grijalva said. “The LWCF’s mission is popular, but it’s more than that – it’s a binding guarantee Congress and the federal government have made to the public. Drawing out the uncertainty over the program’s funding every few years serves no one, especially when our constituents so strongly believe in the LWCF’s mission and value to the country. We should make it permanent, avoid prolonged budget battles and get back to the business of protecting our natural spaces. Anything less is a disservice to the legacy of Teddy Roosevelt and the generations of Americans who gave us the many beautiful American landscapes we enjoy today.”

“For 50 years the Land and Water Conservation Fund has remained the nation’s premier conservation, recreation and preservation support program,” Rep. Fitzpatrick said. “While authorized by Congress, the program is not funded by taxpayer dollars, making it a responsible, practical method to protect our nation’s natural landscape and beauty. Polling has consistently shown that the American people believe that Congress should continue to honor its commitment to the Land and Water Conservation Fund and I am proud to stand with Congressman Grijalva to permanently reauthorize this critical program.”

“The LWCF Coalition is extremely grateful to Representatives Grijalva and Fitzpatrick for their commitment to a lasting American conservation vision through the permanent reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund,” said Alan Rowsome, Senior Director of Government Relations for Lands at the Wilderness Society and Co-Chair of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Coalition. “For the last half century LWCF has conserved iconic landscapes in every state, ensured the protection of our national parks, forests, wildlife refuges, wilderness, monuments, and Civil War battlefields, and supported community investments in parks and outdoor recreation activities. This legislation will make LWCF a permanent part of America’s commitment to conservation and ensure that future generations continue to enjoy the outdoors.”

“Investments in America’s public lands through LWCF touch the lives of the 142 million people who recreate outside each year and benefit every county in the country,” said Catherine Walker, Senior Vice President & General Counsel at REI. “The outdoor industry contributes $646 billion in direct consumer spending and depends on our public lands and waters for vital recreation infrastructure. Along with the Outdoor Industry Association, REI is in town this week to ask Congress to keep LWCF a healthy and vibrant part of America's conservation agenda through reauthorization and full funding of the program.”

The House bill’s full list of cosponsors is below.

Democrats

Raúl M. Grijalva (Ariz.)
Debbie Dingell (Mich.)
Jared Polis (Colo.)
Jared Huffman (Calif.)
Mike Thompson (Calif.)
Raul Ruiz (Calif.)
Mark Takai (Hawaii)
Ann McLane Kuster (N.H.)
Matt Cartwright (Pa.)
Niki Tsongas (Mass.)

Republicans

Mike Fitzpatrick (Pa.)
Patrick Meehan (Pa.)
Frank Guinta (N.H.)
Chris Gibson  (N.Y.)
Ryan Costello (Pa.)
Bob Dold (Ill.)
Dave Reichert (Wash.)
Frank LoBiondo (N.J.)
Peter King (N.Y.)

About the Land and Water Conservation Fund

The Land and Water Conservation Fund Act, signed into law on September 3, 1964, established a dedicated means for the conservation and protection of America’s irreplaceable natural, historic, cultural and outdoor landmarks. LWCF is the only federal program dedicated to the continued conservation of our national parks, forests, wildlife refuges, wilderness, civil war battlefields, as well as state and local parks, working forests and critical wildlife areas. It is rightly characterized as America’s most important conservation program. 

LWCF does not use any taxpayer dollars – it is funded using a small portion of the profits from offshore oil and gas development. Outdoor recreation, conservation and historic preservation activities support 9.4 million jobs and contribute more than a trillion dollars annually to the U.S. economy.  

About the LWCF Coalition

The LWCF Coalition is the umbrella group of more than 1,000 state and local land owners, small businesses, ranchers, sportsmen, veterans, outdoor recreationists and conservation organizations working to protect America’s public lands and safeguard our shared outdoor heritage for future generations.

The Coalition is united in its advocacy for the reauthorization and full funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which will ensure the continued conservation of our national parks, forests, wildlife refuges, wilderness, civil war battlefields, as well as state and local parks. For more information on LWCF and the places in each state protected by LWCF funds, visit http://www.lwcfcoalition.org.