Act Today For River Access

In 1965, Congress created the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF).  The idea behind LWCF is simple - some of the wealth from offshore drilling should be reinvested in conservation and recreation.  Although the plan was for Congress to reinvest up to $900 million in LWCF every year (of the billions of dollars collected from energy companies drilling in the Gulf of Mexico), this almost never happens.  In light of the BP disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, Congress is now looking to make some changes.  One of the major changes is to fully and automatically fund LWCF at $900 million per year.  Every year.  

Despite being chronically underfunded, LWCF is still the most effective funding mechanism available to Congress to expand and improve opportunities for human-powered outdoor pursuits, from climbing, backcountry skiing and paddling to hiking and mountain biking.  LWCF not only helps enhance National Parks, Forests, National Trails and Wild and Scenic Rivers, but also helps establish close-to-home open space, parks and recreation facilities in every U.S. state.  All together, more than 40,000 projects have been successfully completed through the fund, providing new and improved outdoor recreation opportunities for all Americans.

A fully and permanently funded LWCF means that there will be more resources available to protect the outdoor places we love and make sure they have trails, river access and backcountry entry points we need to enjoy them.

Congress plans to take this legislation up this week.  Take action and write your Senators and Representatives today!

We have made it easy:  TAKE ACTION HERE.  Please identify yourself as a whitewater paddler and personalize your message. 

To learn more you may want to read a good article from the New York Times or an opinion article by climber Conrad Anker.