Sponsors
The bill favors keeping land under local/private ownership and promoting non‑purchase conservation, but in doing so restricts states' ability to acquire land with LWCF grants—potentially reducing conservation/park expansion, raising costs and delays, and creating administrative uncertainty.
Homeowners and local communities keep private land from being acquired with LWCF grants, preserving local ownership, existing uses, and control over property.
States and localities are encouraged to use non‑purchase conservation tools (easements, partnerships) with LWCF funds, which can promote conservation while keeping land on local tax rolls.
State and local governments will be limited in using LWCF grants to buy private land for parks or conservation, likely reducing opportunities for land protection, park expansion, and long‑term conservation outcomes while increasing project costs and delays when fee purchases remain the only option.
Private landowners seeking to sell property for conservation will have fewer options to monetize land through sales to government, reducing potential market opportunities for some owners.
Ambiguous or incomplete conforming amendment language could create legal and administrative uncertainty about program eligibility and administration under §200306(b), complicating implementation for the Department of the Interior and states.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Bars States from using federal LWCF assistance to acquire land, water, or interests in land or water from private landowners.
Introduced January 31, 2025 by Jodey Cook Arrington · Last progress January 31, 2025
Prohibits States that receive federal Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) assistance from using that assistance to acquire land, water, or any interests in land or water from private landowners. The bill amends the LWCF statute to remove acquisition from private parties as an allowable use of those federal grants to States. The bill also includes a brief, incomplete conforming amendment to related LWCF language; no other program changes or funding directions are specified.