House Panel Approves Landmark Conservation, Recreation Bill

IMBA Trail News
Volume 12, Number 5
December 1999

Land and Water Conservation fund gets big boost

The Land and Water Conservation Fund, America's federal land trust, scored a major victory Nov. 10 as members of the House Committee on Resources approved, 37 to 12, the negotiated Conservation and Reinvestment Act (CARA), a $2.8 billion conservation package that includes $900 million in permanent funding for LWCF. The bill would split the LWCF money, which acquires land for conservation and recreation, evenly between federal and state programs.

Much credit for the vote goes to House Resources Committee Chairman Don Young (R-AK) and ranking Democrat George Miller (D-CA), who worked together to forge a compromise and held off amendments that would have impaired and restricted LWCF and other conservation programs. The Chairman and 12 other Republicans, along with all 24 Democrats on the committee, voted in favor of the bill.

The key provision would make the $2.8 billion a permanent appropriation (funded by revenues from offshore oil and gas leasing) not subject to the yearly budget and appropriation process. But that characteristic could mean rough seas ahead for the measure, as many House leaders are concerned about the budget consequences or the removal of their ongoing supervision and discretion.

Furthermore, the bill contains provisions that are "poison pills" to some interest groups. Conservationists fear that its allocation of $1 billion to coastal states would create an incentive for increased undersea drilling. Property rights proponents oppose new federal land acquisitions.

The bill must now be considered by the full House when Congress reconvenes for the second session of the 106th Congress early next year. Negotiations on a Senate version of the legislation are continuing.

Further details on the legislation can be found on the House Resources committee website at www.house.gov/resources.

Allocations in the CARA bill:

• Land and Water Conservation Fund - $900 million (split equally between state and local governments and federal land systems)
• Outer Continental Shelf revenue-sharing with Coastal States - $1 billion
• wildlife conservation and restoration - $350 million
• Urban Park and Recreation Recovery Program - $125 million
• Historic Preservation Fund - $100 million
• federal and Indian lands restoration - $200 million
• conservation easements and species recovery - $150 million
• payments in-lieu of taxes (PILT) and refuge revenue-sharing - $200 million