[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 11]
[House]
[Pages 15705-15706]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1215
            LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND REAUTHORIZATION

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Costello) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, last week, the Nation saw 
a very important program expire, the Land and Water Conservation Fund. 
I rise today to encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to 
join with me and call for a vote on a full and continued permanent 
reauthorization of the LWCF.
  For 50 years, this critical fund has added value to my district and 
to so many across the Nation. Last week, inaction by Congress led to 
the expiration of the Land and Water Conservation Fund, and I believe 
it is critical that we renew our commitment to the fund.
  The fund helps our communities protect critical lands by providing 
State and local governments with necessary funding and flexibility to 
develop and improve the very land on display for everyone to enjoy. 
Nowhere is it more critical than in my home State of Pennsylvania.
  Over the past 50 years, Pennsylvania has received approximately $300 
million in land and water conservation funding for protection in many 
areas of national significance, such as Gettysburg National Military 
Park, the Paoli Battlefield, the Brandywine Battlefield, Valley Forge 
National Historical Park, and John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge.
  Not only have we seen the LWCF at work on the State level, we have 
also seen its benefits at the local level, including the Birdsboro 
Waters Forest Legacy Project, protecting critical woodlands at the East 
Coventry Wineberry Estates, expanding Shaw's Bridge Park in East 
Bradford Township, and enhancing the Pottstown Borough Memorial Park 
with a new dog park, pavilions, restrooms, ballfields, and walking 
trails.
  The outdoor recreation industry, Governors, mayors, sportsmen, small-
business owners, conservation leaders, landowners, ranchers, farmers, 
and millions of Americans are united in a push for permanent 
reauthorization and full funding of the Land and Water Conservation 
Fund because it provides an economic benefit to our region and across 
the country. The LWCF gives a boost to the $646 billion recreation 
economy and serves to protect our national parks and other public lands 
from being destroyed.

[[Page 15706]]

  Indeed, in one such study, the Outdoor Industry Association has found 
that outdoor active recreation generates $21.5 billion annually in 
consumer spending in Pennsylvania alone. Outdoor recreation supports 
over 219,000 jobs across the State and generates $7.2 billion in wages 
and salaries. It also produces $1.6 billion annually in State and local 
tax revenue.
  Outdoor recreation benefits the Pennsylvania economy. The U.S. Census 
Bureau reports that each year over 5.4 million people participated in 
hunting, fishing, and wildlife watching in Pennsylvania, contributing 
$5.4 billion to the State economy.
  Additionally, the Land and Water Conservation Fund State Assistance 
Program provides matching grants to help States and local communities 
protect parks and recreation resources. Nationwide, the LWCF has 
benefited countless counties in America, supporting over 41,000 
projects.
  The State assistance 50-50 matching program acts as the primary 
investment tool to ensure that all can enjoy hiking, biking, running 
trails, community parks, and playgrounds. Approximately $4 billion in 
LWCF grants have been awarded to States, including $4.27 million for 34 
total projects in Berks County, $4.78 million for 30 total projects in 
Chester County, $2.8 million for 49 total projects in Montgomery 
County, and over $800,000 for 11 projects in Lebanon County. These are 
all counties in my congressional district.
  Our public lands and outdoor recreation areas are an integral part of 
our heritage, civic identity, and local community. I believe the Land 
and Water Conservation Fund is one of our most important conservation 
programs and an excellent example of a bipartisan commitment to the 
safeguard of our natural resources and cultural heritage, and we must 
reauthorize it.
  As an original cosponsor of H.R. 1814 to permanently reauthorize the 
LWCF, I look forward to working with my colleagues to preserve our 
public lands so that current and future generations may continue to 
enjoy and appreciate them year-round.
  I respectfully call upon my colleagues, Mr. Speaker, to work for a 
bipartisan solution to reauthorize this very important program.

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