Bipartisan Group of Senators, Including Senator Collins, Seek Permanent Reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) joined Senators Richard Burr (R-NC), Michael Bennet (D-CO), and others in introducing bipartisan legislation to permanently reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), which would fully realize LWCF’s promise to conserve parks, open spaces, and wildlife habitat for the benefit of hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation.

“The LWCF is our most important and successful conservation and recreation program. I have long supported this landmark program that has created opportunities for Americans to enjoy the outdoors in every state,” said Senator Collins. “By permanently extending the LWCF, our legislation will help create a more stable, long-term plan that allows landowners, states, local communities, and conservation partners to reasonably plan for the future.”

“The LWCF has a proven track record of making good on the promise of conserving our parks, open spaces, and wildlife habitats for the benefit of future generations of Americans,” said Senator Burr. “My colleagues and I offer this bill to permanently extend the LWCF, a program that preserves our natural heritage but does so without asking American taxpayers to shoulder the burden. I look forward to my colleagues coming together to pass this bipartisan legislation.”

“Access to Colorado’s open spaces is critical to our thriving outdoor recreation economy,” Senator Bennet said. “The LWCF has supported hundreds of projects across Colorado, from protecting the Ophir Valley to expanding and improving the Animas River Trail to providing Denver kids with outdoor educational opportunities in their own neighborhoods. We should pass this bill to reauthorize the program permanently, and at the same time, Congress should move to ensure the LWCF receives full and dedicated funding going forward."

Senators Steve Daines (R-MT), Cory Gardner (R-CO), and Martin Heinrich (D-NM) also cosponsored the legislation.

The text of the bill can be viewed HERE.