***************************************

February Activist Brief

TO: John
xxxxxx

FROM: Jordan Schreiber, Director of Advocacy

DATE: February 25, 2020

RE: Public lands policy
recommendations to Congress

ACTION: Make a contribution today to help fight for these
changes

[link removed]

______________________________________________________________

This is to inform you of the
actions being taken on your behalf by The Trust for Public
Land's Federal Affairs team in Washington, D.C.

______________________________________________________________

BACKGROUND

Our parks and public lands are the heart and soul of
many American communities. Our forests, mountains, deserts, and plains
support millions of jobs and help keep our air and water clean and
healthy. They're where we go to spend time in nature -
days, hours, or just a few minutes - to enrich our lives. It
makes us feel rejuvenated. Healthier. Happier.

In spite of the growing importance
of parks and public lands to families from all walks of life, these
shared spaces are facing rising threats. Powerful politicians and
special interests are working behind the scenes in statehouses and in
the halls of Congress to convert public property to private profit, to
drill and mine on irreplaceable landscapes, and to dismantle critical
sources of conservation funding. If these efforts succeed, the damage
will be irreversible.

The special interests behind these
efforts are powerful, but we are not giving up without a fight. The
Trust for Public Land staff are working hard on your behalf on the
ground and in Washington, D.C. to mobilize support for critical bills
and policies to advance the use of parks and public land for the
benefit of all Americans. With Congress coming back from recess today,
we need to stand up and demand that public lands should be at the top
of their agenda. Join the fight and show Congress that you want to
protect our nation's special outdoor spaces today.

[link removed]

______________________________________________________________

CONGRESS SHOULD
IMMEDIATELY ACT ON THE FOLLOWING ITEMS:

Stop drilling and mining in Bears Ears and Grand Staircase

The Antiquities Act was signed into law in 1906 - giving U.S.
presidents the authority to protect lands of historical, scientific,
and cultural significance so these special places would not be at risk
of destruction or reckless development. Since then, the Act has been
used by just about every president to create or expand our
country's national monuments - until President Trump cut
two million acres of protected lands from Bears Ears and Grand
Staircase-Escalante National Monuments on December 4, 2017.

Slashing two million acres from
Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante put tens of thousands of
archeological sites, Native American sacred sites, and recreational
lands at risk of irreversible damage and looting. And now, the Trump
administration has finalized management plans that put these precious
areas of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase on the auction block -
ready to be sold to the highest bidder to be drilled and mined for
short-term profits.

Drilling, mining, or selling off
any portion of Bears Ears or Grand Staircase is absolutely
unacceptable. The grand sandstone buttes of the Valley of the Gods
could be irreversibly damaged, the ruins on Cedar Mesa pillaged beyond
repair, and the 100 million-year-old Wahweap Hoodoos forever
destroyed.

National monuments are drivers
of local economies, preserve majestic landscapes, and tell stories of
our shared history. We need to be sure that not a single acre is taken
from the public. That's why we are also working on all fronts to
rally support for the Antiquities Act (S. 367 and H.R. 1050), and the
Bears Ears Expansion and Respect for Sovereignty Act (H.R. 871). The
former would protect national monuments designated or expanded since
1996, and ensure that presidents cannot revoke or cut-back these
special places without congressional approval. The latter proposes to
expand Bears Ears to 1.9 million acres - restoring and adding to
protections for over 100,000 archeological and cultural sites that are
currently at risk. These bills must be passed to save Bears Ears,
Grand Staircase, and other national monuments. We need your help to
make it happen.

[link removed]

______________________________________________________________

Fight for America's land and water

In 1964, Congress passed landmark legislation to protect our
nation's wildlands, water, and cultural heritage called the Land
and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Act. The idea was simple: direct
revenues from the depletion of one resource - offshore oil and
gas drilling - to the protection of another resource -
America's land and water - to ensure access to recreation
for all.

With this legislation in effect, Congress could use up to $900 million
a year in revenue from oil and gas companies to create and safeguard
parks, wildlife refuges, forests, and open space. Over the last 56
years, LWCF funds have been used to protect areas in all 50 states and
Puerto Rico, including special places like the Appalachian Trail,
Rocky Mountain National Park (pictured above), Sawtooth National
Recreation Area, and the at-risk Rio Grande del Norte National
Monument.

Together with your advocacy and
support last year, we scored a big legislative victory by winning
permanent reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund
through the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and
Recreation Act in Congress. Thanks to your help, we will never again
need to fight for this essential conservation fund's existence!

Despite this incredible victory,
we are still fighting with everything we've got to ensure the
LWCF receives full funding each year. For most years the program has
been in existence, Congress and various administrations have diverted
large portions of LWCF funds to other uses - placing public land
protection projects across the country at their mercy. President Trump
just released his 2021 budget to Congress, and it would virtually
eliminate the LWCF.

Now is not the time to roll back funding
for our public lands. We need to fight to ensure the LWCF receives the
full $900 million each year. With your help, we are working to drum up
media attention, visit Congressional staff in key states, and hold
briefings with Congressional offices in Washington, D.C. We need your
help to garner support so we can protect this essential conservation
funding, and in turn, the future of our public lands.

[link removed]

______________________________________________________________

Public lands, or private profit?

Since the average American spends more than 90% of their life indoors,
our public lands and connection to nature are more important than
ever. Yet, powerful politicians are working every day in statehouses
and in the halls of Congress to convert public lands to private
profit. Putting our public spaces in the hands of private companies
goes against the very concept of public lands. In many cases, these
special places are sold off or leased to companies that irreparably
destroy archeological sites, recreational areas, and precious wildlife
habitat.

We need to keep public lands in
public hands. That's why we are lobbying in Washington, D.C. to
pass the America's Public Land Act (S. 491). The Act will
prevent the sale of public lands to private companies, unless
authorized by Congress. With your help, we will be able to protect our
lands from being sold off to the highest bidder and destroyed by
reckless development.

[link removed]
______________________________________________________________

Outdoors for All

Millions of Americans, including
28 million children, don't have access to a green space close to
home. Access to nature is essential: it not only improves public
health and builds social capital, but also provides an opportunity to
connect with nature - and each other. That's why we are
working across the country to connect more than three million people
to 1,000 miles of local and national trails and greenways. We're
also leading the effort to urge Congress to pass two bills that will
provide greater access to parks and nature: the Outdoors for All Act
(H.R. 4512 and S. 1458), a bill that will lower the barrier to getting
outside by providing grants for parks and recreation projects in
underserved communities, and the Transit to Trails Act (H.R. 4273 and
S. 2467), which provides grants for making public lands more
accessible with public transit.

Nature's landscapes inspire us, provide
essential habitat for wildlife, and connect us to our shared history.
For four decades we've worked tirelessly to protect many of our
country's most beloved and iconic trails, including magnificent
landscapes along the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail, and
the North Country Trail. Just this past December in Utah, we were able
to permanently protect the famous Zion Narrows Trail from closure and
development - an incredible milestone that would not have been
possible without your support!

Despite these efforts, some of
our scenic trails still cross private land and could be blocked,
gated, or closed off entirely to the public. To make sure that
doesn't happen, we are working hard in Washington, D.C. to pass
the Complete America's Great Trails Act (H.R. 1727). This bill
would give tax credits to people who donate their land to help close
gaps in National Scenic Trails.

Help us ensure access to nature for all Americans. Together, we can
permanently safeguard National Scenic Trails, prevent irresponsible
development, protect public access to pristine wilderness, provide
recreational opportunities, and conserve habitats for threatened and
endangered wildlife for generations to come.

[link removed]

______________________________________________________________

Mitigate the worst effects of climate change

It is widely accepted that two degrees of global warming isn't
safe, but recent data from the UN shows we are on pace to surpass that
number and warm as much as four degrees by the end of the century.
Without urgent action from our nation's leaders, we undoubtedly
face a future of even more rising sea levels, habitat extinction, and
extreme weather akin to the rampant wildfires in California and
hurricanes like Florence and Michael.

That's why we are working hard on your behalf in Washington,
D.C. to develop effective climate policies which include natural
climate solutions, and the protection of public lands and open space.
Our goal is to safeguard people and communities from extreme heat,
poor air and water quality, flooding, and sea level rise associated
with climate change.

In the short term, we are
working to pass three bills that will help us address climate policy.
The first, the International Climate Accountability Act (H.R. 9 and S.
1743), will reverse President Trump's decision in 2017 to pull
the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement. This will better
position us to implement effective, on-the-ground solutions that could
help us avoid some of the worst effects of climate change. Taking the
next steps beyond Paris, we are supporting the 100% Clean Economy Act
(H.R. 5221 and S.3269) and the Climate Stewardship Act (H.R. 4269 and
S. 2452), which together will limit carbon pollution from federal
public lands, and create and fund ambitious urban forestry programs to
naturally offset carbon emissions.

John, we need your help to pass
these essential bills to stop our planet from warming two degrees. But
with some elected leaders working against climate action at every
turn, passing this legislation won't be simple. Join the fight
today and show your legislators where you stand on climate.

[link removed]

______________________________________________________________

Strengthen our fight

We are fighting tooth and nail to pass these bills, and to ensure the
agenda to dismantle public lands is put to rest - but we need
your help today. Please join the fight so that we can protect these
special places and create open spaces close to home.

[link removed]

______________________________________________________________

You have received this email as you have
subscribed to The Trust for Public Land. If you no longer want to
receive emails, it's easy to unsubscribe.
[link removed]
[link removed]

The Trust for Public Land * 101 MONTGOMERY ST., SUITE
900 SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94104
(800) 714-LAND (5263)



***************************************