NEGUSE, WYDEN FIGHT FOR INCREASED INVESTMENTS FOR LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION

Press Release

Congressman Joe Neguse, Chair of the U.S. House Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands, is pushing to increase investments for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) in fiscal year 2023. In a bipartisan letter addressed to the Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, Congressman Neguse requested an investment of $450 million in discretionary funds, in addition to mandatory LWCF funding to address the numerous ready-to-go project opportunities.

"The Land and Water Conservation Fund is a great example of what we can accomplish when we put party politics aside and roll up our sleeves for the betterment of our shared planet," said Congressman Neguse. "This work is critical to protecting public lands for generations to come, expanding outdoor recreational opportunities, and providing more folks with access to the great outdoors. When our planet needs us most, we cannot afford to turn our back on the nation's most important conservation and recreation program."

"From protecting clean drinking water to making the outdoors more accessible to everyone, the Land and Water Conservation Fund is essential to the health of our communities. More recreation around our natural wonders also means more good-paying jobs in places like rural Oregon," Wyden said. "Simply put, if you want to support rural economies and make sure our public lands are enjoyed for generations to come, more funding for the LWCF must be a priority."

"We applaud the bipartisan members of Congress who are joining Representative Neguse and Senator Wyden to support increased funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF)," said Tom Cors, Director of Government Relations for Lands, The Nature Conservancy. "These vital additional funds will help protect land, water, wildlife and way of life in every corner of the country, from the smallest local and state parks, to our iconic National Parks, Forests, Wildlife Refuges and beyond. LWCF funding was established as a floor, not a ceiling - we stand ready to work with LWCF's Congressional champions to secure added funding beyond the levels provided by the Great American Outdoors Act, to address these unmet needs and grow our recreation economy. The time to bolster our investment is now."

The letter was signed by Representatives Joe Neguse (CO-02), G. K. Butterfield (NC-01), Debbie Dingell (MI-12), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), Jared Golden (ME-02), Jared Huffman (CA-02), John Katko (NY-24), Annie Kuster (NH-02), Tom O'Halleran (AZ-01), Chris Pappas (NH-01), Kim Schrier (WA-08), Peter Welch (VT At-large District), and Jeff Van Drew (NJ-02).

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