A bill expected to be unveiled this week in the Senate could provide funding that would help restore the cuts made to New York State parks this summer, U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) announced Monday.
The proposal would bring back the annual Jones Beach fireworks display, provide funding for the restoration of Long Island’s eroded beaches and reopen parks throughout the state, including Brookhaven State Park and Nissequogue River Park on Long Island, Schumer said.
The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) has historically been authorized to use $900 million a year to support outdoor recreational facilities, though Congress has only appropriated the full allotment twice in the 40 years it has been established, according to the senator. It is funded through revenue collected from offshore oil and gas development and was established to purchase lands for the purposed of conservation and to provide grants to states for recreation planning, acquisition of lands and waters and facility development.
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The most New York State has ever received from the LWCF was about $24 million in 1979, which was used toward state park development, land acquisition projects and provided grants to municipalities. The LWCF has partially funded 1,250 projects within New York since it was established.
“These dollars, already being collected by oil and gas drilling companies, have hardly been used for their intended purpose and should be spent on parks and outdoor recreation as Congress intended.” Schumer said.





