\u201cOur effort today is simply this: We\u2019re trying to make a lame duck a little less lame and make sure we get some productivity on LWCF \u2013 moving it forward,\u201d Gardner said. \u201cIf you look at the great bipartisan support that we have for LWCF \u2013 House of Representatives, U.S. Senate, Republicans and Democrats coming together to permanently reauthorize, fully fund \u2026 the most important program, in my mind, the crown jewel of our conservation efforts.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gardner said he was honored to be part of a bipartisan reauthorization effort. The LWCF is a dedicated congressional fund created in 1964 that provides grants to protect and develop national, state and local parks; areas around rivers and lakes; national forests and national wildlife refuges.<\/p>\n
The program funds the purchase of land for conservation and recreational purposes and grants matching funds to states for planning, developing and acquiring land and water areas. According to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Department website, the LWCF has granted nearly $61 million to local government and state park outdoor recreational projects in Colorado.<\/p>\n
Members of the International Mountain Bicycling Association, including leaders of IMBA Chapter Mid-Atlantic Off-Road Enthusiasts and high school students from the National Interscholastic Cycling Association, visited Washington to meet with representatives, including U.S. Rep. Scott Tipton, R-Cortez, to lobby for permanent reauthorization and mandatory, full funding for the fund.<\/p>\n
IMBA Executive Director David Wiens said the group attended Thursday\u2019s news conference between meetings and after hearing about it Wednesday.<\/p>\n
\u201cLWCF doesn\u2019t seem to be controversial in Colorado,\u201d Wiens said. \u201cIn listening to this press conference, \u2026 (many people are) saying, \u2018This is a no-brainer. It\u2019s popular on both sides of the aisle. This thing should\u2019ve been done awhile ago. It doesn\u2019t cost the taxpayers a dime.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Wiens said the group is also talking to congressional representatives and staff about the House bill, Recreation Not Red-Tape Act<\/a>, which reduces or simplifies government agency regulations for outdoor recreation access. Wiens said if everyone on the outdoor recreation side, including hikers, mountain bikers, ranchers and more, came together, then legislation protecting public lands would pass.<\/p>\n \u201cWe all love our public lands, and this fund is so important to that. I think that coming together is very important,\u201d Wiens said. \u201cIt\u2019s starting to happen in places like the Four Corners, like the Hermosa Creek group that formed.\u201d<\/p>\n