May 10, 2018
The Honorable Ryan Zinke, Secretary
U.S. Department of the Interior
1849 C Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20240
Subject: Land and Water Conservation Fund
Dear Secretary Zinke:
We are writing to you on behalf of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks (Coalition). The Coalition is comprised of over 1,500 members who collectively have more than 35,000 years of experience managing and protecting national parks. We believe that our parks and public lands represent the very best of America, and advocate for their protection.
We, the undersigned, urge you to recommit to the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). We applauded when you confidently stood up for this historic conservation program while representing the people of Montana, and we remain hopeful that you will once again take this stance on behalf of all Americans as Secretary of the Interior.
Many of our members who worked for the National Park Service experienced firsthand the value of this program. From preserving the Doody homestead in Glacier National Park, to saving the Shenandoah Battlefields not far from your hike during National Park Week, the LWCF has long been a very effective program for preserving our nation’s heritage.
But so much more national park land could have been protected. We have been frustrated that the LWCF has only been fully funded one time in its entire 52-year history. Without full funding, the National Park Service and its sister agencies lost the opportunity to further conservation goals on the ground. Priority projects, developed in collaboration with local landowners, states, and regions, had to be shelved.
Under your helm, the funding levels for LWCF are sadly on a negative trajectory. We are disappointed that President Trump and you failed to support the LWCF in the proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2019. Congress has the opportunity to right that wrong, and we believe they will listen to their constituents and restore funding for the program just as they did with the Consolidated Appropriations Act earlier this year.
Secretary Zinke, your upcoming Senate hearing provides you with the opportunity to assure the Committee that you believe in the LWCF and want to see it reauthorized before it expires on September 30. Reminding Congress of your past support for permanent reauthorization would undoubtedly have a positive impact on their deliberations.
The new mission statement for the Interior Department emphasizes protecting America’s great outdoors and supplying energy to power our future. By using a portion of royalties from offshore oil and gas development instead of taxpayer dollars, the LWCF is a perfect example of a program that contributes to the achievement of those two goals. In the coming weeks, as Congress debates the FY19 budget, please pledge your support for permanent reauthorization of the LWCF.
Sincerely,
The Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks Executive Council:
Phillip A. Francis, Chair
Douglas K. Morris, Vice Chair
Michael B. Murray
Richard Ring
Maria Burks
Brenda Barrett
Don Hellmann
Rebecca Harriett
Bob Mackreth
Sheridan Steele
Mark Butler
David Graber
Members of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks
| Constance A. Rudd Alan D. Hollister Allen Bohnert Amy Gilbert Andrew T. Ringgold Anndevoy Ryan Anne C. Cully Anne Worthington Anthony Sisto Audrey Faye Calhoun B. J. Griffin B. William Henry Barbara E. Maynes Barbara Goodman Barbara Griffin Barry T. Sullivan Bennie C Keel Courtney Hotchkiss Craig C. Axtell Cyndy M. Holda Dan Davis Dan R. Moses Daniel K. Horrner Daniel M. O'Brien Daniel Tayloir Daniel W. Brown Daniel W. Steed, jr. David A. Clary David B Ames David Buccello David C. Hartman David D. Roberts David Donohue David H Wallace David Haet David J. Parsons David James Grimes, Jr. David L. Moffitt David Morris David N. Given Deborah K. Piscitelli Deborah O. Liggett Debra Levie Dee Renee Ericks Delora M. Loope Denis Michael Osowski Denis P. Galvin Dennis Burnett Denny Huffman Dominic Nessi Don Castleberry Don Neubacher Don Owen Donald A Falvey Donald Bruce Fladmark Donald E. Magee Donald M. Fox Donna M. Whaley Donna Williams Dr. Harold P. Danz Edward Bruce Patrovsky Edward D Carlin Sr Edward Peter Walzer Leslie Starr Hart Linda Alick Loretta Neumann Lucinda Stafford Lucy Lawliss M. Jeff Ohlfs Macdougall Palmer Marcia Blaszak Margaret Powell Mark Butler Mark D. Flora Mark H Lewis Mark Hardgrove Mark Kelleher Mark Ruggiero Mary D. Partsch Mary E. Elms Mary G Martin Matthew A. Ross Maureen Finnerty Meg Weesner Michael C. Warren Michael Elliott Michael H. Bureman Michael Holmes Michael Sutton Mike Tollefson Monika Mayr Nelson(Si) Siler Nicholas J Eason Norah D Martinez Norm H Simons Norman D. Hellmers O.V. Olsen Pamela Underhill Patrick H. Reed Patrick Vigil Paul B Hartwig Paul B. Cole III Paul Henderson Paul K. Stevens Paul R. Anderson Paulette Mullinax Peggy Dolinich Peter White Philip Heckman William Gibson William H. DeBerry William H. Ehorn William J. Halainen William J. Pierce William L. Huie William W. Dunmire | Bill Jackson Bill Pierce Bob Gerhard Bob Meadows Bonnie Winslow Boyd L. Sponaugle, Jr. Brian Forist Brian R Adams Bruce Alexander Dombrowski Bruce B. Moorhead Bruce Daniel Murphy Bruce Douglas McKeeman Carl S. Christensen Carol A. Clark Carol J. Spears Carol Kruse Edward Pontbriand Edward S. Kalbach Edwin Hession Edwin L. Rothfuss Elaine Hall Elizabeth A. Janes Elizabeth Appling Roberts Elizabeth K. Murray Elizabeth Snyder Elizabeth Van Zandt Emilee Martell Eric Haugland Erik R. Hauge Erin K. Broadbent Faye Walmsley Florence Townsend Frances Norton Frank J Deckert Fred J. Fagergren Gail C Menard Gary G. Brandow Gary R Miles Gary T Cummins Gary William Johnson Gene Casey George Alderson Gilbert E. Blinn Gilbert Soper Ginny Rousseau Gordon V. Gay Harry A. DeLashmutt Helen S Hossley Helen Sullinger J. W. Wade Jack E Stark Jacqueline A. Gonzales James C Roach James C. Redford Jr. James Evans James M. Brady James M. Vekasi James M.Ridenour James Pepper Jane Headland Jane Lyder Jane M. Sundberg Philip R. Brueck Phillip A. Young Phyllis M. Ellin Ramona Burks Ray Herrmann Rebecca M. Post Rev. William R. Morris Richard A. Rasp Richard B. Smith Richard D Falb DSC Richard E Wells Richard Ernenwein Richard G Littlefield Richard M. Bryant Rick Jones Rick Lee Mossman Ries S. Collier Robbyn Jackson Robert Arnberger Robert Burns Robert C. Cunningham Robert D Dunnagan Robert D. Morrow Robert E Woody Robert G Burns Robert G. Hyde Robert McIntosh Robert W Blythe Robert whaley Robert White Robert Z Melnick Roberta Barrows Roberta D'Amico Rodney L. Danner Roger A. Rudolph Roger Jon Cleven Ronald A. Wilson Ronald G. Thoman Ronald G. Warfield Russ Ludwick Sam Weddle Sanford P. Rabinowitch Sarah Bransom Sarah Peskin Scott Chapman Scott Sticha | Carol T. Linnig Carolyn L. Knoll Cathleen J. Cook Charles B Voll Charles Barry Cooper Charles Farabee Charles t wilson Charles W. Kirby, PhD Cherry Payne Cheryl A Houghtelin Christine M Nelson Christopher Seymour Chuck Bloomingburg Claude Stanley Fowler, Jr. Colin "Toby" Hastie Connie Rudd Cordell J. Roy Janet C Wolf Janet L. Krakow Janis Kozlowski Jared Cohen Jay P. Eickenhorst Jean H Rodeck Jeff Maugans Jerry A. Eubanks Jerry L. Rogers Jerry Pendleton Jerry Yarbrough Joan Anzelmo Joel Schwartz John E. Hunter John H Dryfhout John Howard John K. Apel John P. Bloom John P. Debo, Jr. John Richard Erisman Jonathan Paynter Jonathan Warner Bayless Joseph H. Finan Joseph P Hudick Joseph R. Collins Joseph Sovcik Judith Hart Kate Roney Faulkner Katherine C. Ziegenfus Katherine Stevenson Kathryn Thomas Kathy Tonnessen, Ph.D, Kenneth E. Apschnikat Kenneth Kehrer, Jr. Kent R. Cave Kim E. Sikoryak Kim W. Watson Kristine Fister Larry L Hakel Larry Lee Hakel Larry N. Kilborn Larry W. Frederick Larry Walling Laura Rotegard Lawrence A. Lang Leonard Clark Emerson Sherry Justus Shirley M. Clark Stephen E. Whitesell Stephen R. Bruner Stephen Underwood Stephen W. Hastings Steve Pittleman Steven Harrison Steven R Gazzano Stuart L. Croll Susan Contreras Terrence D. Moore Terriy W Savage Terry Michael Di Mattio Terry W. Savage Thomas A. Smith Thomas D. Thiessen Thomas G. Vaughan Thomas Griffiths Thomas H. Wilson Thomas M. Lorig Thomas Smith Timothy J. Oliverius Timothy M Harvey Timothy Manns Tom Haraden Tom Lorig Tom Ribe Tom Wolfe Vaughn Baker Vikki Keys Vito Spinale W. Philip Koepp Walt Allen Walter J Chavez Warren E Bielenberg Warren H. Hill Warren Lee Brown Wayne Thomas Jipsen Wesley H. Greene William A. Sanders William C Walters William Carroll William D Rice, Jr William David O'Donnell William F. Loftus, PhD |