Love the Outdoors? Please Support Land and Water Conservation Fund

Are you a conservationist? A fan of outdoor recreation? Do you recognize the importance of tourist dollars in California?

Then you need to urge your congressman to renew funding for the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF).

This is a program that costs taxpayers nothing and provides tremendous value to our lives and our economy by helping keep our national parks, state lands, recreation areas, lakes, rivers and forests accessible to visitors.

The program has been renewed periodically since it was established in 1964, and it’s up for renewal again!

Through outdoor activities such as fishing, hunting and off-roading, the LWCF generates resources to fund its operations through smart, sustainable forest management practices around the country.

According to the Outdoor Industry Association, active outdoor recreation supports $92 billion in consumer spending in California and 691,000 jobs across the state, generating $30.4 billion in wages and salaries.

This industry also produces $6.2 billion annually in state and local tax revenue.

This half-century-old conservation program has bipartisan support and yet, as you know, the attention of Congress has been diverted recently.

We cannot allow the LWCF to expire. In fact, we should push for permanent renewal of the program.

Congress has not yet prioritized voting on the LWCF. Please call or write today and tell your elected representatives to protect funding for America’s great outdoors. Let them know that this program is a priority to you and your family! Patricia Lester Newhall