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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-12-19 Public Comment - M. England - List to Fund the LWCFFrom:Mike England To:Agenda Subject:FW: Media Release: Nearly 150 Western Local Officials Call on Congress to Fund the LWCF Date:Wednesday, June 12, 2019 9:01:16 AM Attachments:Media Release - The Mountain Pact LWCF Funding Letter - 6.11.19 Updated.docx LWCF Funding Sign-on Letter Final 6.11.19.pdf Media Release - The Mountain Pact LWCF Funding Letter - 6.11.19 Updated.pdf image001.png How come we're not on this list? Public lands and outdoor recreation are our lifeblood! -- Mike EnglandPublisher | Outside Media Group 313 W. Mendenhall, #8Bozeman, MT 59715 406-582-8068Website | Digital Edition From: Anna Peterson [mailto:anna@themountainpact.org] Sent: Tuesday, June 11, 2019 3:17 PMTo: undisclosed-recipients:Subject: Re: Media Release: Nearly 150 Western Local Officials Call on Congress to Fund the LWCF Update! Now at 151 signers with the addition of the Town of Taos this afternoon. · National Letter - updated · National Media Release - updated Details on the letter: · 151 signers · All 11 western states · 46 communities · 19 full councils/commissions o 13 community specific letters --> § CA: Truckee § CO: § Routt County § Carbondale § Crested Butte § Estes Park § Glenwood Springs § Ridgway § Ophir § Winter Park § Eagle County § Pitkin County § MT: Whitefish § NM: Taos o 6 full councils on larger letter --> § CA: South Lake Tahoe § CO: § Breckenridge § Salida § NM: Village of Taos Ski Valley § UT: Moab § WY: Jackson On Tue, Jun 11, 2019 at 1:27 PM Anna Peterson <anna@themountainpact.org> wrote: Hello, Please see attached or here for a letter signed by 146 western local officials asking Congress to fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Details on the National Letter: · 146 signers · All 11 western states · 45 communities · 17 full councils/commissions Please let me know if I can get you anything more. Anna Nearly 150 Elected Officials From All Eleven Western States Call on Congress to Fully Fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Contact: Anna Peterson, 612-735-2402, anna@themountainpact.org Durango, Colorado (June 11, 2019) – Today, 146 county commissioners, mayors, city, and town council members from all 11 Western states sent a letter to their congressional delegations urging them to fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). The letter was signed by representatives from 45 towns, cities, and counties. 17 full county commissions and/or city councils also signed onto the letter. According to the letter, the elected officials represent 1.25 million year-round residents and nearly 56 Million annual visitors. Both the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate are working on legislation to fund the government in Fiscal Year 2020, including allocation for LWCF. Likewise, legislation has been introduced in the Senate to fully fund LWCF, and that same bill is expected to be introduced shortly in the House. The LWCF has been funding the conservation and preservation of, as well as access to, federal, state, and local public lands and waters for over 52 years. Congress reauthorized the LWCF in March of this year with overwhelming bipartisan support in both the House of Representatives and Senate via the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act. LWCF had been in limbo since it expired in September 2018. Yet despite this step in the right direction, President Trump and Secretary of Interior David Bernhardt's proposed Fiscal Year 2020 budget refuses to fund LWCF at its full $900 million and instead proposes practically eliminating LWCF funding. Anna Peterson, Executive Director with The Mountain Pact, the organization who helped lead the letter, said, “The Land and Water Conservation Fund has been indispensable in public lands conservation in the United States since its passage in 1964. The LWCF has funded projects in every county in the United States, helping to support the $887 billion outdoor recreation industry, and the economies of our Western mountain communities.” “While permanent authorization of the LWCF deserves celebration and thanks, Congress must pass full funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund now to end the shortchanging of this essential public lands program. Our community and all Americans benefit from the LWCF,” said Karn Stiegelmeier, Summit County Colorado Commissioner. “LWCF funding doesn't cost taxpayers one penny. The money comes from a small fraction of the royalties paid by oil and gas companies to drill offshore,” said Avon, Colorado Mayor Sarah Smith-Hymes. Town of Mammoth Lakes, California Council Member John Wentworth said, “The economic boost from increased public lands protection and improved outdoor access is real. The bottom line is that people are revitalized by nature and the outdoors. LWCF funding is a primary source of providing spaces for that revitalization.” Helena, Montana City Council Member Ed Noonan, said, “The partnership between the states and the federal government has been exceptional especially in the protection of public lands. This relationship has defined the West in many practical ways enriching the lives of many people in many beautiful niches of the American West.” “Many projects funded by the LWCF are multi-year projects that require commitment and collaboration from a variety of stakeholders. This sort of partnership requires certainty that the project will be funded to completion. We need the reassurance that essential recreation and public lands funding will come through for our community and need Congress to pass full funding for the LWCF,” said Mayor Jonathan Godes of Glenwood Springs, Colorado. ### More about the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) was created with bipartisan support in 1964 and has since increased the conservation and health of public lands and waters in every state and nearly every county in the United States. The LWCF draws funds from offshore oil and gas royalties, not taxpayers, to provide financial support through grants dedicated to expansion, development, and improvement of national parks, forests, monuments, rivers, lakes, wildlife refuges, community parks, trails, and ball fields. The funds are used for recreation infrastructure, conservation, preservation, access, and restoration of natural ecosystems. Each year $900 million in royalty payments are to be paid into the fund, but often Congress funnels this money elsewhere, leaving many key conservation projects without funding. Over time, $22 billion of these funds have been diverted to other uses leaving inadequate funding for conservation projects. Funding for the LWCF was originally approved for 25 years, was reauthorized for another 25 years in 1990, then was reauthorized for three years in 2015 and expired on September 30, 2018. LWCF was in limbo for over four months at a loss of more than $300 million for conservation and recreation projects across the country. More about The Mountain Pact The Mountain Pact is an organization that works with over fifty mountain communities in all eleven states across the American West to empower them to build resilience in the face of economic and environmental stresses through a shared voice on federal policy related to climate, public lands, and outdoor recreation. -- ANNA PETERSON Executive Director | The Mountain Pact Durango, Colorado | (612) 735-2402 | anna@themountainpact.org -- ANNA PETERSON Executive Director | The Mountain Pact Durango, Colorado | (612) 735-2402 | anna@themountainpact.org Founded in 2014, The Mountain Pact is an effort to educate, mobilize, and empower mountain towns with outdoor recreation-based economies in the American West around federal policy. We work with local elected officials in nearly 50 mountain communities from all 11 western states to build resilience in the face of environmental stresses and their economic impacts through a shared voice on policies related to climate, public lands, and outdoor recreation. June 11, 2019 Dear Members of the US Senate and US House of Representatives, First of all, we would like to enthusiastically thank you for your support of permanent reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). As local elected officials from mountain communities in the West we represent 1.25 million year-round residents and nearly 56 Million annual visitors, all of whom recognize the importance of adequate funding for public lands conservation, preservation, enhancement, and expansion. Although we are pleased with the passage of permanent reauthorization, this is just a first step. We now urge you to support and advance full and dedicated funding for the LWCF. The LWCF has provided funding over the last 52 years for countless federal, state, and local public lands projects in every county in the United States.1 These resources have helped to create an extensive network of public lands and waters for conservation, ecosystem preservation, and for all Americans to enjoy. Outdoor recreation and proximity to open spaces - many of which have been enhanced through the use of the LWCF - draw residents and tourists to mountain communities which provides significant economic support as well as a distinct and desirable way of life. A recent study found that counties in close proximity to public lands perform substantially better in key economic factors such as employment and personal income than counties without nearby public lands.2 Since the LWCF expired in late September 2018, the fund has lost more than $350 million that should have been used for the conservation, enhancement, and protection of public lands and waterways. Many projects funded by the LWCF have an uncertain future due to the current lack of funding and historically unpredictable nature of funding for the program. Thus, we urge you to pass full and dedicated funding to ensure our public lands receive the protection they deserve now, and into the future. The LWCF is a vital component of job creation and economic development through support for public land infrastructure. Reports show that the LWCF provides a strong return on investment. One study found that for every $1 of LWCF funds invested there is a remarkable return of $4 in economic value.3 Our communities are inextricably linked to the public lands that surround them. Our residents and business owners rely on public lands visitation and exploration for economic success and cultural vitality. The LWCF supports and enhances public lands, and as such, our communities. You have the opportunity to provide full funding to support this incredible program. So please, vote to fully fund the LWCF in support of our mountain communities, and public lands for all Americans. Sincerely, 1 http://thehill.com/opinion/energy-environment/384469-local-economies-need-the-land-and-water-conservation-fund 2 https://headwaterseconomics.org/public-lands/federal-lands-performance/ 3 https://www.tpl.org/sites/default/files/cloud.tpl.org/pubs/benefits-LWCF-ROI%20Report-11-2010.pdf Vice Mayor Adam Shimoni, City of Flagstaff, Arizona Vice Mayor Jamie Whelan, City of Flagstaff, Arizona Council Member Jim McCarthy, City of Flagstaff, Arizona Council Member John Wentworth, Town of Mammoth Lakes, California Mayor Brooke Laine, City of South Lake Tahoe, California Mayor Pro Tem Jason Collin, City of South Lake Tahoe, California Council Member Devin Middlebrook, City of South Lake Tahoe, California Council Member Tamara Wallace, City of South Lake Tahoe, California Council Member Cody Bass, City of South Lake Tahoe, California Mayor David Tirman, Town of Truckee, California Vice Mayor Morgan Goodwin, Town of Truckee, California Council Member Anna Klovstad, Town of Truckee, California Council Member David Polivy, Town of Truckee, California Council Member Jessica Abrams, Town of Truckee, California Mayor Steve Skadron, City of Aspen, Colorado Mayor Pro Tem Ann Mullins, City of Aspen, Colorado Council Member Adam Frisch, City of Aspen, Colorado Mayor Sarah Smith-Hymes, Town of Avon, Colorado Council Member Jennie Fancher, Town of Avon, Colorado Council Member Scott Prince, Town of Avon, Colorado Mayor Suzanne Jones, City of Boulder, Colorado Mayor Pro Tem Sam Weaver, City of Boulder, Colorado Mayor Eric Mamula, Town of Breckenridge, Colorado Council Member Wendy Wolfe, Town of Breckenridge, Colorado Council Member Erin Gigliello, Town of Breckenridge, Colorado Council Member Jeffrey Bergeron, Town of Breckenridge, Colorado Council Member Gary Gallagher, Town of Breckenridge, Colorado Council Member Dick Carleton, Town of Breckenridge, Colorado Council Member Kelly Owens, Town of Breckenridge, Colorado Mayor Dan Richardson, Town of Carbondale, Colorado Council Member Ben Bohmfalk, Town of Carbondale, Colorado Council Member Erica Sparhawk, Town of Carbondale, Colorado Council Member Heather Henry, Town of Carbondale, Colorado Council Member Lani Kitching, Town of Carbondale, Colorado Council Member Luis Yllanes, Town of Carbondale, Colorado Council Member Marty Silverstein, Town of Carbondale, Colorado Mayor Jim Schmidt, Town of Crested Butte, Colorado Mayor Pro Tem Paul Merck, Town of Crested Butte, Colorado Council Member Laura Mitchell, Town of Crested Butte, Colorado Council Member Jackson Petito, Town of Crested Butte, Colorado Council Member Chris Haver, Town of Crested Butte, Colorado Council Member Candice Bradley, Town of Crested Butte, Colorado Council Member Will Dujardin, Town of Crested Butte, Colorado Commissioner Jeanne McQueeney, Eagle County, Colorado Commissioner Kathy Chandler-Henry, Eagle County, Colorado Commissioner Matt Scherr, Eagle County, Colorado Mayor Todd Jirsa, Town of Estes Park, Colorado Mayor Pro Tem Cody Walker, Town of Estes Park, Colorado Town Trustee, Carlie Banges, Town of Estes Park, Colorado Town Trustee, Marie Cenac, Town of Estes Park, Colorado Town Trustee, Patrick Martchink, Town of Estes Park, Colorado Town Trustee, Ron Norris, Town of Estes Park, Colorado Town Trustee, Ken Zornes, Town of Estes Park, Colorado Mayor Gary Wilkinson, Town of Frisco, Colorado Mayor Pro Tem Hunter Mortensen, Town of Frisco, Colorado Council Member Steve Davis, City of Glenwood Springs, Colorado Mayor Jonathan Godes, City of Glenwood Springs, Colorado Council Member Tony Hershey, City of Glenwood Springs, Colorado Council Member Shelley Kaup, City of Glenwood Springs, Colorado Council Member Paula Stepp, City of Glenwood Springs, Colorado Council Member Rick Voorhees, City of Glenwood Springs, Colorado Council Member Charlie Willman, City of Glenwood Springs, Colorado Mayor Pro Tem Polly Christensen, City of Longmont, Colorado Mayor Laila Benitez, Town of Mountain Village, Colorado Council Member Patrick Berry, Town of Mountain Village, Colorado Mayor Corinne Platt, Town of Ophir, Colorado County Commissioner Patti Clapper, Pitkin County, Colorado County Commissioner Kelly McNicholas Kury, Pitkin County, Colorado County Commissioner Greg Poschman, Pitkin County, Colorado County Commissioner Steve Child, Pitkin County, Colorado County Commissioner George Newman, Pitkin County, Colorado Mayor John Clark, Town of Ridgway, Colorado Mayor Pro Tem Eric Johnson, Town of Ridgway, Colorado Council Member Ninah Hunter, Town of Ridgway, Colorado Council Member Tessa Cheek, Town of Ridgway, Colorado Council Member Beth Lakin, Town of Ridgway, Colorado Council Member Russ Meyer, Town of Ridgway, Colorado Council Member Robb Austin Meyer, Town of Ridgway, Colorado County Commissioner M. Elizabeth Melton, Routt County, Colorado County Commissioner Timothy V. Corrigan, Routt County, Colorado County Commissioner Douglas B. Monger, Routt County, Colorado Mayor P.T. Wood, City of Salida, Colorado Council Member Harald Kasper, City of Salida, Colorado Council Member Dan Shore, City of Salida, Colorado Council Member Jane Templeton, City of Salida, Colorado Council Member Justin Critelli, City of Salida, Colorado Council Member Cheryl Brown-Kovacic, City of Salida, Colorado Council Member Mike Bowers, City of Salida, Colorado Council Member Sonja Macys, City of Steamboat Springs, Colorado County Commissioner Karn Stiegelmeier, Summit County, Colorado Mayor Sean Murphy, Town of Telluride, Colorado Mayor Pro Tem Todd Brown, Town of Telluride, Colorado Council Member Lars Carlson, Town of Telluride, Colorado Council Member Delanie Young, Town of Telluride, Colorado Council Member Travis Coggin, Town of Vail, Colorado Council Member Kim Langmaid, Town of Vail, Colorado Mayor Jimmy Lahrman, Town of Winter Park, Colorado Mayor Pro Tem Nick Kutrumbos, Town of Winter Park, Colorado Council Member Chuck Banks, Town of Winter Park, Colorado Council Member Jim Myers, Town of Winter Park, Colorado Council Member Mike Periolat, Town of Winter Park, Colorado Council Member Chris Seemann, Town of Winter Park, Colorado Council Member Art Ferrari, Town of Winter Park, Colorado Mayor Hyrum F. Johnson, City of Driggs, Idaho Mayor Neil Bradshaw, City of Ketchum, Idaho Mayor Shelby Rognstad, City of Sandpoint, Idaho City Commissioner Ed Noonan, City of Helena, Montana Alderman and City Council President Bryan von Lossberg, City of Missoula, Montana Mayor William Larson, City of Red Lodge, Montana Council Member Rob Weamer, City of Red Lodge, Montana Mayor John Muhlfeld, City of Whitefish, Montana Deputy Mayor Richard Hildner, City of Whitefish, Montana Council Member Andy Feury, City of Whitefish, Montana Council Member Frank Sweeny, City of Whitefish, Montana Council Member Ryan Henner, City of Whitefish, Montana Council Member Melissa Hartman, City of Whitefish, Montana Council Member Katie Williams, City of Whitefish, Montana Council Member Devon Reese, City of Reno, Nevada City Council Member Renee Villarreal, City of Santa Fe, New Mexico Mayor Daniel R. Barrone, Town of Taos, New Mexico Council Member Nathaniel Evans, Town of Taos, New Mexico Council Member Darien D. Fernandez, Town of Taos, New Mexico Council Member George “Fritz” Hahn, Town of Taos, New Mexico Council Member Pascualito Maestas, Town of Taos, New Mexico Mayor Christof Brownell, Village at Taos Ski Valley, New Mexico Council Member Jeff Kern, Village at Taos Ski Valley, New Mexico Council Member Roger Pattison, Village at Taos Ski Valley, New Mexico Council Member Chris Stagg, Village at Taos Ski Valley, New Mexico Council Member Tom Wittman, Village at Taos Ski Valley, New Mexico Council Member Rich Rosenthal, City of Ashland, Oregon Council Member Gena Goodman-Campbell, City of Bend, Oregon Mayor Harris Sondak, Town of Alta, Utah Mayor Emily Niehaus, City of Moab, Utah Council Member Rani Derasary, City of Moab, Utah Council Member Mike Duncan, City of Moab, Utah Council Member Karen Guzman-Newton, City of Moab, Utah Council Member Kalen Jones, City of Moab, Utah Council Member Tawny Knuteson-Boyd, City of Moab, Utah Mayor Andy Beerman, City of Park City, Utah Council Member Steve Joyce, City of Park City, Utah Council Member Tim B. Henney, City of Park City, Utah Council Member Nann Worel, City of Park City, Utah Council Member Michael Lilliquist, City of Bellingham, Washington Council Member Gene Knutson, City of Bellingham, Washington Council Member Mia Bretz, City of Leavenworth, Washington Mayor Pete Muldoon, Town of Jackson, Wyoming Councilman Jim Stanford, Town of Jackson, Wyoming Councilman Jonathan Schechter, Town of Jackson, Wyoming Vice Mayor Hailey Morton Levinson, Town of Jackson, Wyoming Councilman Arne Jorgensen, Town of Jackson, Wyoming County Commissioner Mark Newcomb, Teton County, Wyoming