Restored funding for US public lands
And I thought the R and the D would never come together on anything ever again. Specially surprised but proud my old Congressman. Mike Simpson (ID) came through in the House. I got this summary from the American Battlefield Trust (formerly Civil War Trust):
"Dear Mr. Norstog,
Those of us who love America’s public lands have much to celebrate! The future of this nation’s most treasured landscapes, from iconic national parks to the battlefields on which our formative conflicts were decided, is now more secure, since the “Great American Outdoors Act” has become law this week.
This legislation to preserve and restore America’s public lands received significant bipartisan support in both houses of Congress and from a vast coalition of conservation and stewardship organizations, including the Trust, before it was signed into law by President Trump. This milestone was the result of hard work, much of it behind the scenes, done over long months and years, and I will always be proud of the role that our organization, along with many others, played in urging lawmakers to embrace the proper care of our treasured landscapes on an unprecedented scale.
This bill does two important things that directly benefit our mission of battlefield preservation:
First, it fully and permanently funds the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) at the $900 million level annually. Since its inception, LWCF has been used to protect lands all across the nation, in all 50 states and virtually every county from Alaska to Florida, including many battlefields. Better yet, these funds don’t come from taxpayers, they are those revenues from on-shore and off-shore energy development — both fossil and renewable energy operations — that are not already allocated by law to other programs.
Second, it allocates $9 billion over five years to address the deferred maintenance backlog experienced by federal agencies, including the National Park Service, the National Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Battlefield parks are included in this critical maintenance backlog, with millions of dollars’ worth of projects at dozens of places, such as Antietam, Gettysburg, Shiloh, Vicksburg and Yorktown. Completion of these projects will materially enhance these outdoor classrooms and ensure they are accessible to the public.
But back to that LWCF funding for a moment. In countless notices of properties we are seeking to save over the years you’ve supported the Trust, you’ve probably seen us mention “federal matching grants.” Well, that money comes from LWCF, via the National Park Service’s American Battlefield Protection Program. Specifically, those monies are referred to as Battlefield Land Acquisition Grants and, thanks to the Great American Outdoors Act, the mechanism that creates them is more secure – a true cause for celebration, indeed!
But as we toast this major victory, we can’t lose sight of the fact that this isn’t free money – it’s a potential match to private money that we must raise from donors like you. For each transaction, we must put up $1 for every $1 that we apply for from the government – no small feat in difficult times such as these. So as we toast the bright future of America’s public lands, please remember that to fully maximize the impact of this great leap forward, your ongoing support will remain critical.
Sincerely,
Paul Coussan
Senior Manager, Federal Relations
American Battlefield Trust
PS: I would be remiss not to recognize the many Senators and Representatives who championed this legislation as it made its way through Congress. In a time when there is so much division, it is wonderful to see the true bipartisan support that national parks and other special landscapes can muster! In particular, this day would not have been possible without: Sens. Corey Gardner (R-CO), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Steve Daines (R-MT), Mark Warner (D-VA), Rob Portman (R-OH), Angus King (I-ME), Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK); Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), plus Reps. Joe Cunningham (D-SC) and Mike Simpson (R-ID)."
jn
