What has been described as "America's most-important conservation program" is set to expire Sept. 30.
Established in 1964, the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) has provided—at no cost to U.S. taxpayers—millions of dollars for conservation, land acquisition, park access, infrastructure improvements, and much more.
But in December 2015 Congress struck a deal to reauthorize the LWCF for just three more years—a deadline that runs out this fall.
Fund expenditures have improved the quality of life for Americans in all 50 states in over 40,000 projects at every level. The program is primarily funded from royalties on offshore oil and gas drilling projects.
National parks and forests, wildlife refuges, trails and local parks and the communities near them all stand to gain from a healthy and permanent LWCF. The overwhelmingly popular and effective fund must not only be renewed but also permanently authorized.
For more than five decades the LWCF has helped create a wide array of outdoor recreation opportunities, from beloved neighborhood parks to wild backcountry areas and the trails that connect them, all adding immeasurable richness and wealth to the United States.
Contact your member of Congress today and urge him/her for fight for a permanently authorized Land and Water Conservation Fund.