Bennet Pushes for Conservation Funds in Oil Spill Bill Today
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
DENVER - The "oil spill bill" gets a hearing on Capitol Hill today. Part of the discussion could affect the future of Colorado's land and water resources.
Sen. Michael Bennet and others want to include language in the bill to fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund. The fund uses offshore drilling leasing fees to conserve places like Rocky Mountain and Black Canyon of the Gunnison national parks.
However, in recent years Congress has allocated only a fraction of its intended funding. Bennet says even with tight government budgets, conservation is a smart investment for Colorado.
"In Colorado alone, outdoor recreation accounts for $10 billion in revenues annually and supports 107,000 jobs, so it's an economically smart thing to do."
Some of Colorado's most treasured spots have seen benefits from the conservation fund, Bennet points out: "The Great Sand Dunes National Park; the wildlife refuge complex of the San Luis Valley; and the ecosystem in the Canyons of the Ancients National Monument."
Today's hearing will be held in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
Bennet has also co-sponsored a separate bill to fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund, or such language might become part of a climate and energy bill.
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