Outdoor Industry Association expressed outrage at the House Appropriations Committee vote to eliminate funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) in the proposed 2006 budget. Since LWCF was created by Congress 40 years ago, the landmark program has funded 40,000 parks in 98% of the counties in the nation.

“The House’s proposed elimination of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) is shameful, given a documented need of $836 million for state and local park needs, and an identified stream of dollars to pay for it,” remarks Frank Hugelmeyer, President of Outdoor Industry Association. “We cannot stand idly by while the President and the House Appropriations Committee propose elimination of a key recreation infrastructure investment program and of one of the most significant conservation programs in America’s history.”

Created in 1964, the LWCF Act directed $900 million per year in off-shore oil and gas royalties to create and protect America’s parks, forests, and wildlife refuges, and to provide dollars to states for creating state and local recreation opportunities. Through FY 2004, $27.2 billion has been credited to the LWCF, but only $13.8 billion has been appropriated by the Appropriations Committees for its intended use.

“Despite this stream of dollars, the President has requested a meager $150 million for the federal program, and zero dollars for states, and the House Appropriations Committee has provided just enough dollars to keep the staff on board for another year,” adds Hugelmeyer. “In 2000, President Bush pledged full funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund. This year, he walked away from that pledge, recommending zeroing out the state grant portion of the program. And today, the House Appropriations Committee has taken it one step further, eliminating both federal and state LWCF grants in their Interior Appropriations Bill.”

Together, Stateside and Federal LWCF have been responsible for purchasing portions of many of America’s outdoor crown jewels: Rocky Mountain National Park, the Appalachian Trail, Acadia National Park, Denali State Park, Lake Havasu State Park, Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, Green Mountain National Forest, and more.

LWCF is needed now more than ever: 65% of Americans are overweight; increased accessibility to open space boosts physical activity and quality outdoor recreation opportunities fuel sales of $20 billion in outdoor equipment. Half of all participants say that outdoor recreation is their primary form of exercise. Americans depend on funding from LWCF to provide the critical close to home recreation opportunities required for fitness and high quality of life.