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Land and Water Conservation is Permanently & Fully Funded!

The Land and Water Conservation Fund (“LWCF”) is the primary source of federal money that pays protect to public lands. Many of the country's most spectacular landscapes — places like Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon, Rocky Mountain National Park, the Boundary Waters — have all been supported through this program. So, too, have local landscapes, like Starved Rock State Park, the I&M Canal, Volo Bog, Kennicott Grove, Deer Grove, and many more.

Our country is also not doing enough to care for the public lands it already manages. Trail repairs, road repaving, building stabilization and other critical infrastructure projects have been repeatedly delayed. The National Park Service has a backlog of such ‘deferred maintenance’ that requires more than $11 billion to fix, and at least $8 billion in similar needs exist in units of the National Forests, Wildlife Refuges, and other Federal properties.

Now, Congress has passed a proposal called the Great American Outdoors Act. It will dedicate funding to both conservation and deferred maintenance. LWCF will receive guaranteed funding ($900 million) every year and $1.9 billion will be set aside for deferred maintenance repairs in each of the next 5 years. These projects will be funded through royalties paid by companies that mine or produce energy on Federal lands. They will improve health outcomes in urban communities, expand hunting and fishing opportunities in rural areas, create jobs, and produce roughly $10 in economic activity for every $1 they cost.

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle supported the Great American Outdoors Act and WE NEED TO THANK THEM! Please fill out the form below to send a 'thank you' letter to the Representatives and Senators who voted for this bill. Please also add your own brief message at the end that tells them how important public lands are to you. Thank you!

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Save the Land and Water Conservation Fund

The Land and Water Conservation Fund (“LWCF”) is the primary source of federal money that pays for improvements to public lands. Many of the country's most spectacular landscapes — places like Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon, Rocky Mountain National Park, the Boundary Waters — have all been supported through this program. So, too, have local landscapes, like Starved Rock State Park, the I&M Canal, Volo Bog, Kennicott Grove, Deer Grove, and many more.

None of this money has come out of taxpayers' pockets – all of it is funded through royalties paid by oil and gas companies.

The LWCF is a shining example of bipartisan cooperation. That is because the LWCF helps to improve health outcomes in urban communities and expand hunting and fishing opportunities in rural areas. It has also added thousands of jobs to the economy and generates more than $2 in economic activity for every $1 it spends.

Despite these benefits, the LWCF usually receives less than half of the money that Congress appropriates to it. One pending bill (H.R. 3195) would change that by requiring the Fund's full annual appropriation ($900 million) to be used only for purposes that support the LWCF. Support from Illinois’ members of Congress is critical to passing these bills. Please help us pass H.R.3195 to fully fund the LWCF.

Openlands Privacy Policy

U.S. House

Subject: Fund Land and Water Conservation

Message:

I am writing to express my gratitude for your role in passing the Great American Outdoors Act. This important legislation leaves a legacy of land for future Americans by fully and permanently funding the Land and Water Conservation Fund as well as addressing mounting deferred maintenance costs on Federal lands.

No matter where we live, recreation and access to nature improves the social and physical well-being of all Americans. This is especially true for people struggling with health or economic challenges, as so many more of us are now. Parks, Forest Preserves, and public lands throughout the country have experienced record visitation during the COVID-19 pandemic - a testament to nature's powerful ability to provide us solace during troubling times.

By expanding recreation options in so many communities, the LWCF has helped more people heal themselves by experiencing the benefits of being outside and recreating in nature. The LWCF has paid $213 million to projects that improve recreational opportunities on public lands in Illinois alone, such as park improvements and trail extensions in urban areas and protected public hunting and fishing preserves in rural areas. The LWCF is cost-free to taxpayers because it is funded by royalties on oil and gas mining in public lands and waters.

Over the years, the LWCF has only received about half of its annual authorized appropriation. The Great American Outdoors Act changes this by requiring that the full $900 million annual appropriation to LWCF be used for purposes that directly support the LWCF. Just imagine what communities throughout our region will do for their parks and natural areas with this guaranteed funding!

You helped to make this possible and I deeply thank you for your support.

Remaining:

United States Senate

Subject: Thank You for Passing the Great American Outdoors Act

Message:

Remaining:

Land and Water Conservation is Permanently & Fully Funded!

Save the Land and Water Conservation Fund

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