The Conservation Campaign News March 2014

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Historic Florida Measure for $10 Billion in Conservation Funds

Florida's magnificent beaches, springs, lakes, rivers, and natural lands are in dire need of protection. In November, Floridians have the opportunity to guarantee funding to protect these natural resources so important to Florida's economy by voting "yes" on Amendment 1. The Florida Water and Land Legacy Amendment directs $10 billion over 20 years from the state's documentary stamp tax, paid when real estate is sold, to restore the Everglades, protect drinking water sources, and revive the Florida Forever land conservation program. It restores Florida's traditional source of conservation funding, which has been drastically cut in recent years. Passage of Amendment 1-- the largest-ever state ballot measure for conservation and restoration in the nation's history -- would set a tremendous precedent for conservation nationwide. Support the campaign at Vote Yes on 1.

President's Budget Fully Funds Land and Water Conservation

President Obama included full funding of $900 million for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) in the budget he sent to Congress.

LWCF provided key funds to add this scenic shoreline near Point Arena to the expanded California Coastal National Monument - President Obama's most recent monument designation. Photo by John Birchard

This reflects the growing momentum in Washington, D.C. to get back to honest budgeting of the fund, which dedicates a small percentage of revenues from offshore oil and gas drilling to land and water conservation and outdoor recreation. Congress established LWCF almost 50 years ago with the promise to fund it annually, and in 1978 the fund was set at $900 million. But every year since then -- with one exception -- most of that money has been directed elsewhere. Bipartisan Senate legislation to fully fund the LWCF has 40 cosponsors so far. Learn more.

Our First Federal Campaign

Leveraging our dozen years of expertise in creating public conservation funds through state legislative advocacy, The Conservation Campaign is

working with the Land and Water Conservation Fund Coalition to pass permanent full funding of LWCF and to reauthorize the fund's legislation when it comes up for renewal in 2015. Support our LWCF campaign.

Statehouse Advocacy = Conservation Dollars

In the spring legislative sessions, The Conservation Campaign is working with state coalitions to secure and create the public funds for land and water conservation and parks. Two of our fast-moving campaigns:

We Love New York education and outreach campaign to restore funding for the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF), New York's principal source of conservation funding. The campaign is building legislative support to increase EPF outlays to $200 million. Read more.

NJ Keep It Green campaign advocating for a long-term funding source for open space, farmland, parks, and historic preservation. Bipartisan legislation is advancing in the Senate for a ballot measure to dedicate 6 percent of corporate income tax revenues to conservation. Read more.

Check our website "Campaigns to Watch" for updates.

King County Parks Levy Rescues Squak Mountain

In the nick of time, a scenic forestland along the Seattle-area Mountains-to-Sound greenway will be protected with funds from the recently approved King County parks levy. The 226-acre Squak Mountain property, adjacent to county and state parks, had been slated for immediate logging and development. The Trust for Public Land purchased the property in partnership with King County Parks, which is

Photo by flickr user Cascade Hiker

buying it in phases as funding becomes available. The land will become a county regional park, expected to open in 2015. It will protect wildlife habitat and the headwaters of a salmon stream, and create trail connections throughout Washington's popular hiking destination known as the "Issaquah Alps." Read more.