As the clock ticks on the Land and Water
Conservation Fund, Congress has a chance to save it.
 |
| Don't let the sun set on the Land & Water Conservation Fund. |
You may have not heard of a small, but vital federal
program, but you have surely benefited from it, whether you enjoy the great
outdoors or not, whether you stay in the Monadnock Region or enjoy trips to the
White Mountains or other great places.
If you enjoy clean water, fresh air, healthy lands, vibrant
communities and a robust economy, you’ve benefited from the Land and Water
Conservation Fund.
And unless Congress acts soon, it’s about to expire, leaving
you, me and every American with an enormous lost opportunity to further invest
in the very things that we cherish most.
Since 1965, the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) has
used a small percentage of revenue from offshore oil and gas drilling to invest
in lands, water, recreation and working landscapes. LWCF uses no taxpayer
dollars. None.
Its investments have created or enhanced local and state parks,
working farms and forests, wildlife refuges, national forests, historic battlefields,
cultural sites and access for hunting and fishing.
Those investments have been made near you. Here in New
Hampshire LWCF has provided $150 million over the past five decades, boosting local
projects such as Temple Mountain State Reservation, Shattuck Pond in
Francestown, Humiston Field in Jaffrey, Adams Playground in Peterborough, Gregg
Lake Beach in Antrim and the list goes on. Other projects include land
protection for the Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge along the
Connecticut River and the White Mountains National Forest
The program has helped projects in all 50 states and 98
percent of all U.S. counties, supporting protection of 3 million acres of
recreation lands and more than 29,000 recreation facilities, matched by local
monies and driven by local priorities.
Across the country, national parks, refuges, and forests
have been created or enhanced through LWCF funding. These national lands
protect our history; they ensure outdoor recreation opportunities that tally up
some 407 million visits each year; they secure opportunities for fishing, hunting,
hiking and countless other activities.
When Congress passed the LWCF 50 years ago, lawmakers did so
knowing that outdoor recreation is fundamental to our well-being and healthy
communities. And we now better understand that healthy natural places can help
safeguard our communities. Forests serve as natural filters for our drinking
water. Salt marshes and shellfish reefs can blunt the impact of coastal storms.
Healthy Lands,
Vibrant Economy
These investments not only enhance and safeguard our way of
life, they help our economy.
Hunting, fishing, camping and other outdoor recreation
activities contribute a total of $725.5 billion annually to the economy,
supporting 6.15 million jobs (one of every 20 jobs in the United States) and
stimulating 8 percent of all consumer spending. The ripple effect of outdoor
recreation activities is even greater, with an estimated economic impact of
$1.2 trillion and an estimated employment impact of 12 million jobs annually.
That economic impact is real from the local scale – from an
angler’s purchase of bait and soda – to the collective strength of millions of
outdoor-related purchases each year throughout the country. In New Hampshire
alone, outdoor recreation generates $4.2 billion in consumer spending each
year, supporting some 49,000 jobs.
It all sounds great, right?
The Challenge to Save
LWCF
Well, the LWCF is in serious trouble. But right now, we have
a slim opportunity to save it.
The LWCF is set to expire on September 30. If Congress does
not reauthorize LWCF, we can’t continue to make these wise investments in our
green spaces, our parks and trails, the places that make ourselves and our
communities whole and healthy.
And while the program is authorized to receive a small
percentage of offshore oil and gas revenues – up to $900 million per year –
most of those funds have been diverted elsewhere. With America losing 1 million
acres of working farms, forests and ranches each year, it’s critical that LWCF
receive its full funding for future generations.
As September 30 comes near, your congressional
representatives need to hear from you. In New Hampshire, our U.S. senators and
representatives are strong supporters of the LWCF. But in other states, not all
are on board, and our delegation can help raise the bipartisan support that
LWCF has historically enjoyed.
The clock is ticking. I hope Granite Staters will speak up,
and that Congress will help ensure quick action to renew and fully fund LWCF.
Eric Aldrich writes
from his home in Hancock.
