Editor:
In these politically divided times, it’s understandable to think we as a country can’t agree on anything. But time and time again, we have seen the beauty and value of nature bring seemingly intractable sides together.
That’s why it’s commendable that Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., has co-sponsored legislation to fully and permanently finance the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
For more than 50 years, the LWCF has been a critical tool for preserving our country’s natural wonders and West Virginia’s cherished landscapes — from Canaan Valley to the New River Gorge.
The bipartisan legislation would ensure the LWCF receives the full $900 million authorized each year from federal offshore oil and gas revenue to conserve important landscapes for future generations.
Fully funding the LWCF would not only be good for protecting West Virginia’s important forests and streams, it would help boost our economy and create jobs through tourism, outdoor recreation, and hunting and fishing, all at no cost to the taxpayer. Sen. Capito deserves credit for working to make full funding for the LWCF a reality.
Bob Orders
The Nature Conservatory in West Virginia