Trust for Public Land Applauds Congress and Biden Administration For 2024 Bipartisan Funding Bill

Washington, D.C. — With enactment of the final Fiscal Year 2024 funding bill, Trust for Public Land [TPL] issued the following statement from Bill Lee, Senior VP of Policy, Advocacy and Government Relations at TPL: 

“Trust for Public Land commends Congress and the Biden-Harris Administration for finding bipartisan compromise, funding our government, and making serious and impactful investments that connect more Americans to the outdoors.

In particular, we want to thank Congressional and White House negotiators for rejecting the draconian cuts in climate action and environmental equity, and the clawbacks of prior appropriations for those urgent needs, that some had proposed. By maintaining targeted investments in forest protection, equitable park and recreation access, connected communities, and other vital programs, the now-enacted spending legislation avoids the devastating and pound-foolish consequences of abandoning those successful policies and the communities across the country that depend on them. 

It was disappointing to see reductions in some important initiatives, including rescissions of previously appropriated Land and Water Conservation Fund dollars, which we believe should be redirected to areas of greatest conservation need rather than sacrificed for unrelated spending.

As TPL pursues its mission of connecting everyone to the outdoors — and specific work with partners to protect key lands, build new parks, and provided recreation and park access within a 10-minute walk for all Americans —  we appreciate the means the bills provide to those ends, and we will be working with our community partners to deliver results.” 

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About Trust for Public Land

Trust for Public Land (TPL) is a national nonprofit that works to connect everyone to the benefits and joys of the outdoors. As a leader in equitable access to the outdoors, TPL works with communities to create parks and protect public land where they are needed most. Since 1972, TPL has protected more than 4 million acres of public land, created more than 5,364 parks, trails, schoolyards, and iconic outdoor places, raised $94 billion in public funding for parks and public lands, and connected nearly 9.4 million people to the outdoors. To learn more, visit tpl.org