UPDATE August 4, 2020: And with the stroke of a pen, it became official: The Land and Water Conservation Fund now has full and dedicated funding each year to protect important land, water, and recreation areas that benefit all Americans. President Donald Trump today signed the Great American Outdoors Act into law. This is a bipartisan victory for a bipartisan cause.
There is much more we can and must do to conserve land. Support our continued efforts as we work to conserve land to ensure all who come after us will enjoy the land. You can help save the Missing Mile on Mount Diablo’s North Peak! Together, we can continue to preserve the threatened areas of Mount Diablo. Learn more.
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UPDATE July 22, 2020: Today, in a 310-107 bipartisan vote, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Great American Outdoors Act, which will permanently fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which uses a small portion of revenues from offshore oil drilling to protect important land, water and recreation areas that benefit all Americans. The bill passed out of the Senate last month with a sweeping 73-24 bipartisan vote. It now heads directly to the president’s desk for his signature, which is expected.
Reach out to your members of Congress, thanking all who voted in favor of this momentous legislation.
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Our country’s national parks and public lands comprise our nation’s most significant natural and cultural treasures. People depend on access to parks, trails, forests, and waters for emotional solace and physical activity in this time of isolation and anxiety. These places must be protected and maintained for decades and generations to come.
At the same time, inadequate funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF)—the nation’s most important tool for conservation and public recreation access—has increasingly jeopardized the integrity of our public lands and impeded public use and enjoyment.
In California, more than 1,000 parks have been created or improved through funding from the LWCF, including many in the Bay Area.
LWCF full funding is critically needed to
- protect parks and public lands from the threat of development inside their borders
- connect landscapes for wildlife and fire management
- preserve water quantity and quality
- sustain working landscapes and rural economies
- increase access for recreation for all Americans no matter where they live
ACTION Required: Contact Your Representative before July 22, 2020!
The Great American Outdoors Act (S. 3422) provides a targeted solution to secure the future of America’s public lands legacy. Passing this bill will ensure this critical program continues to protect our natural infrastructure and the lands we hold so dear.
The U.S. House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on the Great American Outdoors Act on Wednesday, July 22, 2020. Contact your representative and urge them to vote “yea” on the Great American Outdoors Act.
To find your representative, click here. Acknowledge the importance of funding our parks, public lands, and outdoor recreation infrastructure during this critical time in our nation’s history.
Save Mount Diablo supports the Great American Outdoors Act along with TOGETHER Bay Area, a San Francisco Bay Area-based regional coalition of 59 public agencies, indigenous tribes, and nonprofits working for climate resilient lands, people, and communities.
