New York Times Op-Ed: Senator Jon Tester, on a Conservation Fund

Teddy Roosevelt recognized that there are places in this country so special that they shouldn’t be developed, so he helped set aside these lands for future generations. As a Montanan, I know that for the last 50 years, the Land and Water Conservation Fund has been the best tool the American people have had to protect our outdoor treasures and the wildlife that live there.

The fund uses a portion of offshore oil and gas revenues to invest in conservation projects and support outdoor recreation in all 50 states. The fund expires in September, and Congress needs to reauthorize it.

There is some chatter about making changes to the fund. But I urge my colleagues in Congress to join me in supporting the fund. Period. No strings attached.

Some folks in Congress are forcing a false choice between managing existing public lands and expanding public access. We don’t have to pick one or the other. If we make smarter decisions about how we spend money overseas, we can protect our best outdoor places before they are lost forever.

JON TESTER

Big Sandy, Mont.