DATE: March 11, 1999
TO: Empire State Task Force for Land and Water Conservation Funding
FROM: Bernadette Castro, Co-chairman

I just returned from my second trip to Washington D.C. over the past month. To say that there is heightened interest in reinvigorating the LWCF state side program, would be an understatement.

Over the past month I have met with the following members of the House of Representatives (New York delegation): Sherwood L. Boehlert, Rick A. Lazio, Michael Forbes, Nita M. Lowey, James T. Walsh, Maurice D. Hinchey, Amory Houghton, Jose Serrano, Joseph Crowley, John Sweeney, Vito Fossella. I testified before the House Resources Committee where I had an opportunity to speak with Chairman Don Young and Ranking Minority Member George Miller. I also met with Brooks Yeager, Department of Interior, Deputy Secretary for Policy, Management and Budget; and Jacqueline Lowey, Deputy Director for the National Park Service. No matter who the audience was, the message that cam back to me was the same; we need grassroots letters and we need them now!

It is evident that at this point Representatives Young and Miller are going to work towards bringing their legislation, the Conservation and Reinvestment Act (CARA) and "Resource 2000" (Mr. Miller's bill) to a common point. However, they have told me they expect the House appropriators to be the problem. To overcome what will be obvious House opposition, we need grassroots letters tot he entire New York delegation and Representatives Young and Miller. The letters should basically ask for:

"state side funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund in the next Federal fiscal year budget, or in any legislation that would permanently fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund as proposed in the Conservation and Reinvestment Act (CARA) or the Resources 2000 Act. This funding is needed to address vital community needs for park acquisition, development and capital rehabilitation."

We really need your voices to be heard now, during the formative stages of the legislation and during the formative stages of the FFY2000 Budget.

I am attaching a copy of my testimony before the House Resources Committee. If you need any assistance customizing your message, please call Dominic Jacangelo of my staff at (518) 474-7336. He would be most happy to assist you.