The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) has been a source of money for national, state and local parks for more than 1/2 century. It costs taxpayers nothing because the funds are derived from payments made to the federal government for extraction of offshore oil and gas resources. It has helped pay for acquisition and improvement of public land across the nation, including protection and development of some of California's most iconic national park and recreation resources -- places like the Redwoods, Muir Woods, Joshua Trees and the Pacific Crest Trail. Some $2.4B have been invested in California's national, state AND LOCAL parks over the program's history. In our community and its immediate vicinity, the American River Parkway and the bike trail have benefitted from the LWCF, as have our local parks. Over half a million dollars have been provided since 1975 for improvements at local parks across Arden Arcade and Carmichael: 

• Arcade Creek Rec&Park District -- Arcade Creek Park
• Arden Park Rec&Park District -- Cresta Park
• Arden Manor Rec&Park District -- Jonas Larkspur Park, Winterstein School Park and Crabtree Park
• Carmichael Rec&Park District -- Cardinal Oaks Park
• Fulton-El Camino Rec&Park District -- Howe Park, Seely Park, Bohemian Park
• Mission Oaks Rec&Park District -- Gibbons Park, Eastern Avenue Park

That's good stuff, right? Maybe so, but the program is at death's door unless Congress reauthorizes it by the end of September. You see, oil and gas producers have been unhappy about having to pay fees for their extraction of public offshore oil and gas resources. They have asked for the program to be curtailed and the current Administration has been sympathetic. Local people who want the program to either continue or die should contact their member of Congress: Senator Dianne Feinstein, Senator Kamala Harris, Representative Doris Matsui or Representative Ami Bera.