OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 6, 1999
Stephanie Hanna (O) 202/208-6416
INTERIOR SECRETARY TO PROMOTE COLORADO'S LANDS
LEGACY
Babbitt on Wheat
Ridge Greenbelt to support Colorado's share of Conservation Fund
Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt will join Congressman Mark Udall and Colorado's Department of Natural Resources Executive Director Greg Walcher on Friday, October 8, on the Wheat Ridge Greenbelt (near Prospect Park) to discuss his strong support for the Lands Legacy proposal.
"I have been traveling around the country talking to Americans about land conservation in their communities and they want the Lands Legacy initiative funded in this year's FY 2000 budget." Babbitt said. "They want more green space, parks and recreation areas, more wildlife habitat, and they see a real need to set aside buffer lands to combat urban sprawl."
Lands Legacy would be funded by an annual $900 million appropriation from the Land & Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). This fund was created by Congress in 1965 for states and the federal government to purchase conservation lands. It is derived from a portion of the offshore oil and gas receipts resulting from oil production in federal waters. The Land Legacy initiative would divide the annual appropriation equally between state grants and federal land acquisition.
"With support from effective leaders like your Congressman Mark Udall, this money could become available to state governments this Fall at no taxpayer expense simply by using an existing fund with vast unfunded balances for the purpose it was created," Babbitt added. Several bills have been introduced in Congress to fully fund annual LWCF appropriations. Key acreage linking parks within the Greenbelt was purchased with LWCF funds during the 1970's.
Since the 1980's, appropriations from the LWCF have drastically declined and no money has been appropriated for state land conservation. Materials available at Monday's briefing will show specific projects in Colorado as well as satellite images prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey showing the impact of sprawl on the Denver metropolitan area. Other Lands Legacy materials can be accessed using http://www.doi.gov/iga/landslegacy.htm
WHO: Secretary Babbitt, Rep. Udall,
DNR Exec. Dir. Walcher
WHEN: Friday, October 8 at 10:00
a.m.
WHERE: Wheat
Ridge Greenbelt at lake near Prospect Park (Pavillion) parking lot.
Directions: From Denver take I-70 West to Kipling Exit. Turn left on Kipling (south) for 1/4 mile. Turn right (west) on 44th Avenue for ½ mile. Turn left (south) on Robb Street past tennis courts and Prospect Park parking area, past lake to south end to small parking lot (at Pavillion) for trail access for Greenbelt.
-DOI-
You can get to the Department of the Interior from here