The House Natural Resources Committee, the committee with jurisdiction over public lands, held a hearing today on a bill that would fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund (HR 3534) at the authorized level of $900 million.

What is the Land and Water Conservation Fund?

The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) was established in 1965 to meet the nation's growing desire to preserve natural areas, culturally and historically significant landmarks, and outdoor recreational opportunities. Federal Outer Continental Shelf oil and gas leasing provides the revenue for LWCF--the concept is a simple one where extraction of resources we all use provides some revenue for important access and conservation projects on our nation's public lands. Unfortunately only a fraction of the intended revenue from these leases has gone into the fund with the balance being diverted to general funds for other purposes. In fact last year LWCF funding approached an all time low of $155 million. The proposed legislation in Congress would rectify this situation with full funding available each year, not subject to cuts in the annual appropriations process.

Why is this important for outdoor recreation?

If LWCF was fully funded, it would have a rather large positive and direct impact on the human-powered outdoor recreation community who depend on access to outdoor recreation and conservation of treasured landscapes on public lands. There would be 5 times the amount of federal money available to protect land and assure access to human-powered recreation.  More trails, more river access, more crags, more backcountry skiing.   

Since its creation, LWCF has made nearly 7 million acres of land available for outdoor recreation. The fund has helped to complete iconic American landscapes like Yosemite, the Grand Canyon, the Everglades, the Appalachian Trail, and Grand Teton National Park. In addition the fund has established close-to-home parks and recreation facilities providing new and improved recreation opportunities for all Americans.

Hearings this week by the House Natural Resources Committee are an important step towards realizing the full potential of this important program.

Read Statement of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Coaltion on H.R. 3534

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