Land and Water Conservation Fund

Floor Speech

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Ms. DelBENE. Mr. Speaker, I have the honor of representing one of the
most beautiful and diverse districts in the country. It includes the
Alpine Lakes Wilderness, the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest,
the North Cascades National Park, and the North Creek Forest, all
incredible areas for people throughout our region and across the
country to enjoy.

Unfortunately, in just 14 days, the congressional authorization for
the Land and Water Conservation Fund will expire. LWCF was established
50 years ago to maintain outdoor recreational opportunities nationwide.
It is the only Federal program dedicated to the conservation of our
national parks, forests, wildernesses, wildlife refuges, State and
local parks, and working forests.

Since its inception, the fund has invested $637 million in Washington
State projects alone, including three grants for the North Creek
Forest, a 64-acre park I visited just last month. A community
organization called Friends of North Creek Forest and a college student
named Jordan from the University of Washington at Bothell gave me a
tour of the forest.

For his senior thesis, Jordan has worked with the community and
conservation volunteers to clean up the site and design new trails for
hikers and hundreds of schoolchildren to enjoy. This forest is a safe
and healthy place for our families and students to have fun and learn
about species diversity and the importance of conservation efforts.
This is just one project among thousands across the country.

Without a new authorization for this critical program, environmental
conservation projects and Washington's outdoor recreational industry
would be needlessly harmed because not only is the Land and Water
Conservation Fund crucial for protecting the Pacific Northwest's
beautiful spaces, it is also important for our State's economy as well
as the entire country's. In Washington State alone, outdoor recreation
supports nearly 200,000 jobs and contributes $20 billion a year to our
economy.

The Land and Water Conservation Fund uses no taxpayer dollars and is
funded through oil and gas receipts paid by energy companies.
Unfortunately, in the past, Congress has diverted this money for other
uses. That is why I, along with 159 of my colleagues, have cosponsored
a bill to permanently reauthorize the fund.

My beautiful State boasts some of our Nation's most beautiful
forests, mountains, and waterways, and taking care of these natural
resources and protecting our environment is critical to preserving the
quality of life that we cherish.

We can't risk defunding the great work of these environmental
conservation projects, which is why Congress must reauthorize the Land
and Water Conservation Fund.
I want to thank Congressman Grijalva for organizing this Special
Order hour on such a critical issue.

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