The Land and Water Conservation Fund has been used to protect the Everglades National Park in Florida, the homeland of the Seminole Tribe and the Miccosukee Tribe. Photo: Jerry
The outlook for Indian Country appears bleak with Republican President Donald Trump in office. But attorney Dean B. Suagee, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, believes there's room to include tribes in the Land and Water Conservation Fund, a popular program that brings funds to states and federal agencies:
Over the last half century, the federal policy of tribal self-determination has been endorsed by the executive branch in administrations of both parties and by members on both sides of the aisle in both houses of Congress. Tribal leaders and intertribal organizations have worked relentlessly to build bipartisan support for Indian legislation. Results have been mixed, but the basic federal commitment to the policy of tribal self-determination has been a constant. Amid the partisan rancor rampant in politics these days, one strategy for solidifying bipartisan support for Indian legislation would be to advocate for inclusion of tribal provisions in generally applicable bills that have bipartisan support. And this brings me back to the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Established by act of Congress in 1964, the LWCF provides funding from fees paid by private companies conducting offshore oil and gas development. The funding is divided into two pots, one for federal agencies and one for the states. The federal pot is for protection of federal land by the National Park Service and other federal agencies, including lands and waters important for wildlife habitat. It can also be used to acquire inholdings of private land from willing sellers within national parks, recreation areas and national forests. The state pot provides matching grants for state parks, habitat protection and local outdoor recreation projects, including planning and development of outdoor recreation facilities such as picnic areas, parks, campgrounds, tennis courts, boat launching ramps, bike trails, swimming pools, playing fields, and support facilities such as roads and water supplies. There is no pot for grants to Indian tribes.Read More on the Story:
Dean B. Suagee: Trump Must Include Tribal Nations in Land and Water Conservation Fund (Indian Country Today 1/27)
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