Parks Group Applauds RESTORE Act Amendment that Solidifies Funding for Clean-up of the Gulf Oil Spill, Provides Additional LWCF Funds
|
PRESS RELEASE
|
|
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | |
| Date: | March 9, 2012 |
| Contact: | Jeff Billington, Senior Media Relations Manager, National Parks Conservation Association, jbillington@npca.org, 202.419.3717 |
Parks Group Applauds RESTORE Act Amendment that Solidifies Funding for Clean-up of the Gulf Oil Spill, Provides Additional LWCF Funds
Statement by: Craig Obey, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs, National Parks Conservation Association
“NPCA applauds the bipartisan support and passage of the RESTORE Act amendment, which is critical to the recovery and restoration of the Gulf Coast. This amendment, which was co-sponsored by Sens. Bill Nelson (D-Fl.), Richard Shelby (R-Al.), and Mary Landrieu (D-La.), directs 80 percent of the Clean Water Act penalty payments stemming from the 2010 BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico towards environmental restoration and economic development, holding those responsible for the disaster accountable and ensuring that the money is spent to restore the damaged Gulf ecosystem. National Parks Service units like Gulf Islands National Seashore, Jean Lafitte National Historical Park, and Padre Island National Seashore, where the health of the Gulf is directly linked to the health of the parks, stand to benefit from these funds.
“The RESTORE Act amendment also ensures that the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) will receive short-term, dedicated funding that has been promised for years but not delivered. We’re very grateful to senators Nelson, Shelby and Landrieu for offering an amendment supporting LWCF and to the Senate for its overwhelming support of the amendment. The $1.4 billion over two years ensured by the amendment would help protect special places like national parks and the many opportunities they offer for families to enjoy healthy recreation outdoors and experience our historical, cultural and natural heritage. LWCF is critical to the protection of our national parks and other important places. If this amendment becomes law, it will help to protect our national treasures and the ability of present and future generations to access and enjoy them.”
###
