Support Funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund

August 3, 2010

The Clean Energy Jobs and Oil Accountability Act, S.3663, which was recently passed by the House of Representatives includes a provision to fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF).  This fund which Congress created in 1965, was intended to balance the loss of one natural resource— offshore oil and gas—by using a portion of drilling fees to protect important land and water elsewhere.  Massachusetts LWCF state assistance grants have benefited over 445 state and local park acquisition and development projects across the state, by providing $95.5 million in matching grants.  S.3663 will also address oil drilling safety, energy issues, and provide the structure and the opportunity for funding of Gulf of Mexico restoration efforts.

TAKE ACTION!

Call (202-224-4543) or e-mail Senator Brown and ask him to support full and dedicated funding for the LWCF, and the other provisions of S. 3663.  Also ask that he vote “NO” on the Republican substitute, which does not provide full and dedicated funding for the LWCF.

Click here for more information on LWCF

Click here to view The Nature Conservancy's Fact Sheet on LWCF

ACTION ALERT UPDATE!

November 15, 2010

Senator Scott Brown has signed on to a letter with other Senate Republicans urging Senate leadership to move forward to achieve full and dedicated funding for LWCF during the lame duck session of the 111th Congress (attached here).

Representatives from several statewide conservation organizations met with Senator Brown in Boston in mid-October and had an engaging and fruitful dialogue on LWCF. The meeting followed on the successful efforts of a statewide grassroots campaign to secure Senator Brown's support.

National Coalition for LWCF, a broad-based coalition of conservation, recreation, environment, business, historic and cultural organizations as well as many others are working together to secure full and dedicated funding of LWCF.  The House of Representatives has already approved full funding for LWCF as part of a larger energy bill.

The odds of Senate passage will improve if Senators Brown and Kerry join co-sponsors to Senate Bill 2747, which would provide full funding for LWCF.  Please take a moment to thank Senators Brown and Kerry for their support of LWCF and to ask for their co-sponsorship of SB 2747.

The best way to contact the Senators is through their email portals at:
http://kerry.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm

http://scottbrown.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/emailscottbrown

Thanks to all of you who contacted Senator Brown and encouraged him to support this important legislation!

Page updated November 15, 2010