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Congress fails to fund local conservation

HANCOCK – Congress failed to reauthorize a federal funding program, which began 51 years ago, and that concerns representatives of some local conservation organizations.

Congress created the Land and Water Conservation Fund in 1964 with the intent of protecting “federal public lands and waters – including national parks, forests, wildlife refuges and recreation areas – and voluntary conservation on private land. LWCF investments secure public access, improve recreational opportunities and preserve ecosystem benefits for local communities,” according to the Department of the Interior LWCF website. Also according to the website, the LWCF, “Provides matching grants to state and tribal governments for the acquisition and development of public parks and other outdoor recreation sites. Grants have funded projects in every county in the country, over 40,000 projects since 1965. Number of projects funded is 41,999. Funding provided equals $3.9 billion.”

Congress should have reauthorized the LWCF by Sept. 30, but failed to do so after Rob Bishop, R-Utah, chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee successfully blocked the reauthorization vote.

Evan McDonald, executive director of the Keweenaw Land Trust, said funding from the LWCF has been important for some of the KLT efforts, especially the Pilgrim River Watershed Project, which is an effort to acquire conservation easements on about 1,300 acres owned by the Wisconsin-based Hovel family in Portage Township. The conservation easements will allow public access to the Hovel property in addition to non-motorized recreation activities outlined in the Michigan commercial forest law, which are fishing, hunting, and trapping. Further activities which would be allowed by a conservation easement include hiking, biking and other non-motorized activities.

McDonald said about $260,000 has been raised toward about $900,000 needed to acquire all the conservation easements for the PRWP, some of which is from private donors, and some from other sources of funding.

The Pilgrim River Watershed Project formed in 2009 and consists of Copper Country Trout Unlimited, the Keweenaw Land Trust, Partners in Forestry, Copper Country Audubon, Northwoods Alliance, Keweenaw Trails Alliance and the Houghton Keweenaw Conservation District.

McDonald said according to what he’s heard, about 70 percent of the members of Congress support the LWCF, which uses no tax money.

“It’s such a great success,” he said.

McDonald said there is no time table to acquire all the funding needed for the PRWP, and the Hovels have been patient so far.

“The landowners know we’re pursuing funding,” he said.

McDonald said having to fund the PRWP from private sources will take longer, which could present a risk to the effort, despite the support of the Hovels.

“We’re really lucky to have the Hovels to work with,” he said.

Bill Leder, president of Copper Country Trout Unlimited, said he’s disappointed the LWCF wasn’t reauthorized, but he doesn’t think the project is in jeopardy, yet.

“There are other funding mechanisms we can pursue,” he said.

The next meeting of the House Natural Resources Committee is Nov. 18, and Leder said he hopes Rep. Dan Benishek, R-Crystal Falls, who is a member of the committee, will make an effort to get the LWCF reauthorized. Benishek has supported the fund in the past.

“What I’m hearing is there’s still a chance to bring it back,” Leder said.

Benishek could not be reached for comment on the LWCF.

The LWCF is a valuable tool for conservation efforts, Leder said.

“What it means is there’s a nice source of federal funding there,” he said.

Since the LWCF uses no tax money, Leder said he doesn’t know why it wasn’t reauthorized.

“It seems like a no brainer to us,” he said.

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