Today's Most Urgent Conservation Issue The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) is the most important source of funding for conservation land acquisition in the nation. This 54-year old Federal program, funded with the proceeds from offshore leases, has provided billions of dollars for expanding and improving access to wild and recreational lands around the country, including many millions of dollars in Massachusetts. The LWCF is now permanently reauthorized by Congress after a nationwide advocacy effort. Permanently reauthorizing this program is a huge victory, and we thank Congress for its strong bipartisan action, but authorization without an annual appropriation is an empty victory. In the past appropriations have fallen far short of the authorized $900 million per year.

Right now, through Senate Bill S. 1081 and House Bill H.R. 3195 we have the opportunity to pass legislation calling for permanent full funding of the LWCF making it a reliable resource for preserving and providing access to the lands and sites we love and admire. Securing permanent full funding for the LWCF will provide assurance to willing sellers, planners and officials at state and local levels that there will be funds to secure our land, outdoor recreation economy, access to hunting and angling opportunities, water resources, and the historic and cultural sites we treasure.

To prevent the loss of our beloved natural and cultural resouces, and truly fulfill the promise the of LWCF we must get our legislators to bring key legislation to a floor vote in congress. Here is an action you can take today: Please contact the following Senators urging them to request the leadership to schedule a floor vote on S. 1081 and these Representatives to request Speaker Pelosi to do the same for H.R. 3195 for permanent full funding of the LWCF.

•  Senator Edward Markey at https://www.markey.senate.gov/contact

• Senator Elizabeth Warren at https://www.warren.senate.gov/contact/shareyouropinion 

• Senator Susan Collins at https://www.collins.senate.gov/contact

• If in District 1, contact Representative Richard Neal at https://neal.house.gov/contact

• If in District 2, contact Jim McGovern at  https://mcgovern.house.gov/contact

For another urgent matter see https://www.outdoors.org/conservation-action-network/rollback-climate-regulations 

Up coming Issues: - What can we do to preserve the Endangered Species Act?

                                 - Putting solar power installations where they the most good

For comments, questions, offers to help, contact: conservation@amcberkshire.org