The LWCF was created by Congress in 1965 to preserve wildlife habitat and wildlands, as well as to protect our outdoor recreational resources for future generations. This valuable program has provided phenomenal contributions to our nation's land-based resources, including the acquisition of over 7 million acres of federal parks and open space. Playgrounds, swimming pools, and scenic trail across the country are also attributable to LWCF.

LWCF is based on the idea that revenue paid into the Federal Treasury for the right to exploit off-shore oil and gas reserves (i.e. royalties from private companies that drill for oil and gas on the Outer Continental Shelf) should be used for conservation purposes. Revenue for LWCF comes primarily from OCS receipts, with some additional portion coming from the sale of surplus government property.

LWCF is authorized to receive $900 million annually for federal, state and local programs, however, it has rarely come even close to receiving this amount from Congress. LWCF funds are subject to annual approval by Congress and each year LWCF funding gets mired in the political process. LWCF funding has plummeted since 1979. In the last four years, the state- side of LWCF has received no funding leaving state and local governments without sufficient resources to meet community demands for accessible local recreational opportunities. Instead, these OCS receipts have been funneled back into the general treasury. It is estimated that approximately $11 billion of OCS funds meant for LWCF have been diverted for other uses.

Nonetheless, the demand for funds to acquire lands and recreational areas has always far outpaced the supply. Additionally, the recent lean LWCF funding years have left an enormous backlog of worthwhile projects that are awaiting funding. Legislation moving through both houses of Congress would go a long way towards fulfilling the original promise of the 1965 Land and Water Conservation Act.

It is critical that any conservation funding legislation that is passed into law fully fund LWCF at its annually authorized $900 million level without requiring further congressional appropriation. In addition, it should equitably fund both federal and state programs, and not include any unnecessary restriction on the use of funds for the federal program.

The Conservation and Reinvestment Act (CARA - H.R. 701) provides 23 percent (16 percent in S. 25) of annual Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) oil and gas leasing revenues to permanently and automatically fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). Resources 2000 (H.R. 798/S.446) would also provide $900 million for full, permanent funding of the LWCF using OCS leasing revenue, Each piece of legislation would provide funding for federal land acquisition, state-based land conservation and outdoor recreation needs, and urban park restoration.

The NWF is actively seeking permanent funding for LWCF at the congressionally authorized level of $900 million, split equally between federal and state-side programs of the fund. However, NWF has several serious concerns about provisions and restrictions that are now included in the Conservation and Reinvestment Act (CARA). Resources 2000 does not contain these restriction.