From the Inbox:Help Secure a Win in Congress for National Parks

Dear Friend, We have a wonderful, unprecedented opportunity to ask Congress to provide long lasting protection for many national parks from Glacier to Acadia to the Blue Ridge Parkway. We need you to take action today! As Congress moves forward with its oil spill response and energy legislation next week, we have the opportunity to ensure that promised money from oil and gas royalties is devoted to conserving our national parks. For the past 45 years, our national parks and other public lands have been unable to fully protect all the lands within their boundaries due to lack of promised funding for land acquisition. A few days ago, the House Natural Resources Committee passed the Consolidated Land, Energy, and Aquatic Resources Act (CLEAR Act), which includes a landmark provision that would fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). This fund balances the extraction and sale of federal natural resources--offshore oil and gas--with the permanent protection of important parklands and access to recreation for all Americans. This bill will ensure that the full $900 million of annual funding promised through LWCF is actually spent on critical land acquisition needs across the country. And just yesterday, Senator Harry Reid announced that the Land and Water Conservation Fund will be included in the oil spill and energy package he is developing for the Senate to consider. Take Action: Urge Congress to support full, permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund and other important provisions in energy legislation, which is being considered right now. As always, thank you for standing with us as we fight for better funding for our national parks. We owe it to our children and grandchildren! Sincerely, Kristen Brengel Director of Legislation and Policy