Land and Water Conservation Fund Sees Increase

Despite overall cuts in the Interior and Environment Fiscal Year 2012 spending package, the House and Senate agreed on, and the president signed, a budget bill that included a slight increase for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF).

The bill includes $186.7 million for the federal side of LWCF, or $21.2 million more than the $164.9 million received in fiscal year 2011. The state side of the LWCF received $45 million up from $40 million in fiscal year 2011.  In addition, the Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Sustainable Communities received funding for 2012, despite efforts to eliminate the program.