Kuster Helps Introduce Bill to Reauthorize Land, Water Conservation Fund

U.S. Rep. Ann McLane Kuster, D-NH, helped introduce legislation that would permanently reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), according to a press statement.

The LWCF program helps fund the conservation of national parks, forests, wildlife refuges, wilderness areas, and state and local parks, among many others. If Congress fails to act, the program will expire at the end of September.

“Over the last 50 years, the Land and Water Conservation Fund has become the most important conservation program in the country, helping to protect everything from national parks to Civil War battlefields,” said Kuster. “Both parties can agree on the value of preserving our country’s natural treasures, and I’m proud to join my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to help introduce this important legislation to make the program permanent. Our natural environment is one of the Granite State’s greatest treasures, and the LWCF is critical to protecting it for generations to come.”

The LWCF helps to protect wildlife, habitats, and natural resources such as clean air and water, and it provides opportunities for outdoor recreation activities. Tourism is New Hampshire’s second largest industry, generating $4.2 billion and directly supporting 49,000 jobs every year. Nationally, the outdoor recreation economy generates $646 billion annually and supports six million jobs across the country.

Kuster has long fought for initiatives to help protect our environment and create jobs for the New Hampshire economy. In 2013, she visited the Mahoosuc Gateway forest project in Success Township, which is funded through the LWCF. Kuster has supported additional funding for the LWCF, as well as a number of conservation programs through the bipartisan Farm Bill she helped pass into law last year. She is also working to support the renewable energy economy as part of the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC).