Tester Announces Almost $1 Million in LWCF Funding

(U.S. Senate) – In the midst of his ongoing campaign to permanently reauthorize and fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), Senator Jon Tester announced today that Montana will receive approximately $896,000 from the LWCF stateside program to support local outdoor recreation projects throughout the state.

This funding will support state and city recreation projects like ball fields, public parks and playgrounds, picnic facilities, and walking trails. In addition to this funding, a number of individual LWCF initiatives in Montana will receive funding in Fiscal Year 2016.

“I applaud every effort to increase recreational opportunities for Montanans and this money will go a long way towards doing that,” Tester said. “LWCF is a critical boost to Montana’s economy, our western way of life, and our outdoor heritage.”

The award is part of the $95 million in stateside LWCF funding that the Department of the Interior is distributing across all 50 states, U.S. territories and D.C. Montana’s allocation is up from previous years.

The LWCF uses revenue from offshore oil and gas drilling to support conservation efforts and increase public access to public lands. Montana has received approximately $540 million in funding from the LWCF since its inception in 1965, money that has gone toward increasing outdoor recreation opportunities in Montana communities and across the state’s iconic landscapes for present and future generations.

Last year, Congress reauthorized LWCF for three years. As a member of the Appropriations Committee, Tester has long fought for increased LWCF funding. Tester has cosponsored legislation to permanently authorize and fully fund the program.