Ian Brickey: (314) 238-6766, ian.brickey@sierraclub.org
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Members of Congress were left wanting yesterday, November 2, after the Department of the Interior failed to produce a list of projects by a deadline stipulated in the recently passed Great American Outdoors Act. The law, which was signed into law in August, requires Interior Secretary David Bernhardt to submit lists of priority projects, including one for projects to be funded by the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). The deadline lapsed without the Department producing the list.
In response, Athan Manuel, director of lands protection at Sierra Club, released the following statement:
"It is disappointing to see the Department of the Interior fail to follow through on such a simple requirement as submitting a list of projects. It raises doubts about the Department’s seriousness in implementing a law they have been so eager to promote for months now. Many communities — particularly those communities historically denied equitable access to the outdoors — are waiting on these funds from the LWCF, and so far, Secretary Bernhardt is leaving them out in the cold.
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.5 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.