California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Joint ResolutionNo. 27


Introduced by Assembly Member Levine

August 27, 2015


Assembly Joint Resolution No. 27—Relative to the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AJR 27, as introduced, Levine. The Land and Water Conservation Fund.

This measure would urge the Congress of the United States to reauthorize and fully fund the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund in order to maintain and preserve land and water resources.

Fiscal committee: no.

P1    1WHEREAS, The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF)
2was created by Congress in 1965 as a bipartisan commitment for
3protection of natural areas, water resources, cultural heritage, and
4outdoor recreational opportunities throughout the country; and

5WHEREAS, Over the 50 years since the LWCF was created,
6billions of dollars in funding have been provided to protect valuable
7land and water resources, including, but not limited to, parks,
8forests, rivers, lakes, wildlife habitat, and recreational opportunities.
9These investments have resulted in the permanent protection of
10nearly five million acres of public lands and working landscapes;
11and

12WHEREAS, Despite being chronically underfunded, the LWCF
13has had several positive conservation and recreation impacts
P2    1throughout the country, has protected lands in each state, and has
2supported over 41,000 state and local park projects; and

3WHEREAS, Since its inception, the LWCF has delivered over
4$2 billion to California, and has provided hundreds of millions of
5dollars more for projects through its matching fund program; and

6WHEREAS, The LWCF has helped conserve some of
7California’s most treasured and iconic natural resources in each
8region of the state, including, but not limited to, Lake Tahoe, the
9Mojave Desert, Point Reyes National Seashore, the Headwaters
10Forest Reserve, the San Diego and Don Edwards San Francisco
11Bay National Wildlife Refuges, working forests in the Sierra
12Nevada, and Central Valley wetlands; and

13WHEREAS, The LWCF has provided funding for outdoor
14recreational and park programs benefitting underserved youth and
15others in urban and rural communities throughout the state, and
16has established a critical federal partnership with state and local
17parks and communities; and

18WHEREAS, Forest Legacy Program grants are also funded
19through the LWCF to protect working forests, which support jobs
20and sustainable forest operations and enhance wildlife habitat,
21water quality, and recreation. The Forest Legacy Program grants
22have provided $12 million in federal funds, which along with
23matching funds have provided a total of $62 million in investments
24in California forests; and

25WHEREAS, The LWCF is critical to the quality of life in
26California. The LWCF protects watersheds and drinking water
27supplies; provides sustainable jobs in urban and rural communities;
28protects the economic asset that federal, state, and local public
29lands represent; conserves natural areas, wildlife habitats, and open
30space from urban parks to large landscapes; improves access for
31sportsmen, sportswomen, and recreationists to natural lands;
32stimulates local economies and jobs that support tourism and
33outdoor recreation sectors; preserves wetlands, forests, and
34watersheds; and provides state and local grants to support healthy
35communities; and

36WHEREAS, According to the Outdoor Industry Association,
37active outdoor recreation supports $85.4 billion of consumer
38spending and 723,000 jobs in California, which annually generates
39$27 billion in wages and salaries and $6.7 billion in state and local
40tax revenue; and

P3    1WHEREAS, The United States Census Bureau reports that each
2year 7.4 million people engage in outdoor recreation in California,
3which contributes over $8 billion of wildlife-related recreation
4spending to the state economy; and

5WHEREAS, Despite the LWCF’s successes, many more lands
6and resources remain vulnerable and in critical need of investment,
7and many urban and rural populations remain underserved; and

8WHEREAS, The LWCF will expire if not reauthorized by
9Congress before September 30, 2015; now, therefore, be it

10Resolved by the Assembly and the Senate of the State of
11California, jointly,
That the Legislature urges Congress to
12permanently reauthorize and fully fund the Land and Water
13Conservation Fund; and be it further

14Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies
15of this resolution to the President and Vice President of the United
16States, to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to the
17Majority Leader of the Senate, to each Senator and Representative
18from California in the Congress of the United States, and to the
19author for appropriate distribution.



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