Hugh Carey / hcarey@summitdaily.com
On Tuesday, 151 county commissioners, mayors, and city and town council members from all 11 Western states — including Breckenridge Town Council and Mayor Eric Mamula — signed and sent a letter to their congressional delegations urging them to fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund. According to the letter, the elected officials represent more than 1.25 million year-round residents and more than 56 million annual visitors.
The fund has been pyaing for the conservation and preservation of federal, state and local public lands and waters for more than 52 years. The fund has contributed more than $60 million to Colorado communities, including over $900,000 to Summit County for projects like the Dillon Dam recreation path and many of the county’s most popular community parks.
The fund was permanently reauthorized by Congress in March, but the Trump administration allocated nearly no money to the fund, with $900 million requested by Congress from oil and gas leases.