Congress rebukes the Trump/Zinke proposal to disembowel park and conservation budgets
Congressional appropriators provide funding hikes to America’s parks and public lands in 2018
Congress is set to vote on a new spending bill that will keep the government open through the end of September. The $1.3 trillion omnibus spending package — the first long-term spending bill of its kind during the Trump presidency — is a significant rebuke to the austere cuts proposed by President Trump and his Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to America’s parks, public lands, and key conservation initiatives.
Just last week, Secretary Zinke was in front of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, defending his proposal to axe 14 percent from the Interior Department’s budget, which would have virtually eliminated important conservation programs like the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), and significantly decreased funding to the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and other important land management agencies.
Congressional appropriators, however, wisely rejected Secretary Zinke’s proposals to hamstring America’s public lands, and instead are providing increased funding for Interior Department programs for 2018. The omnibus spending bill includes:
- A funding increase of $270 million above 2017 levels for the National Park Service, including an increase of $139 million to help address the maintenance backlog at national parks
- A funding increase for the Bureau of Land Management of $79 million, including $50 million to address deferred maintenance issues on BLM lands
- A funding increase of $75 million for the Fish and Wildlife Service, including an increase of $53 million to address the maintenance backlog at wildlife refuges
- $60 million specifically set aside for conservation activities related to the greater sage-grouse
- An increase in funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund — from $400 million in 2017 to $425 million in 2018
There are few programs more demonstrative of the disconnect between the Trump administration and Congress than the Land and Water Conservation Fund. LWCF, which is one of America’s most important conservation programs, provides key funds to protect parks and public lands, and enhance access onto lands for hunting, fishing, biking, hiking, and other recreation.
Secretary Zinke had proposed a 98 percent cut to the program. By disavowing the secretary’s proposal to effectively zero out LWCF, both Republicans and Democrats are sending a message: Congress understands that the American public expects the U.S. government to protect public lands and enhance access. In making the case for LWCF, congressional appropriators wrote, “The Committees believe increasing access to our public lands for hunting, fishing, and other recreational activities is important.”
These funds will help to ensure that private inholdings within national parks won’t be sold off for trophy home development, that new access points to rivers and streams can be built, and that U.S. land managers have the flexibility and funds to protect recreation lands.
While this bill provides much needed funding for conservation, the work is by no means done. The Land and Water Conservation Fund is set to expire at the end of September and if Congress fails to act, these important funds could be lost forever. Luckily, there are few programs with such widespread support across the political spectrum.
But the clock is ticking.
