FLEMINGTON, N.J. – Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) today was honored by the New Jersey Conservation Foundation and other conservation advocates for his support for the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund. Lance and the organizations gathered at the scenic Spruce Run Recreation Area, where Lance urged the permanent reauthorization of the federal program that has enabled the acquisition and development of over 75,000 acres of open spaces and recreation areas in New Jersey.
“New Jersey is called the Garden State for good reason – our treasured public lands provide recreation, economic opportunity and a healthy quality of life for our residents,” said Lance. “The Land and Water Conservation Fund is dedicated to protecting our special places for hunting, fishing, water conservation and many outdoor activities.”
Spruce Run is among New Jersey’s many special places preserved through the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), a 51-year-old program financed entirely by revenues from corporate energy development leases - not tax dollars. The LWCF expired last fall, but Congress voted in favor of a three-year extension to allow proponents to work toward permanent reauthorization. Lance is a leader in that effort.
Lance told the audience that all Americans in each corner of this country and in all fifty states have benefitted from the investment in land preservation and recreation as the Land and Water Conservation Fund has supported and protected projects in almost every single county in the Nation. “And right here in Hunterdon County we have helped protect and maintain public spaces like the Spruce Run Recreation Area for everyone to enjoy. Pristine public lands are a trademark of the Garden State and they must be protected and maintained for future generations. This is a national issue and a federal prerogative. Conservation is conservative. The taxpayers win when communities are healthier from clean drinking water, when children perform better in school because of outdoor recreation and when overdevelopment is reduced in our communities.”
Alison Mitchell, policy director of New Jersey Conservation Foundation, added, “The Land and Water Conservation Fund provides tremendous benefits everywhere in the nation. It is far and away our nation’s most important conservation program, and with so many natural lands yet to be preserved in New Jersey we want to see it permanently authorized.”
“The LWCF touches virtually every single American and has invested billions of dollars in supporting all of our parks – from the neighborhood park down the street to our iconic national parks,” said Alan Rowsome, senior director of government relations for lands at The Wilderness Society. “Congressman Lance helped ensure the LWCF will continue to protect our wild places for future generations – such as Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge and the Spruce Run Reservoir - and on behalf of the millions of Americans who love their public lands, we thank him for his leadership on this vital program.”
Lance’s Leadership Role
New Jersey conservation leaders praised Lance for his leadership in the effort to secure permanent reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
“Since his days in the State Legislature when he was a staunch supporter of the Green Acres Program, Congressman Lance has always been a champion of open space and parks,” said Tom Wells of The Nature Conservancy’s New Jersey chapter. “On the federal level, he has continued that record through his efforts on behalf of the Land and Water Conservation Fund.”
“We at the Trust for Public Land thank Congressman Lance for his continued support of the Land and Water Conservation Fund,” said Anthony Cucchi of the Trust for Public Land. “In his support of the Fund and public lands, Congressman Lance is helping us build healthy, sustainable, and livable communities for the people of New Jersey.”
“At a time when bipartisan conversations are all too uncommon in Congress, Representative Lance has demonstrated consistent support of the Land and Water Conservation Fund and the importance and worth of cooperation,” said Land Trust Alliance President Andrew Bowman. “On behalf of the Land Trust Alliance, I thank Representative Lance for his support and look forward to our continued work to fully fund and permanently reauthorize LWCF.”
Other New Jersey natural areas funded by the LWCF include Gateway National Recreation Area, Cape May National Wildlife Refuge, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Morristown National Historic Park, Edwin Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge and the Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge.