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TO: John
xxxxxx

FROM: Jordan Schreiber, Director of Advocacy

DATE: September 7, 2019

RE: Public lands policy
recommendations to Congress for September

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

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

BACKGROUND

From famous landmarks to hidden backcountry, our public
lands are the pride of our nation. 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 find inspiration,
adventure, and a place to reconnect with nature - and each
other.

In spite of the growing importance
of public lands to families from all walks of life, these shared
spaces are facing an unprecedented threat. 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,
and to dismantle critical sources of conservation funding. If these
efforts succeed, the damage may be irreversible.

The special interests behind these
efforts are powerful, but we are not giving up. The Trust for Public
Land staff are working hard on your behalf on the ground and in
Washington, D.C. to dismantle this anti-public lands agenda and to
fight for the protection of our shared lands. And with Congress coming
back from recess this week, we need to show them in full-force 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 and landscapes today.

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CONGRESS SHOULD
IMMEDIATELY ACT ON THE FOLLOWING ITEMS:

Stop the attacks on National Monuments

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 in Utah 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. The administration
has already put into motion land management plans for the areas
formerly under National Monument status that will put these lands in
the hands of private companies. Drilling or mining in any of these
incredible places is absolutely unacceptable. Worse - the
administration has indicated that changes to our National Monuments
will not be limited to Utah's iconic landscapes.

An anti-public lands bill, H.R. 1664, was introduced in the House of
Representatives this year that would codify this outrageous attack on
our National Monuments and gut the Antiquities Act forever -
putting all National Monument landscapes at risk. We are fighting to
ensure this bill does not pass the House - and so far,
we've succeeded. But the opposition is strong - we need
your strongest support in turn to ensure H.R. 1664 never reaches the
President's desk.

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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 of 2019 (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 minimize long-term devastating consequences for Bears Ears and
other National Monuments. We need your help to make it happen.

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Protect America's land and water

In 1964, Congress passed legislation to protect our nation's
natural lands, 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 Americans.

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, forests, wildlife refuges, and open space in every state in the
nation. Over the last 55 years, LWCF funds have been used to protect
areas in all 50 states and Puerto Rico, including special places like
the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail, the MLK Jr. National
Historic Site, and the at-risk Rio Grande del Norte National Monument.

Despite this critical work, for
most of the years LWCF 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. We are fighting on Capitol Hill with
everything we've got, and we won't rest until Congress
funds the program at the full $900 million. We need your help to
garner support so we can protect this essential conservation funding,
and in turn, the future of our public lands.

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Stop the sale of public lands

When 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 recreational areas, precious wildlife habitat, and
archeological sites.

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 states or 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.

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Preserve National Scenic Trails

Nature's landscapes inspire us, provide essential habitat for
wildlife, and connect us to our shared history. That's why, with
your help, we've worked tirelessly to protect areas of our
country's most beloved National Scenic Trails, including
magnificent landscapes along the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest
Trail, and the North Country Trail.

Despite these efforts, some of
our scenic trails 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 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 our
National Scenic Trails.

Help us permanently protect our National Scenic Trails so that we can
prevent irresponsible development, protect public access to pristine
wilderness, provide recreational opportunities, and conserve habitats
for threatened and endangered wildlife for years to come.

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Pass strong climate legislation

It is widely accepted that two degrees of global warming isn't
safe. We need immediate changes at the national and local level to
address the climate crisis in transportation policy, water and urban
planning, forest management, and even the way we grow our food so we
can avoid the most damaging impacts of climate change.

That's why we are working
hard on your behalf in Washington, D.C. to pass two bills that will
help us address climate policy in cities and across our
country's public lands. The first, the International Climate
Accountability Act (S. 1743), will bypass President Trump's
decision in 2017 to pull the United States from the Paris Climate
Agreement. Staying in the Paris Climate Agreement will better position
us to implement effective, on-the-ground solutions that could help us
avoid some of the worst effects of climate change. We are also
fighting to pass the Climate Stewardship Act, which will create and
fund urban forestry programs to naturally offset carbon emissions.

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

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Make public lands more accessible

Millions of Americans, including
28 million children, don't have access to a green space close to
home. That access is critical: 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 support the
Outdoors for All Act, (H.R. 1334 and S. 3499), a bill that will lower
the barrier to getting outside by providing grants for parks and
recreation projects in underserved communities. We have also endorsed
the Transit to Trails Act, which provides grants for making public
lands more accessible with public transit.

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Fight for charitable conservation

In 1976, Congress created a tax incentive to
facilitate land conservation in the United States. The purpose of the
incentive was so property owners could donate an easement on their
land to a charity - permanently limiting development - in
return for a charitable tax deduction. This provision has been
extremely successful in safeguarding open space, wildlife, and
historic sites for the benefit of the public for decades, but
recently, a small group of bad players has been abusing the deduction
for personal gain.

The abuse of this incentive
hinders conservation efforts across the country, and it must be
stopped. We support S. 170, the Charitable Conservation Easement
Program Integrity Act of 2019, which, if passed, will prevent these
abuses of the charitable giving provision of the tax code. We need
your help ensuring this reform takes place.

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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. Please join the fight so that we can protect these special
places that mean so much to all of us.

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