|
At the very end of the Trump administration, then-Interior Secretary Bernhardt pushed through devastating changes to the wildly popular Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) that was funded with bipartisan support through the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA). Bernhardt's order had the effect of allowing local government officials and governors to veto land purchases through the LWCF, undermining the program after years of attempting to cut its funding. The change would've cut into the rights of private landowners willing to sell their land to the federal government, preventing acquisition for conservation efforts.
Now, the Biden administration has reversed course on the changes. Acting Interior Secretary Scott de la Vega issued an order revoking Bernhardt's previous order. The new order also returns money to a LWCF grant program that benefits urban areas, the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership program. The Trump administration had shifted money away from the program, taking resources away from low-income communities and communities of color.
Aaron Weiss, deputy director for the Center for Western Priorities, summed up the series of events: "After the president flip-flopped on LWCF in a futile attempt to help Cory Gardner, Bernhardt tried to make an end-run around Congress. Repealing Bernhardt's order gives the Biden administration room to properly spend LWCF funds, and make sure it continues to be America's most successful conservation program."
|
Having indigenous folks at the table ensures they are not left out. But it also ensures that we don't make assumptions about what the community's needs are.”
