Shaheen, Bipartisan Senators Introduce Amendment to Fully Fund the Land and Water Conversation Fund

(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Cory Gardner (R-CO), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Burr (R-NC), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Steve Daines (R-MT), Jon Tester (D-MT), and Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced an amendment to the Commerce, Justice, Science, Agriculture, Interior, Environment, Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill to fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) for fiscal year 2020. The LWCF was permanently reauthorized in the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management and Recreation Act of 2019. However, it has only been funded to its maximum authorization level of $900 million dollars twice in its history.

“Earlier this year, Democrats and Republicans came together to permanently reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) to ensure our most treasured sites in New Hampshire and across the country are protected and preserved for generations to come. This amendment continues that bipartisan promise by guaranteeing the funding is there for LWCF to maintain these beautiful lands and wildlife,” said Senator Shaheen. “The LWCF’s conservation efforts benefit our environment and our outdoor recreation economy, which is why I’ll continue to work across the aisle to deliver the resources this program needs to meet these goals.”

Shaheen has led efforts to help secure full funding and permanent authorization for the LWCF, which has helped protect more than 2.5 million acres of land and supported tens of thousands of state and local outdoor recreation projects throughout the nation. Shaheen’s bipartisan bill was included in legislation that was signed into law earlier this year that permanently reauthorized the LWCF.