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LWCF



Several bills to make the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) permanent
and fully funded have been introduced in Congress recently. LWCF is the
main vehicle for funding federal land acquisition and protection, including
funds designated to states for wildlife and habitat protection.

Most promising are two sets of bills -- H.R. 798 & S.446 (introduced by
Rep. Miller and Sen. Boxer), and a bill introduced yesterday by Sen.
Feinstein.  Other bills that have been introduced are generally either too
restrictive or actually encourage states to drill for more offshore oil and
gas.

Please call your Senators and Representative and ask them to support
S.446/H.R.798, also known as "Permanent Protection for America's Resources
2000 Act," and Senator Feinstein's LWCF bill.

BACKGROUND
Despite Congress' intentions when the LWCF was created in 1964, it has
almost never received its full annual appropriation of $900 million, drawn
from royalties of offshore oil and gas drilling (which total $4.7 billion
annually).  And because the LWCF is not permanently funded, yearly
legislative battles are fought over its appropriations.  For example, in
the last decade, the LWCF generally has not received much more than $200
million annually.

But in January, President Clinton announced his Lands Legacy Initiative,
which would provide $1 billion for FY2000 LWCF funding (see Jan. 21
WildAlert).  He also promised to push to make LWCF a dedicated fund, so
that full funding levels would be guaranteed.

Several bills to fund the LWCF have been introduced in both the U.S. House
and Senate in the last few weeks.  Here's a quick run down--

Good news:
   - H.R.798/S.446--Introduced by Rep. George Miller and Sen. Barbara
Boxer. Would provide permanent and full funding for LWCF. Funding levels
are not tied to the quantity of offshore oil and gas production, nor are
there limits on purchases as contained in H.R.798/S.25. Officially known as
Permanent Protection for America's Resources 2000.  The Wilderness Society
supports these bills.

   - Sen. Diane Feinstein's bill would provide $810 million for LWCF, with
an additional $90 million for urban parks and facilities development.  Not
less than 50% of state funding would be directed to local government for
natural areas, open space, recreation areas, and wildlife.  Also, Native
American tribes would be allowed to purchase land for conservation
purposes, which has not been allowed before.  The Wilderness Society also
supports this bill.

In the right direction, but...:
   - H.R.701/S.25--Introduced by Reps. Don Young & John Dingell and Sens.
Frank Murkowski and Mary Landrieu.  Unlike the Miller/Boxer bill,
H.R.701/S.25 contain significant restrictions on where and how much land
could be purchased: Only inholding purchases would be allowed under the
bill, and two-thirds of purchases would have to occur east of the 100th
Meridian -- both of which would severely limit efforts of federal agencies
to acquire key lands in the West.  Further, H.R. 701 requires that any
purchase over $1 million ($5 million in S.25) receive separate
congressional approval.  Finally, there is concern about potential
incentives in the bill for increased offshore oil drilling.

House Speaker Dennis Hastert and Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott have
both pledged that an LWCF bill will pass Congress in this session.  We are
working to ensure that whatever bill emerges does not contain damaging or
restricting language like that in H.R.701/S.25.  You can help!

TAKE ACTION
Hearings are already scheduled on March 9, 10, & 11 for the Young/Murkowski
and Miller/Boxer bills.  Your Senators and Representative need to hear from
you in support of H.R.798 & S.446, the Miller/Boxer LWCF bills, because
these bills:
   - would permanently and fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund
(LWCF);
   - would not restrict where and what type of purchases can be made
through the LWCF;
   - would not create incentives for more offshore oil drilling; and
   - would make non-game and endangered species high priorities for state
wildlife agency funds.

Write or call your congressional members:

Rep. _____, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. 20515
Sen. _____, U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C. 20510
Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121


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