WASHINGTON – On Thursday and Friday, August 13-14, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell will visit Rivergate Park in Cleveland, Ohio and the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge in Wisconsin to announce new funding and celebrate the success of the Land and Water Conservation Fund over the past 50 years. Investments through the Land and Water Conservation Fund have created opportunities for outdoor recreation and benefitted local economies in all 50 states.
The landmark law is set to expire this year without action from Congress. President Obama has called for full, permanent funding as part of his 2016 budget request.
Congress established the Land and Water Conservation Fund in 1964 to ensure access to outdoor recreation resources for present and future generations and to provide money to federal, state and local governments to purchase land, water and wetlands for the benefit of all Americans. The primary source of revenue for the fund is royalties from federal oil and gas leases on the Outer Continental Shelf.
The Land and Water Conservation Fund has helped fund more than 40,000 projects nationwide and played a vital role in boosting local economies in every state. For every $1 invested through the fund, there is a return of $4 in economic activity.
Event #1:
Who:
Sally Jewell, U.S. Secretary of the Interior
Frank Jackson, Mayor of Cleveland
Marcy Kaptur, U.S. Congresswoman (OH-9)
Pam Carson, State Director, The Trust for Public Land
Ronn Richard, CEO, The Cleveland Foundation
Brian Zimmerman, CEO, Cleveland MetroParks
What:
Land and Water Conservation Fund funding announcement and trail dedication ceremony
When:
Thursday, Aug. 13, 2015
12:00 p.m. EDT – Media check-in
12:15 p.m. EDT – Press conference and trail dedication ceremony
12:45 p.m. EDT – Media availability
Where:
Rivergate Park on the Cleveland Foundation Centennial Trail
1785 Merwin Ave
Cleveland, OH 44113
Media:
Credentialed members of the media are encouraged to RSVP here.
Event #2:
Who:
Sally Jewell, U.S. Secretary of the Interior
Ron Kind, U.S. Congressman (WI-3)
What:
Tour and media availability highlighting the Land and Water Conservation Fund’s contributions to conserving America’s treasured landscapes and outdoor recreation
When:
Friday, Aug. 14, 2015
10:15 a.m. CDT – Media check-in
10:30 a.m. CDT – Boat tour of the refuge
12:30 a.m. CDT – Media availability
Where:
Nelson’s Park Boat Landing
3600 Lake Shore Drive
La Crosse, WI 54603
Media:
Media members are welcome to attend a boat tour of the Upper Mississippi River Restoration Environmental Management Program prior to the press conference. The boat will depart at 10:30 a.m. from Nelson’s Park Boat Landing.
Credentialed members of the media must RSVP here for the tour and media availability. Please be advised, spots on the boat tour are limited.
Source: Department of Interior
