Interior announces Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Grants to States and Territories for FY 2022

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BlogOn June 1, the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) announced the distribution of $279 million in Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) state matching grants for FY 2022.Interior announces Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Grants to States and Territories for FY 2022
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Blog
Interior announces Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Grants to States and Territories for FY 2022
On June 1, the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) announced the distribution of $279 million in Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) state matching grants for FY 2022. LWCF state grants have supported 45,000 projects in every county across the United States since 1965. The LWCF program is financed through royalties on offshore oil and gas drilling within federal waters. State matching grant funding levels are determined by a population-based formula established under the LWCF Act, with state governments distributing funds to counties and other local governments through competitive grant applications.
In 2019, Congress permanently reauthorized the LWCF and guaranteed that 40 percent of LWCF funding would be earmarked for state grants, with an additional 40 percent also guaranteed for federal land agency needs, including land acquisitions. Additionally, in 2020, Congress made LWCF funding permanent and mandatory under the Great American Outdoors Act, legislation which also created the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund to reduce the deferred maintenance backlog on federal lands.
Counties support the LWCF program with a focus on supporting areas in greatest need of open space protection and strong funding allocations for state matching grants to counties and other local governments. Any use of LWCF funds for new federal land acquisitions should be coordinated with the impacted county government to ensure consistency with local natural resource plans.
On June 1, the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) announced the distribution of $279 million in Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) state matching grants for FY 2022.2022-06-03Blog2022-06-03
On June 1, the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) announced the distribution of $279 million in Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) state matching grants for FY 2022. LWCF state grants have supported 45,000 projects in every county across the United States since 1965. The LWCF program is financed through royalties on offshore oil and gas drilling within federal waters. State matching grant funding levels are determined by a population-based formula established under the LWCF Act, with state governments distributing funds to counties and other local governments through competitive grant applications.
In 2019, Congress permanently reauthorized the LWCF and guaranteed that 40 percent of LWCF funding would be earmarked for state grants, with an additional 40 percent also guaranteed for federal land agency needs, including land acquisitions. Additionally, in 2020, Congress made LWCF funding permanent and mandatory under the Great American Outdoors Act, legislation which also created the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund to reduce the deferred maintenance backlog on federal lands.
Counties support the LWCF program with a focus on supporting areas in greatest need of open space protection and strong funding allocations for state matching grants to counties and other local governments. Any use of LWCF funds for new federal land acquisitions should be coordinated with the impacted county government to ensure consistency with local natural resource plans.

About Jonathan Shuffield (Full Bio)
Legislative Director – Public Lands | Western Interstate Region
Jonathan serves as NACo’s legislative director for public lands and liaison to the Western Interstate Region, lobbying Congress on public lands issues including Payments In Lieu of Taxes, Secure Rural Schools, land management and endangered species.More from Jonathan Shuffield
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Policy Brief
Provide Full Mandatory Funding for the Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) Program
Urge your members of Congress to support mandatory full funding for the Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program. Because local governments are unable to tax the property values or products derived from federal lands, PILT payments are necessary to support essential local government services. Unless Congress acts, counties will have received their last fully funded PILT disbursement in 2022. Without mandatory full funding, PILT will remain a discretionary program (subject to the annual appropriations process) and could fall back to pre-2008 funding levels, which would devastate local government service delivery in areas with significant federal land ownership. -
Policy Brief
Support Continued Revenue Sharing Payments to National Forest Counties
Urge your members of Congress to enact a long-term legislative solution for continued revenue sharing payments to forest counties through the U.S. Forest Service’s Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program. Congress reauthorized SRS and removed the annual 5 percent funding reduction through FY 2023 in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) (P.L. 117-58) enacted on November 15, 2021. Counties rely on SRS payments to provide numerous critical services including infrastructure, conservation projects, search and rescue missions and fire prevention programs. -
Blog
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lists the lesser prairie-chicken under the Endangered Species Act
On November 25, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued two final rules listing two Distinct Population Segments of the lesser prairie-chicken under the Endangered Species Act. -
Blog
President Biden declares Camp Hale-Continental Divide a National Monument
On October 12, President Biden traveled to Red Cliff, Colo. to sign the declaration designating Camp Hale and Tenmile Range as a national monument. The monument designation includes not only Camp Hale and the Tenmile Range, but ten mountain peaks over 13,000 feet in elevation. -
Blog
Treasury releases Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund payments to eligible counties
The U.S. Department of the Treasury announced the release of Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund (LATCF) payments to counties. -
County News
County officials hear from Forest Service, Interior representatives
Intergovernmental partnerships are crucial in public lands management.
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Public Lands Steering Committee
All matters relating to federally-owned public lands including federal land management programs, natural resource revenue sharing payments, payments in lieu of taxes, and property tax immunity concerns.pagepagepage<p>All matters relating to federally-owned public lands including federal land management programs, natural resource revenue sharing payments, payments in lieu of taxes, and property tax immunity concerns.
Contact
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Legislative Director – Public Lands | Western Interstate Region(512) 965-7268
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Policy BriefProvide Full Mandatory Funding for the Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) ProgramFeb. 1, 2023
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Policy BriefSupport Continued Revenue Sharing Payments to National Forest CountiesFeb. 1, 2023
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