Ron Kind: “This is a very simple amendment. One of the strengths of the CLEAR Act is that it asks public companies that are…”

“This is a very simple amendment. One of the strengths of the CLEAR Act is that it asks public companies that are extracting resources from our public lands to contribute to a fund, a fund called the Land and Water Conservation Fund that was established in the mid-1960s to help preserve and conserve the vital natural resources that we have throughout the United States. But the problem is that so much of the public lands that are available are inaccessible. They're not accessible for the hunters, the fisherman, the outdoor recreationists, those who enjoy shooting sports to gain access to the lands. In fact, a recent study showed that close to 35 million acres that currently exist in public lands are inaccessible to hunters and fishermen throughout the country. This amendment would direct just 1 1/2 percent out of the Land and Water Conservation Fund that would be used in order to purchase easements or right-of-ways from willing, voluntary sellers so that the hunters and fishermen have access to these public lands. The inaccessibility is one of the contributing causes of why so many people are not hunting or not involved in shooting sports. This amendment would go a long way to addressing that, and it's consistent with the underlying philosophy of the Land and Water Conservation Fund. I'd ask my colleagues to support it.”