New Land Conservation Initiatives Earn Bipartisan Approval - by Clay Henderson - H&K Conservation Solutions
 
March 13, 2001
 

New land conservation programs are proving to be good politics. In the last couple of years Congress and the Administration have taken a new bipartisan interest in land conservation. Just prior to adjournment, Congress approved landmark conservation measures and on Election Day, voters in 173 local jurisdictions approved tax initiatives to protect open space. Polls show strong bipartisan support for these initiatives.

CARA

Congress showed renewed interest in land conservation with the consideration of the Conservation and Reinvestment Act. The ambitious proposal was passed by the House and the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee but was bogged down as Congress approached adjournment. Just prior to the election recess, Congress passed the Department of Interior Appropriations that contains significant appropriations for open space acquisition. What is now dubbed as “CARA Lite” is the new Title VIII Interior Funding called Land Conservation, Preservation, and Infrastructure Improvement. This action recognizes land conservation and related activities as a critical national priority and provides a mechanism to guarantee significantly increased funding for critical land acquisition and other land protection programs. The new appropriations provide for a six-year, $12-billion program with $1.6 billion available in FY2001.

CARA Lite will represent a whole new chapter in federal involvement in land conservation.

Everglades Restoration

Support for the “River of Grass” was an important priority of the Clinton Administration and Congress responded with strong bipartisan support last year. In 1999, the Administration announced its support for the $8 billion re-plumbing known as the “Re-Study” and in 2000, the Florida Legislature approved funding the state share of the massive public works project. The Everglades Restoration Act sets the congressional stamp of approval on the new Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan. This plan makes major changes in the scope and direction of the Central and South Florida Project of the Water Resources Development Act. The plan calls for spending $7.8 billion on more than 60 water-quality and flood-control projects over a 30-year time horizon. Costs will be split equally between the state and federal government with the state primarily responsible for land acquisition. The project will be administered by the South Florida Water Management District and the Army Corps of Engineers. Supporters lauded this massive public works project as the largest environmental restoration plan ever undertaken anywhere in the world.

Open Space Referenda

Voters also have demonstrated strong support for conservation issues. During the last two election cycles more than $15 billion in new money for open space and land conservation programs have been ratified. The 2000 election cycle continued these strong trends. This year, 173 of a possible 206 referenda were ratified by the voters authorizing $7.6 billion in new funding at the local level. Several Florida counties had big wins for open space, environmentally sensitive lands, and outdoor recreation projects. Polling associated with each of these referenda showed strong support for open space programs as a “quality of life” issue.

The most ambitious program in Florida was launched in the City of Jacksonville. During the September 2000 Primary, a half-cent sales tax was approved which funded the $300 million “Preservation Project” to purchase lands in sprawl corridors and provide economic incentives for investments in the downtown area. Bond issues were also approved for purchase of environmentally significant lands in Volusia ($80 million) and Alachua County ($29 million). Parks and trail programs were approved in Broward ($400 million), Brevard ($60 million), and Seminole ($25 million). Leon County approved a sales tax extension with a number of environmental components. A separate $80 million bond issue was approved in Volusia for facilities for environmental education, culture, historic preservation, and outdoor recreation. As of this election, 20 Florida counties have approved local,  open-space referenda.

New land-conservation programs have demonstrated widespread support at the ballot box in the last two election cycles. These programs offer opportunities to acquire and preserve wetlands, open space, habitat and recreational lands without the traditional conflicts between the environmental community and private property interests.

New Federal Spending

 

Federal and State LWCF	$540 million
State and other conservation programs	$300 million
Urban and historic preservation	$160 million
Maintenance	$150 million
Pilot Programs	$ 50 million
Coastal Programs	$ 400 million