Audubon looks at the start of the Land and Waters Conservation Fund

Press release

In a short film, Montana Audubon staff recently sat down with Mike Penfold, whose father, Joe Penfold helped craft the LWCF outdoor recreation legislation in 1964 that has benefited communities in Montana and across the United States.

The Great American Outdoors Act was supported by both of Montana’s senators and recently passed legislation that would provide permanent full funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund that Joe Penfold helped create 56 years ago. Joe Penfold worked for the Isaak Walton League in the 1940’s and it gave him a lot of opportunity to meet the key players in the conservation movement. “I call it being an honest broker,” Mike recalls of his father’s demeanor, “people trusted what he had to say, he didn’t talk a lot but when he said something people paid attention, and I think it was part of his effectiveness.

“Montana Audubon has made full funding for the LWCF a top priority in the last few years,” said Larry Berrin, Montana Audubon’s executive director.  “We felt that this film would resonate with Montanans as it shows a connection between someone from Montana and the origins of LWCF.  We hope this film will also push our Montana delegation towards supporting full funding.”

LWCF is funded by revenue collected from federal offshore oil and gas leases. Every year $900 million in royalties paid by energy companies is supposed to subsidize the fund, yet congress has only authorized full funding one time in the history of the legislation.

“You can go into any little community in Montana and if it’s got a ball field, or swimming pool or some outdoor recreation trail, you can bet that community has benefited from the Land and Water Conservation Fund” Mike Penfold in a film interview said. “This has been a huge legacy. We have another opportunity to continue that legacy.”

The Great American Outdoors Act passed the Senate in June, paving the way for a House vote sometime after the July recess. The GAOA will have a great economic impact on Montana through investment in national parks infrastructure projects and continued wildlife habitat and recreation projects through full funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

For more information and to view the film, people can visit https://mtaudubon.org .