Contact: Naomi Edelson | 202-797-6889 | edelsonn@nwf.org
Dedicated Wildlife Funding Must be Included
- America’s wildlife is in crisis — with more than one-third of all species imperiled. This monumental problem demands an equally big solution.
- The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act is a fiscally responsible, national strategy to hasten the recovery of more than 12,000 potentially at-risk species through the United States.
- The bill would invest $1.3 billion of existing funding — collected from energy and mineral fees on federal lands and waters — into state-based solutions by supporting the State Wildlife Action Plans mandated by Congress.
Recovering Wildlife, Parks Maintenance, and LWCF:
- All of the parks maintenance bills and one of the LWCF bills call for dedicated funding.
- Three pillars of conservation funding are needed- 1 for wildlife, 1 for parks, 1 for LWCF
- Dedicated Wildlife funding has broad bipartisan support with more than 70 cosponsors in the House
- Dedicated Wildlife funding has widespread support of more than 1000 diverse businesses and groups
- Saying we can only address the national parks backlog or conserve wildlife is a false choice. We can do both and should refuse to play these connected priorities off each other.
- After all, one of the main reasons people visit our national parks and other public lands is to see wildlife.
Current Parks Maintenance Legislation
After years of congressional underfunding, the National Parks Service is facing a backlog of more than $11 billion in deferred maintenance repairs. National Park facilities are reaching the end of their lifecycles, and the NPS is struggling to maintain the parks system’s enormous infrastructure, all at a time our parks are experiencing record visitation. Congress is now seeking more funding to address the backlog.
Senate:
- 2509– National Parks Restoration Act, Sponsor: Sen Lamar Alexander (R-TN)
- Establishes a dedicated park maintenance fund. Funding is provided through 50% of all unallocated money received from onshore and offshore energy development or renewable energy development. LWCF, Reclamation, and other programs funded through energy development will be funded first. This bill prohibits land acquisition.
- 8 Cosponsors: Sen. Capito (R-WV), Sen. Daines (R-MT), Sen. Gardner (R-CO), Sen. Tillis (R-NC), Sen. Blunt (R-MO), Sen. Heinrich (D-NM), Sen. Manchin (D-WV), Sen. King (I-ME) Full list of cosponsors linked here
- 3172– Restore Our Parks Act, Sponsor: Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) (Hearing on July 11th at 3pm- Senate ENR Nat’l Parks Subcommittee)
- Establishes a dedicated park maintenance fund that provides 50% of the unallocated money of the money from onshore and offshore energy development or renewable energy development up to $1.3 billion per year over five years for a potential total of $6.5 billion. 65% of the funds are to be spent on non-transportation projects and 35% on transportation projects.
- 3 Cosponsors: Sen. Warner (D-VA), Sen. Alexander (R-TN), Sen. King (I-ME)
Full list of cosponsors linked here
- 751– National Park Service Legacy Act of 2017, Sponsor: Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA)
- Establishes a dedicated park maintenance fund that slowly escalates over 30 years to provide a total of $11.6 billion in funding. 20% of the funds will be allocated to roads and transportation. 80% of the funds will be spent on non-transportation projects. Funding will come from unallocated money from onshore and offshore energy development and renewable energy development. This bill prohibits land acquisition and this funding is not allowed to replace existing discretionary funding.
- 21 Cosponsors: 21 (16 D’s, 4 R’s, 1 I)
Full list of cosponsors linked here
House:
- 5210– National Park Restoration Act, Sponsor: Mike Simpson (R-ID)
- Companion bill to S. 2509
- 11 Cosponsors: Rep. Schrader (D-OR), Rep. Hanabusa (D-HI), Rep. Garamendi (D-CA), Rep. Hurd (R-TX), Rep. Bishop (R-UT), Rep. Torres (D-CA), Rep. LaMalfa (R-CA), Rep. Cramer (R-ND), Rep. Ross (R-FL), Rep. Cook (R-CA), Rep. Walorski (R-IN)
Full list of cosponsors linked here
- 2584– National Park Restoration Act, Sponsor: Rep. Will Hurd (R-TX)
- Companion bill to S. 751
- 80 Cosponsors (40 D’s and 39 R’s)
Full list of cosponsors linked here
Current LWCF Legislation
Issue Overview:
The Land and Water Conservation uses revenue from offshore oil and gas drilling to support the conservation of national parks, areas around rivers and lakes, national forests, national forests, and national wildlife refuges. There is a substantial backlog of federal conservation needs are currently estimated at more than $30 billion.
Senate:
- 896– A bill to permanently reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund, Sponsor: Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC)
- Permanently reauthorizes the Land Water and Conservation Fund, and directs a portion of LWCF funding (1.5% or $10 million annually) to opening up additional access to public lands for hunting, fishing, and other recreation
- 12 Cosponsors: Sen. Bennet (D-CO), Sen. Collins (R-ME), Sen. Gardner (R-CO), Sen. Daines (R-MT), Sen. Shaheen (D-NH), Sen. Heinrich (D-NM), Sen. Graham (R-SC), Sen. King (I-ME), Sen. Donnelly (D-IN), Sen. Isakson (R-GA), Sen. Ernst (R-IA), Sen. Capito (R-WV)
Full list of cosponsors linked here
- 569– Land and Water Conservation Authorization and Funding Act, Sponsor: Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) with Sen. Burr as cosponsor
- This bill permanently reauthorizes LWCF and provides for full, dedicated and permanent funding.
- 43 Cosponsors: (38 D’s, 3 R’s, 2 I’s)
Full list of cosponsors linked here
House:
- 502– To permanently reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund, Sponsor: Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ)
- Companion bill to S. 896
- 229 Cosponsors: (193 D’s and 36 R’s)