Great American Outdoors Act Holds Promise for Local Projects

Conservationists around the country celebrated when the Great American Outdoors Act was signed into law by the President last week. This act provides full and permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) that underwrites grants for conservation projects at the federal, state, and local levels.  

The Great American Outdoors Act guarantees that $900 million will be deposited in the LWCF each year. The funding comes not from taxpayers but from offshore oil and gas royalty payments.

The permanent funding is good news for those who work to protect natural areas and wildlife habitats. SVT anticipates that the funding will provide a direct boost to conservation efforts in the region, where our municipal partners often apply for LWCF grants to help them pay for local conservation projects. For example, the Town of Berlin used LWCF funds when it purchased and conserved the overlook on the top of Mount Pisgah in 2018 (pictured).