Land and Water Conservation Fund

We must fully fund America’s best conservation program

Bucks County Courier Times

Guest Opinion by Jessica Bellwoar

Posted Jul 2, 2019 at 11:34 AM

As many of us get ready to kick off our July Fourth vacations, sightseeing and picnics, it’s the perfect time to celebrate America’s commitment to preserving the outdoors and our access to it.

But protecting and maintaining these iconic outdoor destinations don’t happen by accident. That requires sustained stewardship, as well as money. Right now, Congress has a chance to make sure Pennsylvania’s outdoor treasures are protected for generations to come.

That means fully funding America’s best conservation program: the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

In the early 1960s, President John F. Kennedy came up with the idea for the program, later signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson in 1965. The promise? To invest hundreds of millions of dollars in outdoor projects for the benefit of all Americans.

In the 54 years that the fund has been around, it has supported over 41,000 projects in all 50 states, whether national parks (think Valley Forge, the Appalachian Trail, Gettysburg and Delaware Water Gap), hiking trails or youth sports fields.

All Americans benefit from Land and Water Conservation dollars. Despite how long the fund has been around, most Pennsylvanians are unaware of how it enhances our quality of life and the environment around us. For example, the fund is the reason we could create the Flight 93 Memorial to both honor the victims from 9/11 and restore the surrounding area in Shanksville by planting hundreds of trees to build a new forest alongside the memorial.

Over the years, Congress has had to reauthorize the fund multiple times, but legislators have only twice fully funded the program at $900 million. Instead, common practice has been to divert the money elsewhere. In fact, Congress has raided $22 billion from the fund since its inception.

But in 2019, hope rises like spacious skies over amber waves of grain.

With overwhelming majorities, Congress passed a bill signed by President Donald Trump in March that permanently reauthorized the fund. Then, two weeks ago, a bipartisan group of representatives, including Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick from Bucks County, unveiled a bill in the House that would allocate the full annual allotment of $900 million. That bill has passed out of committee and now heads for a full floor vote. The Senate also held a hearing on June 25 on a similar bipartisan bill for full funding.

Fitzpatrick continues to be a vocal champion for Pennsylvania’s public parks and our outdoor treasures. If we are going to protect the Land and Water Conservation Fund for years to come, we need all of our Pennsylvania senators and members of Congress to fight for secure, permanent, long-term funding so that Bucks County can benefit from places like Neshaminy State Park, Tyler State Park and Core Creek Park.

So while we’re enjoying celebrating our nation’s birthday, we should remember that one of the reasons we have so many beautiful destinations to choose from is the Land and Water Conservation Fund. I think we can all agree that a dollar spent to protect America’s iconic landmarks today and for generations to come is a good investment.

I’m encouraged and inspired by the overwhelming public support behind the fund. Now it’s time for our elected officials to finish the job and fully fund America’s best conservation program.

Jessica Bellwoar is the conservation associate for PennEnvironment, a citizen-based nonprofit environmental advocacy group.

Photo Credit: Jackie Brochman

House approves public lands bill, permanently reauthorizing the Land and Water Conservation Fund

America’s most successful conservation and recreation program is now one step away from being law

PennEnvironment News Release

For Immediate Release

Tuesday, March 5, 2019

PHILADELPHIA — In a bipartisan 363-62 vote, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a public lands bill last week that, if signed into law by President Trump, will permanently reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). The bill passed the Senate 92-8 in late February.

LWCF, a historically bipartisan program that has funded projects in all 50 states since its inception in 1965, expired on September 30, 2018. The program supported everything from the expansion and maintenance of local parks and recreation centers to places like the Delaware River Water Gap, Valley Forge, Gettysburg National Park, and the Flight 93 Memorial

In Pennsylvania, LWCF has helped fund the creation and maintenance of more than 1,500 projects investing more than $315 million in the Commonwealth.

While the vote passed with broad support, sadly, Congressman Scott Perry was the only Pennsylvania House delegate to oppose renewing the program. PennEnvironment applauds the members of Congress who voted in support of protecting public lands.

Jessica Bellwoar, Conservation Associate for PennEnvironment, issued the following statement.

“America’s public lands — our National Parks, Forests and Wildlife Refuges — are the nation’s best known treasures and at the heart of a legacy of what makes America beautiful. By permanently reauthorizing the Land and Water Conservation Fund, Congress has reinstated one of our best tools for ensuring we can protect these iconic places.”

“We urge President Trump to sign the bill into law. Our public lands deserve no less.”

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PennEnvironment is a citizen-based, statewide environmental advocacy organization working to ensure clean air, clean water, and protecting Pennsylvania’s great natural heritage. For more information about this and other PennEnvironment projects, visit www.PennEnvironment.org.

For a list of projects funded by LWCF, go to https://www.lwcfcoalition.com/.

U.S. Senate votes to renew Land and Water Conservation Fund

America’s most successful conservation program that protected Gettysburg, Valley Forge, and Flight 93 Memorial, has new life

PennEnvironment News Release

Wednesday, February 13, 2019

PHILADELPHIA, PA — The U.S. Senate passed a public lands package yesterday that permanently reauthorizes the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), a historically bipartisan program that has funded projects in every Pennsylvania county and in all 50 states since its inception in 1965. The program, which expired last September, has supported everything from the expansion and maintenance of local parks and recreation centers to national forests, national parks and historical sites.

In Pennsylvania, LWCF has helped fund the creation and maintenance of more than 1,500 projects investing more than $315 million in the Commonwealth.

“Pennsylvanians want our parks, forests and recreational places to stay beautiful and well-funded,” said Jessica Bellwoar, Conservation Associate for PennEnvironment. “Thankfully we’re seeing movement on reviving this program, and we applaud the U.S. Senate for getting the job done and not letting it fall through the cracks.”

Since LWCF funding expired, public lands projects have lost more than $300 million in revenue. While the Senate bill that passed yesterday permanently renews the program, it does not fully fund the program at the initial $900 million a year levels.

While the vote passed 92-8, sadly, Pennsylvania’s Senator Pat Toomey was one of the only senators to oppose renewing the program. PennEnvironment applauded U.S. Senator Bob Casey for his longstanding support of LWCF and voting in favor of the proposal.

During the months leading up to and after the program expired, PennEnvironment collected over 5,000 petitions calling on Senators Casey and Toomey, and Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation to permanently reauthorize the program.

To build support for reauthorizing the Land and Water Conservation Fund, PennEnvironment also met with members of the state’s congressional delegation, garnered dozens of media stories on the importance of renewing LWCF, and ran billboards in targeted congressional districts calling on Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation to lead on LWCF.

“We need to protect our public lands for future generations, and the U.S. Senate took a big step toward doing so,” said Bellwoar. “Now it’s time for the U.S. House to act and permanently fund America’s beautiful parks and forests.

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For a list of projects funded by LWCF, go to https://www.lwcfcoalition.com/.

After 52 years, program protecting Valley Forge, Gettysburg Park expires Sunday due to Congressional inaction

PennEnvironment Statement on Expiration of Land and Water Conservation Fund

For Immediate Release

Monday, October 1, 2018

[Philadelphia, PA] — America’s most successful conservation and recreation program is expected to expire this Sunday, September 30. The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) has protected some of Pennsylvania’s most iconic places over the last 52 years.

“While it’s likely that few Pennsylvanians have heard of this program, every Pennsylvanian has enjoyed the places it’s protected,” stated Jessica Bellwoar, PennEnvironment’s Conservation Associate. “From Gettysburg to the Delaware Water Gap to Ohiopyle State Park, the Land and Water Conservation Fund has protected the places we love. Now we call on Congress to protect the Land and Water Conservation Fund.” The Land and Water Conservation Fund’s legacy has protected iconic places as well as local open spaces that often serve as the backbone to Pennsylvania’s communities (For a full list of LWCF projects funded in Pennsylvania, click here).

LWCF has helped fund the creation and maintenance of more than 1,500 projects in Pennsylvania, investing more than $315 million in the Commonwealth since 1964. But the nation’s preeminent conservation program could now be left on the cutting room floor if Congress does not approve legislation to permanently reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund. If the federally-funded program expires, much-needed conservation projects across the nation will suffer from lack of funding, protection, maintenance, and future acquisition of public land for recreational use.

“Environmental groups, outdoor enthusiasts, fishing and hunting organizations, and local officials are calling on Congress to move swiftly to resuscitate this program in the upcoming weeks before finishing the congressional session.” said Bellwoar. “”It doesn’t matter if you’re a Democrat or Republican–Pennsylvanians from all walks of life, all political affiliations, and every corner of the Commonwealth can all agree: we all enjoy the outdoor places that make the state and nation great, and we want our elected officials to make sure that we can continue to protect them for our kids and grandkids to enjoy.”

Even in an era of hyperpolarization in politics, LWCF has always historically received strong bipartisan support. While there is broad bipartisan support on the Hill, as often happens in Congress legislators wait until the last possible moment to accomplish things. For example, just 2 weeks ago the U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Natural Resources moved forward legislation to reauthorize LWCF.

Pennsylvania’s top elected officials have pleaded with federal leaders in Congress to renew this cornerstone conservation program.

“Congress must act to save this important community development and conservation tool for states and local communities,” Governor Tom Wolf stated. “Our economy depends on strong and attractive communities for businesses and workers to move, stay, and grow. Congress needs to permanently reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund without delay.”

“Pennsylvania’s outdoor recreation industry supports 251,000 jobs, generates $86 billion in wages, contributes $1.9 billion in revenue and produces $30 billion in consumer spending,” U.S. Senator Bob Casey said. “These recreation areas, as well as national parks, historic sites and trails, are economic drivers and allow Pennsylvanians to protect and preserve pieces of the state’s unique landscape. It is essential that Congress provides consistent and sufficient funding for the LWCF to ensure that these sites and others throughout the country can continue to be enjoyed by generations to come.”

The Land and Water Conservation Fund has funded over 40,000 projects across the United States since 1964 and allocates more than $900 million dollars annually to states. The money is collected from gas and oil royalties and no taxpayer dollars are used.

PennEnvironment will continue to work with our U.S. House and Senate members to get the Land and Water Conservation Fund permanently reauthorized as soon as possible so our parks stay beautiful.

Jessica Bellwoar collecting petitions in support of LWCF in Montgomery County in Neshaminy State Park (top). PennEnvironment Staff at Ohiopyle State Park, PA (bottom).

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Help to preserve our places of natural heritage

Photo Credit: Valley Forge National Historical Park in Autumn (VFTCB)

Letter to the Editor of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette:

Published 09/01/18

Dear Editor,

Labor Day is a special weekend for families, and many Pennsylvanians will spend time outside visiting the state’s scenic landscapes and national parks.

What many Pennsylvanians may not realize is that many of these important natural heritages have been preserved through a program called the Land and Water Conservation Fund. They include places like Valley Forge, Gettysburg and the Flight 93 Memorial in Somerset County. Locally, it has helped fund more then $1.32 million in protection and maintenance of Settlers Cabin Regional Park, Brentwood Borough Community Park and North Shore Park.

Unfortunately, without congressional action this fall, LWCF will expire and put many of the greatest places here and across the country at risk. For decades, LWCF has protected the places we love and cherish. Now we must protect LWCF.

I hope concerned citizens will call and email Sens. Bob Casey and Pat Toomey and U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb and ask them to reauthorize LWCF this fall.

JESSICA BELLWOAR
Conservation Associate
PennEnvironment
Philadelphia, Pa.