Land and Water Conservation Fund

Washington, DC --(Ammoland.com)- Conrad Anker, world-renowned alpine climber — who discovered lost explorer George Mallory’s body on Mt. Everest — will testify before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, the Environment and Related Agencies on April 15 in support of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF).

The fund is facing increased budget cuts. Supported by offshore oil and gas leasing revenues — not taxpayers’ dollars — the LWCF ensures all Americans have access to local community parks and playgrounds and the vast expanses of federal public lands.

“LWCF enhances access to the outdoors for active recreation and keeps the doors open to the outdoor industry, which contributes $730 billion to the economy each year,” said Conrad Anker, who manages the athlete department for The North Face and appears on behalf of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Coalition, a broad-based coalition of conservation, recreation, environment, business, historic and cultural organizations working to secure full and dedicated funding of the LWCF.

“If we are serious about creating jobs and getting the economy back on track, conservation spending on LWCF is not only wise, but an essential investment,” said Anker. “It reaps immediate and tangible benefits in our communities across the tourism, service and outdoor recreation sectors.”

The outdoor industry is one of America’s fastest growing sectors. In addition to contributing more than $730 billion to the American economy each year, it generates $88 billion in annual state and federal tax revenue. More than 6.5 million American jobs are supported by the active outdoor recreation economy.

Anker’s testimony in support of LWCF comes at a critical time, as Congress is preparing to write the FY 2012 budget for federal agencies that oversee natural resource and outdoor recreation programs. In the recently negotiated FY 2011 budget, LWCF experienced significant cuts that will affect outdoor recreation projects and jobs in communities across the country.

Anker will testify in favor of reversing these cuts.

“In this time of fiscal challenges, LWCF is an investment that simply cannot be deferred. Not only does it protect our most cherished, singularly American places, but at the same time it produces enormous, direct, tangible economic returns to communities across the country,” said Anker.

“As we all commit ourselves to America’s economic recovery, as LWCF’s offshore oil and gas revenues continue to flow into the treasury, and as land-use pressures increasingly jeopardize the economic, recreational, and other public values of our nation’s outdoor resources, now is the time for LWCF. I therefore respectfully ask that you restore the cuts to this vital program.”

“The outdoor industry is fortunate to have a strong advocate in Conrad Anker on behalf of preserving recreation venues for all Americans,” said Amy Roberts, vice president of government affairs at Outdoor Industry Association. “LWCF touches every community in America, investing in our national recreation infrastructure, local and urban parks, and providing access to our public lands, rivers, and beaches, so important to getting families, especially underserved youth, active and outdoors. The LWCF stateside program alone has funded over 41,000 projects that promote healthy, close-to-home recreation.”

Created by Congress in 1965, LWCF was a bipartisan commitment to safeguard natural areas, water resources and our cultural heritage, and to provide recreation opportunities to all Americans. National parks like Rocky Mountain and the Great Smoky Mountains, as well as national wildlife refuges, national forests, Civil War battlefields, cultural and historic sites, rivers and lakes, working ranches and forests, community parks, trails, and ball fields in every one of our 50 states are permanently protected for Americans to enjoy thanks to federal funds from LWCF.

“Even in these tough economic times, when families need to cut back on spending, people are willing to invest in outdoor recreation,” said Anker. “Families understand that being outdoors is a wise investment that reaps benefits to their health and well being. In turn, this spending supports jobs and drives economic vibrancy in our communities.”

The Land and Water Conservation Fund Coalition is an informal partnership working together to support full and dedicated funding for LWCF. The coalition includes hundreds of local, state and national business, recreation, private landowner and conservation organizations across the country. Congress created the LWCF in 1964 to guarantee America’s natural, historical and outdoor recreation heritage. In 1968, Congress authorized an income stream for LWCF from offshore oil and gas leasing revenues. The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, the Environment, and Related Agencies is chaired by Representative Mike Simpson (R-ID).

About Conrad Anker:
In May of 1999, as a member of the Mallory & Irvine Research Expedition, Conrad discovered the body of George Mallory, the preeminent Everest explorer of the 1920s. The disappearance of Mallory and Sandy Irvine on their summit bid in June 1924 is one of climbing’s great mysteries, and Conrad’s discovery and analysis of the find has shed new light on the pioneering climbs of the early expeditions. Conrad graduated from the University of Utah and lives in Bozeman, Montana, with his wife and three sons. He is a board member of the Conservation Alliance, the Alex Lowe Charitable Foundation and the Montana State University Leadership Institute. Conrad has worked with The North Face for 27 years and focuses his efforts on outdoor participation, youth engagement and corporate sustainability. Conrad has been recognized for his work and climbing ability by the American Alpine Club with the Underhill Award (2002) and the David Brower Conservation Award (2010). In 2008 the University of Utah bestowed Conrad with the Distinguished Alumni Award. Vist: www.conradanker.com

Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership

WASHINGTON --(Ammoland.com)- Many of you recently took action and asked Congress to support the Land and Water Conservation Fund, helping to ensure the fund can continue saving some of America’s most popular sporting destinations from development and closure to recreation. Sportsmen have a final chance to speak up this week as Congress makes its last push toward the end of the session. Now is your chance to ask Congress to fully fund the LWCF at $900 million per year.

The TRCP has produced a video about the importance of the Land and Water Conservation Fund. See why hunters and anglers support full funding of the LWCF.

The LWCF accumulates money from off-shore energy leases and uses these funds to purchase public lands that provide access to hunting and fishing, maintain important waterfowl nesting sites and provide functional habitat for a range of species.

Speak up now and support full and dedicated funding of $900 million per year for the Land and Water Conservation Fund to improve public access to hunting and fishing opportunities on public lands.

About:
Inspired by the legacy of Theodore Roosevelt, the TRCP is a coalition of organizations and grassroots partners working together to preserve the tradition of hunting and fishing. Visit: www.trcp.org

Outdoor Industry Association

BOULDER, CO --(Ammoland.com)- Outdoor Industry Association is thrilled to announce that the House of Representatives passed a bill today that will grant full and guaranteed funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

The Consolidated Land, Energy, and Aquatic Resources Act of 2010(H.R. 3534) will dedicate $900 million each year to LWCF, the federal government’s main program for preserving open space and building and enhancing parks, trails and recreation infrastructure throughout the U.S. The House passed the bill by a vote of 209-192.

“OIA thanks every member of the House who voted for this bill and specifically recognizes Congressman Nick Rahall (D-WV) for his vision and commitment to achieving full and dedicated funding for LWCF,” said Frank Hugelmeyer, president of OIA.

LWCF has had a profound effect on the recreation landscape of this country. The federal land acquisition portion of the program is the key source of funds to purchase lands for national forests, national parks, national wildlife refuges, and the Bureau of Land Management. The Stateside program has funded over 41,000 projects including sports fields, outdoor recreation facilities and trails. LWCF dollars expand and improve opportunities for hiking, biking, paddling, climbing, backcountry skiing, camping, hunting, fishing, wildlife viewing and other outdoor recreation activities. The fund has helped to enhance iconic American landscapes like Yosemite National Park, the Grand Canyon, the Florida Everglades, and the Appalachian Trail.

A fully funded LWCF supports the outdoor recreation economy. Retail sales and travel expenses associated with activities like hiking, fishing, camping, climbing, mountain biking, river rafting, and wildlife viewing contribute $730 billion annually to the U.S. economy, supporting 6.5 million jobs across the U.S. and generating $88 billion in annual state and federal tax revenue

A healthy LWCF also supports conservation related jobs. A study by the University of Massachusetts found that every $1 million spent on LWCF projects and on national, state and local parks, creates more than 20 jobs on average.

“Securing full and dedicated funding for LWCF has been a priority issue for OIA and the outdoor industry for many years and today’s vote is historic step in realizing that vision. However, the work is not over. The focus now moves to the Senate which will debate a bill granting full funding for LWCF next week. We encourage our members to make sure your senators know how important this vote is to the outdoor recreation community,” said Amy Roberts, vice president of Government Affairs for OIA.

About Outdoor Industry Association
Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) is a national trade association whose mission is to ensure the growth and success of the outdoor industry. OIA provides trade services for over 4000 manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, sales representatives and retailers in the outdoor industry. OIA programs include representation in government/legislative affairs, market and social research, business-to-business services and youth outreach initiatives. Educational events include the annual Rendezvous®, Outdoor University®, and the Capitol Summit. Outdoor Industry Association is based in Boulder, Colorado, and is the title sponsor of the Outdoor Retailer tradeshows. For more information go to www.outdoorindustry.org or call 303.444.3353.

Land and Water Conservation Fund

WASHINGTON, DC –-(AmmoLand.com)- Senators Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) and Max Baucus (D-MT), today introduced legislation to permanently provide $900 million to the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), the federal government’s main program to protect land and provide outdoor recreation opportunities.

The legislation, S. 2747, is supported by a broad coalition of conservation and recreation organizations.

“Even in difficult economic times, open space protection and outdoor recreation are top priorities for Americans. Two out of three American voters continue to offer strong support for public investments in conservation – and that support has held steady despite the economic downturn and in this week’s elections, 64 percent of state and municipal ballot initiatives authorizing land conservation funding passed,” stated Mark Tercek, President and CEO of The Nature Conservancy. “Senator Bingaman and Senator Baucus clearly understand this, and are taking that crucial step towards making a dependable investment in the future of this country’s communities.”

The LWCF, created in 1965, has helped protect land at some of America’s most famous and popular places including our country’s iconic national parks, national forests, wildlife refuges and National Landscape Conservation System Lands where millions of Americans recreate; beaches on the Gulf Coast and Atlantic seaboard; as well as cultural and historic places like Civil War battlefields and Native American sites.

The program also includes grants to support state and local parks. Those grants help develop park facilities and recreational amenities – creating jobs and supporting the quality-of-life factors that allow communities to attract employers and a strong work force.

“We get to protect places like La Cienega Area of Critical Environmental Concern and Petroglyph National Monument at the same time that we improve parks, trails, ball fields, and pools – that’s a win for everyone. It’s heartening to see Senator Bingaman taking steps to fully fund this program and enrich our communities,” said New Mexico House Majority Leader Kenny Martinez.

Every year, $900 million goes into the fund from oil and gas leases on federal lands. But Congress has often spent the money for other purposes and only once in the history of the fund has all the money gone for the original intent of the LWCF. This year, the fund saw its greatest allocation in many years at more than $300 million – but that is still only one third of what it is supposed to be.

Because only a fraction of the funds dedicated to the purpose have actually been spent, there is a backlog of more than $30 billion worth of lands that federal agencies would like to protect. In addition, states say they have a huge unmet need for local parks and recreation resources totaling more than $27 billion in eligible projects.

“The irony is that billions of dollars are collected every year from existing offshore oil and gas leasing revenues – the designated revenue stream for LWCF – and yet that money is regularly diverted for other purposes,” stated Will Rogers, President of The Trust for Public Land. “We need to make sure the money is spent for the purposes for which it was originally collected and to ensure that our children and grandchildren have a place to play.”

Federal and state public lands as well local parks and recreation facilities greatly enhance communities’ quality of life, which in turn helps large and small localities to attract new residents and businesses and to generate tourism-related jobs and revenues. Outdoor recreation including hunting, fishing, camping, climbing, hiking, paddling, backcountry skiing, mountain biking, wildlife viewing, and other activities contributes a total of $730 billion annually to the economy, supporting 6.5 million jobs (1 of every 20 jobs in the U.S.) and stimulates 8 percent of all consumer spending according to the Outdoor Industry Foundation.

“The outdoor industry has long held a goal of ensuring every child in America has access to a trail or park within one mile of their home. Many studies show that this type of commitment to our nation’s recreation infrastructure would easily pay for itself in the resulting reduction in health care costs and the increase in the mental well-being of our children,” said Frank Hugelmeyer, president of Outdoor Industry Association.

The Land and Water Conservation Fund Coalition is an informal partnership of national, state and local conservation and recreation organizations working together to support full and dedicated funding for LWCF.

About:
The Land and Water Conservation Fund Coalition members include: Access Fund w American Canoe Association w American Hiking Society w American Whitewater w Appalachian Mountain Club w California State Parks Foundation w City Parks Alliance w Civil War Preservation Trust w Defenders of Wildlife w Eastern Forest Partnership w Highlands Coalition w International Mountain Bicycling Association w Land Trust Alliance w National Association of State Outdoor Recreation Liaison Officers w National Association of State Park Directors w National Parks Conservation Association w National Recreation and Park Association w National Wildlife Federation w National Wildlife Refuge Association w New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation w Northern Forest Alliance w Outdoor Alliance w Outdoor Industry Association w Outdoors America w Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests w Sonoran Institute w Southern Appalachian Forest Coalition w The Conservation Fund w The Nature Conservancy w The Trust for Public Land w The Wilderness Society w Western Rivers Conservancy w Winter Wildlands Alliance

Outdoor Industry Association

BOULDER, CO –-(AmmoLand.com)- Congress has approved a 17 percent increase in total funding over last year’s level for the Department of the Interior (DOI) which manages a vast majority of the nation’s public lands. The final bill H.R. 2996,

http://www.outdoorindustry.org/pdf/ConferenceReportDOI2010.pdf

designates over $32 billion to the DOI, an increase in $4.66 billion compared to last year. Notable victories for the outdoor recreation community include invigorated funding levels for the federal and stateside Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) as well as authorization and support for the FLAME Act which is aimed at managing the escalating costs of wildfire.

Systematically underfunded in the past, the LWCF received revived attention from lawmakers this year. The conference committee approved $265.3 million for federal LWCF, a figure that exceeds last year’s funding level by $100 million. The committee has designated $40 million to stateside LWCF, twice the amount specified in last year’s appropriations.

The bill also creates the FLAME Fund which sets aside resources for fire suppression emergencies to avoid drawing from non-fire operations such as the budgets that fund campgrounds and trails. The conference report allots $474 million to the fund for FY2010, $61 million of which will go to the Bureau of Land Management and $413 million will be allotted to the Forest Service.

Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) appreciates the leadership that congressional members have shown for outdoor recreation and land stewardship throughout the appropriations process.

“The vast majority of outdoor recreation occurs on our magnificent public lands and in order for the recreation economy to continue to grow as well as for Americans to enjoy the health and spiritual benefits of outdoor recreation, we as a nation must invest in the management of these wonderful resources. This budget reflects that priority,” said Frank Hugelmeyer, president and CEO of OIA.

Here is a brief list of additional highlights from the spending bill:

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Resource Management Planning program will receive nearly $50 million this year, a $2 million increase over last year and slightly below the $52.5 million recommended by OIA.

The BLM’s National Landscape Conservation System will receive a nearly $8 million increase over last year’s funding, just shy of the OIA recommendation.

The National Park Service’s (NPS) operating budget was approved at $130 million more than last year’s level, exceeding the OIA recommendation of a $100 million increase.

The committee approved the NPS’s Centennial Initiative for $15 million, $10 million below both the House request and the OIA recommendation.

The Forest Service’s Recreation, Heritage & Wilderness program was approved for $285 million which is a $7.5 million increase over last year.

The committee allotted $85.4 million for the Forest Service Trails program which is a $4.4 million increase over last year.

The final version of the spending bill will go to President Obama for his signature.

Click here (http://www.outdoorindustry.org/pdf/ConferenceReportDOI2010.pdf) to be directed to the full text of the conference committee report.

About Outdoor Industry Association
Outdoor Industry Association® (OIA) is a national trade association whose mission is to ensure the growth and success of the outdoor industry. OIA provides trade services for over 4000 manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, sales representatives and retailers in the outdoor industry. OIA programs include representation in government/legislative affairs, market and social research, business-to-business services and youth outreach initiatives. Educational events include the annual Rendezvous®, Outdoor University® and the Capitol Summit. Outdoor Industry Association is based in Boulder, Colorado, and is the title sponsor of the Outdoor Retailer tradeshows. For more information, visit http://www.outdoorindustry.org or call 303.444.3353.

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission

LINCOLN, Neb. –-(AmmoLand.com)- The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is accepting outdoor recreation and recreational trail grant applications for fiscal year 2010 funding for two programs.

The applications are for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and the Recreational Trails Program (RTP).

The LWCF is a federally funded grant program for projects that encourage outdoor recreation. Eligible projects include ball fields, soccer fields, swimming pools, picnicking facilities, playgrounds, park acquisition and development, shelter houses, and related support facilities. The program provides reimbursable matching grants for up to 50 percent of the project costs.

Political subdivisions may download the application and policies online at ngpc.state.ne.us/parks/programs/lwcf/lwcf.asp or contact Tim Montgomery at (402) 471-5424 or tim.montgomery@nebraska.gov.

The RTP is a grant program through the Federal Highway Administration that reimburses political subdivisions up to 80 percent of project costs for trail acquisition, development renovation and support facilities.

Applicants must have the financial means to undertake and maintain the project and all funding should be on hand. This funding source is for motorized and nonmotorized trail projects. Political subdivisions may download the new application and policies online at ngpc.state.ne.us/parks/programs/grants/trailgrants.asp or contact Michelle Stryker at (402) 471-5425 or michelle.stryker@nebraska.gov.

Applications for both programs must be submitted to the Commission by Oct. 1, 2009.