The Land and Water Conservation Fund was established by Congress in 1964 to fulfill a bipartisan commitment to safeguard our natural areas, water resources and cultural heritage, and to provide recreation opportunities to all Americans. Using zero taxpayer dollars, the fund invests earnings from offshore oil and gas leasing to help strengthen communities, preserve our history and protect our national endowment of lands and waters.
Where does the money come from?
The primary source of revenue for the Land and Water Conservation Fund is from federal oil and gas leases on the Outer Continental Shelf. The Fund is based on a simple concept: take revenues from the depletion of one resources, offshore oil and gas, and use them to conserve parks, wildlife refuges, forests, open spaces, trails and wildlife habitat. The LWCF Act authorizes the Land and Water Conservation Fund at an annual level of $900 million, but Congress usually appropriates only a portion of this amount. While $900 million in revenue is deposited into a designated account in the Treasury each year, Congress has appropriated full funding to support conservation and recreation projects only once in the Fund's 50 year history – diverting the remainder for other purposes.
Where does the money go?
Every state and county in the nation has benefited from the Land and Water Conservation Fund, all without spending a single tax dollar. Through a variety of programs, the fund supports our nationwide legacy of high-quality recreation and conservation areas. Some of the funds are invested by agencies to protect federal lands for public outdoor recreation use and enjoyment – including national parks, national forests, and national recreation areas. Agencies also partner with landowners to support voluntary conservation activities on private lands. Some of the funds are distributed directly to states and local communities through grant programs. These grants enable state and local governments to establish baseball fields and community green spaces; to provide public access to rivers, lakes and other water resources; to protect historic and cultural sites; and to conserve natural landscapes for public use and enjoyment.
Benefits of Investments
The Land and Water Conservation Fund plays an important economic role for local communities. Recreation activities in national parks, wildlife refuges, forests, marine sanctuaries and other federal managed lands and waters contributed approximately $51 billion and supported 880,000 jobs in the United States economy in 2012 (Federal Interagency Council on Recreation, Fact Sheet on Outdoor Recreation Jobs and Income, 2014). Nationally, outdoor recreation activities contribute $646 billion to the economy annually and support 6.1 million jobs (Outdoor Industry Association, The Outdoor Recreation Economy, 2012). Moreover, the Land and Water Conservation Fund is a sound investment: for every $1 invested in federal land acquisition through the Land and Water Conservation Fund, there is a return of $4 in economic value (The Trust for Public Land, The Return on Investment from the Land & Water Conservation Fund, 2010).
