This is huge. And I want to thank Representative Derek Kilmer for having fought hard for this. We have covered this issue in the past on this website. A huge win during a bad time for environmental protection. Smart of Trump and the Republicans to strip away as many of our environmental protections and then turn around and back a bill like this just before the election to burnish their environmental creds. Happens all the time in politics. But good for Kilmer to recognize the opportunity and run with it. He worked in a bi-partisan way to get the job done. Now it’s time to focus on ousting the President and ending this nightmare of selling the environment to the highest bidder.
A landmark bill committing $900 million a year for land conservation and a one-time $9.5 billion boost to help catch up over the next five years on maintenance needs at national parks was signed into law by President Donald Trump Monday.The Great American Outdoors Act, S. 3422, will increase by two or three times the historic average amount of money spent by Congress for the Land and Water Conservation Fund. The program, used to fund acquisitions from willing sellers for federal, state and local open space and outdoor recreation, is paid for from royalties earned on oil and natural gas leases on public lands. Lynda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times)
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