Smith’s Island
I watched the news last night and saw a story about Senate passage of the Great American Outdoors Act. A decade in the making, this law will provide significant funding for deferred maintenance of public lands, but most importantly will provide full and dedicated funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). The bill passed with overwhelming bipartisan support 73-25. Rubio voted yes; Scott voted no. It now goes to the House of Representatives for their consideration starting on June 29th. Their approval is necessary for the bill’s passage.
LWCF has been the main source of federal land acquisition funding since its passage in 1964. The idea was simple. Offshore oil and gas resources belong to the American people. When they are sold, we should dedicate a portion of the receipts to acquire public land. For over fifty-five years LWCF helped to provide funds for national parks, forests, wilderness areas and historical sites. Through its state-side grant program it has provided funding for state parks, forests and for local government acquisitions of urban parks and playgrounds. The original LWCF legislation had a funding sunset date. Unless reauthorized, LWCF’s funding would lapse.
It was not reauthorized.
The Great American Outdoors Act now gives us a second chance to provide funding for the LWCF program. If you want to protect bird habitat and provide places to go birding, contact your local US representative and urge him or her to support this bill.
https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
I spent over thirty years working on land acquisition projects for the Trust for Public Land. I have seen first-hand the power and effect of LWCF funding. The only problem that I had with that news story I saw last night was that it said a quarter of US lands belong to the US government. That’s not true.
They belong to us.
Don Morrow, Tallahassee, FL