SENATE RESOLUTION No. 100

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

INTRODUCED JUNE 12, 1997

 

 

By Senators McNAMARA, CIESLA, Cafiero, Schluter, Matheussen and Gormley

 

 

A Senate Resolution memorializing the Congress of the United States to appropriate funds from the Land and Water Conservation Fund at the annually authorized level to conserve the nation's land, water and recreational resources.

 

Whereas, The State of New Jersey contains a variety of natural resources worthy of protection and preservation, and the people of this State have supported the protection and preservation of these resources, most notably through the Green Acres Program, which provides funds for open space acquisition; and

Whereas, In 1964 the Congress of the United States enacted, with vigorous bipartisan support, the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), one of the most far-reaching federal programs for conservation and recreation purposes; and

Whereas, The LWCF is the most significant source of federal funding for the acquisition of wilderness, forests, park lands, watershed areas, lands requiring habitat protection, and lands possessing cultural and natural heritage; and

Whereas, The LWCF is authorized by Congress to spend up to $900 million per year for land acquisition at the federal, state, and local levels; and

Whereas, Approximately seven million acres of new federal lands have been acquired through direct LWCF expenditures including about 55 new National Park units, including national seashores, national lakeshores, national trails, national rivers, national historic areas and national recreation areas; and

Whereas, The LWCF has provided funding for acquisition of habitat for endangered species, and approximately 750,000 acres have been added to the national wildlife refuge system; and

Whereas, Although the royalties from offshore oil leasing revenues, the source of LWCF funding, now provide over $2 billion in annual revenues, the Congress has gradually reduced the amount appropriated from the fund, to the point where the LWCF has an unappropriated balance of $11 billion; and

Whereas, The LWCF provides a non-regulatory approach to conservation at no cost to the taxpayers of this nation; and


Whereas, Historically, the northeastern states, including New Jersey, have received a disproportionately small share of moneys from the LWCF; and New Jersey received no LWCF funds in 1996 while other states received millions of dollars from the fund; now, therefore,

 

    Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of New Jersey:

 

    1. The Congress of the United States is memorialized to appropriate funds from the Land and Water Conservation Fund at the annually authorized level of $900 million, and to assure proper distribution of these funds to all states on a fair and equitable basis.

 

    2. Duly authenticated copies of this resolution, signed by the President of the Senate and attested by the Secretary of the Senate, shall be transmitted to the President and Vice President of the United States, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the majority and minority leaders of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives, and every member of Congress elected from this State.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

    The federal Land and Water Conservation Fund has been responsible for the acquisition of nearly seven million acres of parkland and open space and the development of more than 37,000 parks and recreation projects. With our population expected to nearly double in the next century, the mission of the LWCF cannot be allowed to falter. This resolution would urge the restoration of this federal fund to its annually authorized level of $900 million per year.

 

 

                             

 

Memorializes Congress to appropriate authorized federal funds for land and water conservation.