FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 28, 2020

MCV invites Congressman Gianforte to champion full funding of public lands

Congressman not among House lawmakers demanding LWCF action

(BILLINGS, Mont.) – Montana Conservation Voters is asking Congressman Greg Gianforte to join his colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives to advance legislation to “ensure full, permanent and dedicated funding” for Montana’s public lands.

On behalf of its members, MCV today sent a letter to Congressman Gianforte to “respectfully request” that the Congressman take action to fully fund the popular Land and Water Conservation Fund.

MCV’s request comes on the heels of a letter sent by 172 members of Congress urging U.S. House leaders to advance LWCF legislation. Congressman Gianforte, Montana’s only member of the House, was not among lawmakers who signed the letter.

“As you know, LWCF enjoys strong, bipartisan support across our state,” MCV Executive Director Aaron Murphy wrote Congressman Gianforte. “It creates and sustains jobs, and it’s critical to the success of Montana’s $7 billion-per-year outdoor recreation economy. Given that LWCF does not rely on tax dollars, we believe securing full funding for this popular initiative is an easy lift for any lawmaker who claims to support America’s and Montana’s outdoor heritage.”

Murphy asked Congressman Gianforte to join the effort to fully fund LWCF “because of the importance of jobs and the strength of our economy.”

“Or perhaps you lead the charge with your own request?” he added.

First established by Congress in 1965, LWCF has been funded by offshore oil and gas royalties, not taxpayer dollars, providing hundreds of millions of dollars in funding to protect public lands and increase access to outdoor recreation. LWCF has invested nearly $600 million in the Big Sky State. The fund supports Montana’s outdoor recreation economy, which sustains 71,000 Montana jobs and generates more than $7 billion in economic activity in Montana every year.

MCV’s full letter to Congressman Gianforte is online HERE.

###

Montana Conservation Voters is a statewide non-partisan membership organization dedicated to fighting for Montana’s air, water, open spaces, wildlife and public health. MCV provides voter participation services to over 72,000 Montanans. Visit mtvoters.org for more details.

CONTACT
Whitney Tawney
Montana Conservation Voters
whitney@mtvoters.org
406-254-1593