Montanans praise Bidenâs lifting of Trump restrictions on conservation fund
via Missoula Current
Montanaâs conservationists praised the Biden administrationâs move on Thursday to restore federal money for land and recreation conservation.
By: Laura Lundquist - Missoula Current
Posted at 4:40 PM, Feb 12, 2021
and last updated 2021-02-12 18:40:22-05
MISSOULA â Montanaâs conservationists praised the Biden administrationâs move on Thursday to restore federal money for land and recreation conservation.
The Department of the Interior announced Thursday morning it had revoked a Nov. 9 order from former Interior Secretary David Bernhardtâs that had put restrictions on the use of Land and Water Conservation Fund money to buy public land.
Like a third of Oklahoma's hunters, state Rep. John Talley relies on the public places in the state to pursue his passion.
"My son, Saul, and my grandson, Stran, go hunting all the time," said Talley, R-Stillwater. "If it weren't for public lands, we would be in trouble. We totally need public lands because a lot of us hunters don't own land."
Talley and his family have visited about a dozen of the state's public hunting lands over the past three years, pursuing deer, dove, pheasant and turkeys. Oklahoma state parks and national wildlife refuges are other public places where he goes horseback riding and rappelling.
ROB CHANEY
The rules governing federal Land and Water Conservation Fund spending took another turn on Thursday when Biden administration officials undid some last-minute policies installed under the Trump administration.
âInteriorâs actions today affirm our support for one of Americaâs most successful and popular conservation programs,â Interior Department Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Shannon Estenoz said. âWe look forward to strengthening this successful program to ensure that all communities â from hikers and sportsmen to urban and underserved communities â have access to nature and the great outdoors.â
Last August, Congress included $900 million in annual mandatory funding for LWCF in the Great American Outdoors Act, essentially doubling the amount of money available to protect landscapes ranging from wildlife habitat to city playgrounds.