Historic conservation law left behind as Congress closes shop
Yosemite National Park, California
Howard Ignatius, Flickr.
Common sense conservation law that protects parks at no cost to taxpayers was left out in the cold as Congress drew to a close.
A strong, bipartisan agreement to reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund was undermined by the Republican leadership in Congress tonight. The program expired in September. Lawmakers had hoped to include reauthorization as part of a year-end legislative package.
The following statement is from Drew McConville, senior managing director of government relations with The Wilderness Society:
“Even in this era, it’s astounding that Congress would fail to pass bills protecting our lands and waters with such massive support. The nation's preeminent conservation funding program expired in September, iconic lands are threatened by drilling, mining, and the impacts of climate change, and Americans are demanding action. Let's hope our leaders in Washington start listening in the new year."
A successful conservation program begun in 1965, the Fund preserves parks of all sizes, trails, hunting and fishing access and community recreation areas like local ball fields -- at no cost to taxpayers.
Funded by federal oil royalties from offshore drilling in public waters rather than taxpayer dollars, the program is a key component in the nation’s healthy outdoor recreation economy, which generates more than $887 billion in annual consumer spending and supports 7.6 million American jobs. Despite this, Congress allowed the Fund to expire on September 30, 2018, casting current and future projects throughout the nation into uncertainty. Each day since the September 30 expiration, Americans lose $2.4 million in offshore royalties that would have been set aside for conservation.
Media resources: Background, videos and photos
CONTACTS: Drew McConville, Senior Managing Director – Government Relations drew_mcconnville@tws.org, 202-429-2654;
Kate Mackay, Senior Director – Communications Strategy kate_mackay@tws.org, 602-571-2603
The Wilderness Society is the leading conservation organization working to protect wilderness and inspire Americans to care for our wild places. Founded in 1935, and now with more than one million members and supporters, The Wilderness Society has led the effort to permanently protect 109 million acres of wilderness and to ensure sound management of our shared national lands. Visit www.wilderness.org.
