To: President Donald Trump and Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-5)
Land and Water Conservation Fund, THE LWCF MUST BE SAVED
Joe Pakootas has issued a paper on LWCF (pakootasforcongress.com). In 1965 Congress, under the leadership of Sen. Henry “Scoop” Jackson, established a Federal Program, the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), to provide funds and matching grants to federal, state and local governments for the acquisition of land and water, easements of land and water, and for the benefit of all Americans.
The main emphases of the Fund are recreation and the protection of national treasures such as parks, protected forests and wildlife areas (Congress, 1964, p.1). The LWCF has a broad-based coalition of support and oversight, including the National Parks Conservation Association, Environment America, The Wilderness Society, the Land Trust Alliance, and the Nature Conservancy. Allocations are made based upon project demands from communities, input from federal land management agencies and presidential recommendations to Congress. The project requests experience intense competition as they are considered by an Appropriations Committee.
For the past 50 years, the primary source of income to the fund has been fees paid into a federal agency fund by oil and gas companies involved in offshore drilling.
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers stated it is her intent to de-authorize legislation such as this that has been on the books for years. Initially authorized for a 25-year period, the LWCF Fund will expire September 30th without Congressional action. We should all be concerned that this Fund may not be considered a top priority by Rep. Rodgers and her party, and that it could wind up being allowed to die. In the meantime, the citizens of Eastern Washington will miss out on the only opportunity for funding sources needed to support our treasured local recreational spaces. As someone who cares deeply about our environment, Joe urges you to please contact Cathy's office and ask that she fight for reauthorization of this important legislation before it’s too late.
The main emphases of the Fund are recreation and the protection of national treasures such as parks, protected forests and wildlife areas (Congress, 1964, p.1). The LWCF has a broad-based coalition of support and oversight, including the National Parks Conservation Association, Environment America, The Wilderness Society, the Land Trust Alliance, and the Nature Conservancy. Allocations are made based upon project demands from communities, input from federal land management agencies and presidential recommendations to Congress. The project requests experience intense competition as they are considered by an Appropriations Committee.
For the past 50 years, the primary source of income to the fund has been fees paid into a federal agency fund by oil and gas companies involved in offshore drilling.
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers stated it is her intent to de-authorize legislation such as this that has been on the books for years. Initially authorized for a 25-year period, the LWCF Fund will expire September 30th without Congressional action. We should all be concerned that this Fund may not be considered a top priority by Rep. Rodgers and her party, and that it could wind up being allowed to die. In the meantime, the citizens of Eastern Washington will miss out on the only opportunity for funding sources needed to support our treasured local recreational spaces. As someone who cares deeply about our environment, Joe urges you to please contact Cathy's office and ask that she fight for reauthorization of this important legislation before it’s too late.
Why is this important?
We will all be affected by Cathy's failure, once again, to support programs that benefit her constituents. Hasn't she learned from all the fires in Eastern Washington that we must take care of our land?