Summit County Citizens Voice

Passage of measure would address maintenance and acquisition backlog

Public lands could benefit from passage of the CLEAR Act.

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — For only the second time in 45 years, a key federal land and water conservation program could operate at full capacity after the House Natural Resources Committee voted to appropriate $900 million for the fund.

The Land and Water Conservation Fund was set up to to mitigate in part the potential damages from offshore oil and gas production, but Congress has continually diverted the revenues for other purposes. The legislation passed by the House committee this week would help land agencies address backlogged conservation and recreation needs at the local, state and federal level.

Every year, $900 million in royalties paid by energy companies drilling for oil and gas on the outer continental shelf are put into this fund. The money is intended to create and protect national parks, areas around rivers and lakes, national forests, and national wildlife refuges from development, and to provide matching grants for state and local parks and recreation projects. But nearly every year, Congress breaks its own promise to the American people and diverts much of this funding.

Full funding has been appropriated only once in the 45-year history of the fund, and declined to a low of $138 million in 2007. The shortfall has resulted in a land protection and outdoor recreation backlog of unmet funding needs across national forests, fish and wildlife refuges, national parks and other public lands, federal public lands, and state and local parks.

“Given the tragic situation in the Gulf, the vision behind the Land and Water Conservation Fund is even more relevant than ever,” said Will Rogers, president of the Trust for Public Land.

“For more than four decades, the promise to fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund has been unkept, but the CLEAR Act would change that,” said Tom Kiernan, president of the National Parks Conservation Association.  “With $17 billion from oil and gas receipts having accumulated in the Land and Water Conservation trust fund within the US Treasury, but not been spent for their intended purpose, it’s about time. We thank Chairman Rahall and all those who supported this provision for listening to the American people and finally keeping this historic promise to better protect our national parks for future generations to enjoy.”

“Outer continental shelf production has always been predicated on the idea that the depletion of one national, non-renewable natural resource must be balanced by the long-term protection of threatened habitats, beaches, waterways, and other special places across America,” said Bill Meadows, president of The Wilderness Society.  “As the devastating effects of the BP oil spill demonstrate, (oil and gas) production can itself be a major threat to our nation’s already-limited inventory of natural resources. Full, reliable funding of LWCF is needed to provide a fair environmental return to the public, and accordingly, it is time to renew the commitment to conservation through full and permanent funding of the program.”

“The CLEAR Act gives the American people the means to shape a healthy future for our lands and waters,” said Robert Bendick, director of U.S. Government Relations with The Nature Conservancy. “We applaud the House Committee on Natural Resources for creating an important piece of legislation that includes full, dedicated funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund. This fund protects land and water to balance the use of offshore oil and gas resources, ensure clean air and water, and support jobs and local economies. We urge Congress to pass the CLEAR Act without delay to preserve the natural resources that Americans depend upon and treasure.”

Click here for more information on the Land and Water Conservation Fund

Filed under: BLM, national parks, public lands, Summit County Colorado, US Forest Service Tagged: | Forest Service, Land and water conservation fund. CLEAR Act, public lands, Summit County, Summit County Colorado, Summit County News