Colorado: Bill that permanently reauthorizes the Land and Water Conservation Fund clears the House yet again misses opportunity to protect public lands across Colorado

Following on the heels of passage by the Senate, the U.S. House has passed legislation that includes a long-awaited permanent reauthorization for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), while again missing an opportunity to advance public lands bills that could protect historic, recreation, and conservation lands across Colorado. The hard work on LWCF has been done thanks to leaders in both chambers of Congress and the bill moves to the president’s desk simply for his signature.

In addition to the reauthorizing the Conservation Fund, the bill also protects millions of acres through conservation designations and mineral withdraws. While other regions will be celebrating protections for public lands, Colorado will not benefit from an opportunity to advance public lands bills that could have protected lands in the San Juan Mountains, the Continental Divide and the Thompson Divide. 

The following are statements from a number of Colorado organizations on the reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund and the failure to move important Colorado land protection efforts forward:

"Renewing the Conservation Fund is a big accomplishment and will help to ensure future generations can enjoy our parks and public lands, yet this was a missed opportunity to protect hundreds of thousands of acres of Colorado’s public lands. While other states across the West, including neighboring Utah and New Mexico, benefitted from bi-partisan efforts to move conservation and recreation bills forward, numerous widely supported bills that would have protected public lands in Colorado were not included. We look forward to working with our elected officials to pass the Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy Act, and securing permanent protection for public lands across Colorado that communities have sought for decades.” --Jim Ramey, Colorado State Director, The Wilderness Society

“The sporting community is very appreciative of the passage of the Natural Resources Management Act. It definitely secures some long fought victories for protecting our sporting heritage. That doesn’t mean our work is complete, however. The Land and Water Conservation will remain without funding, and here in Colorado, we’re still lacking protection for the important hunting and angling areas in the CORE Act that Coloradans have been working for years to protect. We’ll certainly take moment to celebrate today’s accomplishments but then we’ll immediately pivot to a hard press for the full funding of LWCF and passage of the CORE Act.” -- Aaron Kindle, Sr. Manager, Western Sporting Campaigns, National Wildlife Federation

"We are happy to see the US House approve the public lands package with bipartisan support, including from Colorado's delegation. Now we must take another step by making sure the Land and Water Conservation Fund receives full funding in the appropriations process. We also regret that Colorado did not achieve any major public lands protections in this package, though most of our neighboring states -- including Utah and New Mexico -- did." -- Scott Braden, Wilderness & Public Lands Advocate, Conservation Colorado

“Colorado’s public lands -- our national parks, forests and wildlife refuges -- are part of an American invention and one of the most important treasures we can pass onto the next generation. By permanently reauthorizing the Land and Water Conservation Fund, Congress has reinstated one of our best tools for ensuring we can protect these iconic places. We applaud Colorado senators and representatives from both sides of the aisle for achieving this long sought conservation goal, and urge President Trump to sign the bill into law. Moving forward, we’ll keep pushing to make sure LWCF is fully funded. Our public lands deserve no less.” -- Kristine Oblock, Clean Water Network Coordinator, Environment Colorado

“We know there is a lot going on across the country right now, but everyone should pause for a few moments and take in what is happening with our nation’s public lands. We are set to preserve nearly a million acres of land for protection and outdoor recreation, permanently reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund and help our young people enjoy the outdoors more, among many other things – changing the trajectory of public land protection and advocacy for the next generation for the better. We are thankful of the tireless hours many key senators and representatives, public lands advocates and American citizens put in to get this across the finish line.  And, while it certainly is not solely responsible for all of the support and ‘yes’ votes, OIA's work over the years to quantify the contribution of the outdoor recreation economy -- $887 billion per year and over 7.6 million jobs -- had a helping hand in bridging some of the partisan divide in Washington and getting this once-in-a-decade public lands package done.” -- Patricia Rojas-Ungar, Vice President of Government Affairs of Outdoor Industry Association

“The Sierra Club is thrilled to see Congress permanently reauthorize the Land & Water Conservation Fund and legislate the every Kids Outdoors Act.  These are big wins, although we know it's not perfect – we will continue to fight for full funding for the Conservation Fund so it can reach its full potential.”  -- Vicky Hoover, Chair, Sierra Club’s LWCF Task Force

Resources

B-roll for broadcast use: CORE Act

Media Resources: Land and Water Conservation Fund