July 11, 1997

LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND THREATENED IN CONGRESS

The struggle is heating up over funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund now that the House of Representatives has withdrawn its support. Despite a Budget Resolution agreement between Congress and President Clinton that calls for the Land and Water Conservation Fund to receive $866 million in appropriations for fiscal year 1998, the House Appropriations Committee and Interior Appropriations subcommittee have failed to support their end of the bargain. Their 1998 Interior Appropriations Bill contains only $200 million for the LWCF - a fraction of the amount promised.

In addition to the $166 million slated for the LWCF in the president's FY98 budget proposal, an amendment offered by Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA) to add an additional $700 million to the fund was accepted in the budget deal between Congress and the president. It was generally understood at the time of the agreement that $315 million of the appropriation would be used to acquire the New World Mine outside of Yellowstone National Park and two of the six redwood groves in northern California's Headwaters forest.

Now, with funding for these and other worthy conservation projects imperiled by the House, we must put pressure on the Senate not to do the same. Please speak out! Add your voice to the growing list of those who support the LWCF.

Background

The Land and Water Conservation Fund was established by Congress in 1964 to give the federal government a means to buy and protect land for recreation and conservation. Since 1980, $900 million has been added to the fund annually, generated primarily by royalties from offshore oil and gas leases.

Most of the monies allocated from the fund are split between four federal agencies - the Forest Service, the National Park Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Bureau of Land Management. Virtually all of the money that the Forest Service spends each year to acquire land comes from the fund, and it is a key source of money to buy environmentally sensitive lands.

What You Can Do

The Senate Appropriations Committee is slated to meet on July 22, when they are likely to consider the issue of funding for the LWCF. Now is the time to put pressure on members of this and the Senate Interior Appropriations subcommittee to fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Please call and urge them to appropriate the full $700 million contained in the budget agreement in addition to the $200 million already agreed to on the House side.

Following is a list of Senators on the Appropriations Committee and Interior Appropriations subcommittee. If one or more of your Senators is on either committee, please ask them to support efforts to appropriate the $700 million for the LWCF contained in the budget agreement. If your Senator(s) is not on either committee, then urge them to do what they can to put pressure on the leadership of the committee and subcommittee to appropriate the full amount contained in the budget resolution to the LWCF.

Senate Committee on Appropriations In Order by Seniority within Party

Republicans(15)Democrats(13)
1. Stevens (R-AK)* 1. Byrd (D-WV)*
2. Cochran (R-MS)* 2. Inouye (D-HI)
3. Specter (R-PA) 3. Hollings (D-SC)*
4. Domenici(R-NM)* 4. Leahy (D-VT)*
5. Bond (R-MO) 5. Bumpers (D-AR)*
6. Gorton (R-WA)* 6. Lautenberg (D-NJ)
7. McConnell (R-KY) 7. Harkin (D-IA)
8. Burns (R-MT)* 8. Mikulski (D-MD)
9. Shelby (R-AL) 9. Reid, Harry (D-NV)*
10. Gregg (R-NH)* 10. Kohl (D-WI)
11. Bennett (R-UT)* 11. Murray (D-WA)
12. Campbell (R-CO)* 12. Dorgan (D-ND)*
13. Craig (R-ID) 13. Boxer (D-CA)*
14. Faircloth (R-NC)
15. Hutchison, Kay Bailey (R-TX)
* members of the Senate Interior Appropriations subcommittee

Capitol Switchboard number: (202) 224-3121

Address:
The Honorable __________
U.S. Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510

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