Arizona Organizations Denounce Proposed Cuts to LWCF, Department of Interior
For Immediate Release
Feb.11, 2020
Contacts:
Scott Garlid, Arizona Wildlife Federation
scott@azwildlife.org, 480-487-4663
Matthew Nelson, Arizona Trail Association
matthew@aztrail.org, 520-404-7992
Rev. Katie Sexton, Arizona Faith Network
katie.sexton@azfaithnetwork.org, 602-468-3818
Nathan Rees, Trout Unlimited
nathan.rees@tu.org, 480-236-2479
Arizona Organizations Denounce Proposed Cuts to LWCF, Department of Interior
ARIZONA — A variety of groups across Arizona today are denouncing President Trump’s proposed FY2021 budget, which would cut the Department of Interior by more than 16 percent from its FY2020 spending levels.
The proposal, released Monday by the White House, includes a 10 percent cut to the Bureau of Land Management, a 32 percent cut to the Bureau of Reclamation, a 16 percent cut to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and a 9 percent cut to the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The President’s budget also shockingly decimates the nation’s most successful, bipartisan conservation program, the Land & Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), proposing to reduce the fund by more than 97 percent.
“Arizona’s 30.5 million acres of federal public lands should be managed responsibly and sustainably to enable Arizonans to pass down their hunting and fishing traditions to the next generation. The President’s proposed budget severely handicaps the land management agencies entrusted by the public to manage our forests, deserts, and mountains, and the wildlife that call these landscapes home. We must build on our conservation legacy in Arizona, not destroy it. We’re especially disappointed that the President is threatening to nearly eliminate this country’s most successful bipartisan conservation program, the Land & Water Conservation Fund. We urge our lawmakers to reject these cuts,” said Scott Garlid, executive director of the Arizona Wildlife Federation.
“The Arizona Trail has quickly become one of this nation’s premier recreation trails and is a beacon of pride for Arizonans. To adequately maintain the trail and its surrounding federal public lands, federal land management agencies need the tools and workforce to succeed. Unfortunately, the President’s budget falls woefully short of that goal. Outdoor recreation is a critical economic development tool for our state, and we can only sustain its growth if we can count on federal public lands that are managed wisely and sustainably. Additionally, the Land & Water Conservation Fund is the only tool available to continue to grow the Arizona Trail, and we’re counting on our federal elected leaders to reject the President’s cuts to LWCF,” said Matthew Nelson, executive director of the Arizona Trail Association.
“The President’s proposed budget falls short of protecting the marvel of God’s creation. At these proposed spending levels, Arizona’s deserts, rivers, canyons, and mountains would be left irresponsibly unprotected. Rather than exploiting the natural resources given to us, we should focus instead of stewarding them for the enjoyment of future generations. We are blessed with a bounty of beautiful public lands, like the Grand Canyon, in this great state. We urge our state’s decision-makers to be good stewards of God’s creation and reject the cuts to the Department of Interior and the Land & Water Conservation Fund.” said Rev. Katie Sexton, executive director of the Arizona Faith Network.
“Protecting our state’s sporting traditions depends on our ability to protect our watersheds, maintain and improve access to public lands, and ensure that we conserve the quality of Arizona’s rivers, streams, and lakes. This Administration’s current budget proposal would reverse many years of hard work on behalf of the state’s anglers to help provide the American public with quality fishing opportunities and healthy fisheries. This proposal is short-sighted and undermines the majority of Arizonans who enjoy or depend on the outdoor recreation economy,” said Nathan Rees, coordinator of the sportsmen's conservation project in Arizona.
In Arizona, LWCF has helped acquire outdoor recreational parks like Camelback Mountain, has helped renovate wildlife centers like the Tonto Creek Fish Hatchery, and has developed local parks like Rotary Park in Mohave, the Tempe Sports Complex, and the West Community Park at Arizona State University. The program also created public access for hunting, camping, and hiking to more than 30,000 acres in the Santa Teresa Wilderness Area. Upcoming projects slated for development using LWCF funds that are now endangered include Riverside Park in Yuma, the Papago Park ADA Fishing Pier in Phoenix, Homestead North Park in Chandler, and the Sweetwater Preserve Connector at Saguaro National Park.
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