Commentary: The New Mexico League of United Latin American Citizens (NM LULAC) unanimously passed a resolution on May 20th, 2018 at its annual convention in Las Cruces, New Mexico, calling on Congress, including all five members of Congress representing New Mexico, to act swiftly to enact full funding for and permanent reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF).
The resolution recognizes the important contributions LWCF makes to New Mexico’s, our nation’s, and the Latino community’s health, well-being, economic opportunity, and access to our nation’s natural treasures. The Hispano Round Table of New Mexico (HRTNM) Board of Directors unanimously passed an identical resolution on May 4, 2018.
Congress and President Lyndon B. Johnson established LWCF in 1965 to safeguard natural areas, water resources and our cultural heritage, and to provide recreation opportunities to all Americans. It is one of the most successful programs in preserving our country’s precious natural and cultural resources and improving equitable access to the outdoors in urban and rural communities.
LWCF’s funding comes from off-shore drilling royalties so its benefits have come at no cost to taxpayers. Unfortunately, in over 50 years, Congress has only twice fully funded LWCF, instead regularly diverting royalties meant for LWCF to other purposes. What’s more, LWCF will expire onSeptember 30, 2018 without Congressional action.
“Latinos and all Americans in every state have benefitted from the Land and Water Conservation Fund, whether they know it or not. If you have visited a state park or played softball in your neighborhood, there’s a good chance those places in New Mexico were, in part, funded by the LWCF to the tune of over $310 million during the program’s lifetime,” said Ralph Arellanes, NM LULAC Executive Director and Hispano Round Table of New Mexico Chairman.
In New Mexico, places where LWCF funds have been used include Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge; Valles Caldera National Preserve; Rio Grande del Norte National Monument; Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail; Mesilla Valley Bosque, Pancho Villa, Manzano Mountains, City of Rocks, and Elephant Butte Lake State Parks. In addition, LWCF has benefitted community parks, ball fields, playgrounds, and other recreational facilities in every New Mexico county and nearly every New Mexico incorporated area.
Another reason NM LULAC and HRTNM are supporting LWCF’s full funding and reauthorization is because, according to the resolution, “the parks, trails, and recreation projects dependent upon LWCF funding are green spaces that contribute to the health and well-being of Latino families. The importance of LWCF to Latinos is underscored by the fact that our population is disproportionately affected by air and water pollution and other environmental factors that place our community’s long-term health in jeopardy.”
“It’s unconscionable that partisan division and inaction in Congress may end LWCF,” said Ralph Arellanes, Chairman of the Hispanic Round Table. “Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich and Representatives Ben Ray Lujan and Michelle Lujan Grisham all recognize what LWCF means to New Mexico and have worked to reauthorize and fully fund it. Our resolution makes clear that we stand with them in this fight.”
In addition to the conservation and health benefits of the fund, the resolutions point out that outdoor recreation contributes $9.9 billion to New Mexico’s economy and supports 99,000 New Mexican jobs. Failing to reauthorize LWCF threatens this valuable economic sector.
A copy of the HRTNM resolution can be found here. The NM LULAC resolution is identical and will be posted online in coming days.