Under the leadership of Congressman Norm Dicks (D-WA), the House Interior Appropriations sub-committee provided $50 million in funding for the Land and Water Conservation State Assistance program. This funding was one of OIAs key issues while lobbying at the Capitol Summit last month. The Stateside LWCF is a key program for building local biking and hiking trails in communities across the U.S. This amount is an increase over last years funding of $30 million and establishes congressional support for a program the current Administration has tried to eliminate.
House appropriators also provided $2.5 billion for the National Park Service, an increase of $228 million above FY2007. This amount includes an increase in the operations budget of the park service of $200 million requested by Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne. The subcommittee also set aside $50 million to begin funding the Administrations National Parks Centennial Initiative which is a 10-year plan to invest up to $3 billion of new public and private money for the National Park systems 100th anniversary. Finally, the House committee provided an increase of $13 million over FY2007 for recreation management in the U.S. Forest Service.
“We thank the House committee and particularly Chairman Dicks for a robust budget in support of our treasured public lands. In addition, we appreciate Secretary Kempthornes vision and dedication in asking members of Congress to greatly increase funding for the National Park Service,” said Frank Hugelmeyer, president of OIA. “Most importantly, we appreciate the committees vision in its clear recognition that an essential component to the long-term health of our national parks includes a robust and well-funded Stateside Land and Water Conservation (LWCF) program.”
OIA will continue its work to ensure an equally strong funding bill is put forth by the U.S. Senate and extended its thanks the U.S. House of Representatives, Interior Appropriations subcommittee for its funding commitment to close to home recreation infrastructure.
