Rep. Zeldin Champions Great American Outdoors Act to Permanently Fund LWCF
Press Release
Congressman Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1) and a bipartisan group of his colleagues just introduced the Great American Outdoors Act (H.R. 7092) to fully and permanently fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and address priority repair needs in our national parks and other land management agencies.
The Great American Outdoors Act has already drawn the support of more than 900 organizations across the country, including local businesses, the recreation industry, veterans groups, conservation organizations, tourism and travel associations, sportsmen and infrastructure groups.
The Land and Water Conservation Fund protects parks, trails, wildlife refuges and recreation areas at the federal, state and local level. For more than 50 years, it has provided critical funding for land and water conservation projects, access to recreation, including hunting and fishing, and the continued historic preservation of our nation's iconic landmarks from coast-to-coast.
LWCF does not use any taxpayer dollars -- it is funded using a small portion of revenues from offshore oil and gas royalty payments. Outdoor recreation, conservation and historic preservation activities contribute more than $887 billion annually to the U.S. economy, supporting 7.6 million jobs.
Last year, Congressman Zeldin helped secure permanent reauthorization for the program.
"In Suffolk County alone, the Land and Water Conservation Fund has provided funding for over 65 parks, supporting public access, fishing, hunting, recreation and our environment without taking a dime of taxpayer money," Congressman Zeldin said. "On Long Island, our waterways are our way of life, and clean water, land and air are essential priorities all protected by the LWCF. I've been proud to help lead the successful fight to permanently reauthorize this important fund in the House, and now it's time to ensure LWCF receives the vital funding it needs each and every year."
Since the creation of LWCF, over 90 Suffolk County projects have been funded, including:
South Jamesport Boat Launching Site
Hampton Bays Softball Field
Wildwood State Park Beach Building in Wading River
Montauk State Park Showers and Comfort Station
Acquisition of Havens Beach in Sag Harbor
Shoreline Protection in Orient Beach State Park
Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge in Shirley
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