On the recordFebruary 2, 2015
I want to thank the senior Senator from Delaware for raising this important issue. I would be happy to work with him on this issue because, as my friend and colleague from Delaware knows, the Land and Water Conservation Fund is not only good for the environment but good for local economies. Economists have determined that communities that are near or part of protected natural resources have better and more sustainable economic outlooks than communities that are not. In addition to the Land and Water Conservation Fund, I have been working on longer term solutions to the need to reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act, as well as the need to consistently fund Payments in Lieu of Taxes. These programs share a similar, though not identical, vision as the Land and Water Conservation Fund in that they seek to support the rural communities that house some of our most important conservation-based treasures. I know the Senator seeks to support these sorts of American communities and so, while we are working on ensuring the stable continuation of the Land and Water Conservation Fund, we can also work together on these funds.
