Senators aim to extend federal conservation fund

A bipartisan group of senators on Friday introduced a bill to permanently reauthorize the nation’s main conservation fund. 

The legislation, from Sens. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), would permanently reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), a federal program that supports park improvements and land acquisition.

The LWCF is broadly popular in Congress, but it’s operating under only a three-year authorization finalized in 2015. Supports of the program are aiming to keep the LWCF authorized on a permanent basis, something the bill introduced Friday would do. 

{mosads}“The LWCF has a proven track record of making good on the promise of conserving our parks, open spaces and wildlife habitats for the benefit of future generations of Americans,” Burr said in a statement.

Congress will need to authorize the LWCF before the end of next year, giving lawmakers the chance to reform, expand or make the program permanent. 

While it’s popular, some lawmakers in the House had proposed reforming it and have come out against reauthorizing it on a permanent basis. A long-term reauthorization for LWCF was a key component of energy reform legislation passed by the Senate last year, but lawmakers were not able to craft a final bill. 

LWCF supporters rallied around the legislation on Friday.

Tom Cors, a spokesman for the LWCF Coalition, said it “recognizes the importance of public lands, outdoor recreation and tourism to the health and vitality of both urban and rural communities across America and the key role that LWCF plays in the outdoor economy.”