House Floor Vote Letter on Interior Appropriations Anti-LWCF Amendment 7-16-18
July 17, 2018
Re: Vote NO on Anti-LWCF Amendments Biggs No. 111 & 129 to H.R. 6147
Dear Representative:
On behalf of the American Hiking Society, the Partnership for the National Trails System, and the thousands of diverse trail users our collective organizations represent, we urge you to OPPOSE amendments offered by Rep. Biggs to H.R. 6147, Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2019. Biggs Amendments No. 111 and No. 129 would reduce essential funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF).
- OPPOSE- Biggs Amendment No. 129, Reduction in Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Funding for Bureau of Land Management
Biggs Amendment 129 would transfer $2.4 million from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land and Water Conservation Fund Land Acquisition account into the National Park Service (NPS) Maintenance Backlog. Addressing the NPS maintenance backlog is crucial, but doing so at the expense of the already-underfunded LWCF is not the right solution. This amendment will put at risk essential land acquisition projects at BLM, endangering the conservation and preservation of public lands. The LWCF is America’s most important program to conserve irreplaceable lands and improve outdoor recreation opportunities throughout the nation. The program has funded hundreds of local trail projects and thousands of other projects ranging from national parks, forests and wildlife refuges to community parks and ball fields in all 50 states. The program should be fully-funded at congressionally-mandated levels.
- OPPOSE- Biggs Amendment No. 111, Reduction in Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) funding for U.S. Forest Service
Biggs Amendment 111 would transfer $3.47 million from the Forest Service Land and Water Conservation Fund Land Acquisition account into the Spending Reduction account. Reducing the already-underfunded LWCF will endanger the Forest Service’s efforts to conserve and preserve America’s forests. The LWCF is our most important program to conserve irreplaceable lands and improve outdoor recreation opportunities throughout the nation. The program has funded hundreds of local trail projects and thousands of other projects ranging from National Parks, Forests and Wildlife Refuges to community parks and ball fields in all 50 states. The program should be fully-funded at congressionally-mandated levels.
For additional information please contact Tyler Ray, American Hiking Society, tray@americanhiking.org.
Sincerely,
Kathryn Van Waes
Executive Director
American Hiking Society
Gary Werner
Executive Director
Partnership for the National Trails System