by Joe Nevile, KTA Executive Director
LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND - A PRIMER
Created by Congress in 1965, the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) was a bipartisan commitment to safeguard natural areas, water resources and our cultural heritage, and to provide recreation opportunities to all Americans. National parks like Rocky Mountain, the Grand Canyon, and the Great Smoky Mountains, as well as national wildlife refuges, national forests, rivers and lakes, community parks, trails, and ball fields in every one of our 50 states were set aside for Americans to enjoy thanks to federal funds from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF).
It was a simple idea: use revenues from the depletion of one natural resource - offshore oil and gas - to support the conservation of another precious resource - our land and water. Every year, $900 million in royalties paid by energy companies drilling for oil and gas on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) are put into this fund. The money is intended to create and protect national parks, areas around rivers and lakes, national forests, and national wildlife refuges from development, and to provide matching grants for state and local parks and recreation projects.
Yet, nearly every year, Congress breaks its own promise to the American people and diverts much of this funding to uses other than conserving our most important lands and waters.
On April 19-20, KTA joined the Appalachian Mountain Club, The Wilderness Society, American Canoe Association, National Wildlife Federation and dozens of conservation groups hailing from many states in an effort to get permanent funding for the LWCF. In a whirl wind effort we met with: Congressional Representatives Costello, Dent, Boyle, Cartwright, Brady, Doyle, Barletta, Meehan, Shuster, Fattah, Sen. Casey and their staffs.
KTA continues to represent you in advocating for our natural spaces and our environment, trails and future hiking opportunities.