Trust for Public Land Statement on President Biden’s Budget Request for Fiscal Year 2024

Today the Biden Administration released the President’s Budget Request for Fiscal Year 2024, outlining its vision for policy investments and government-wide spending for the twelve months beginning October 1, 2023.

Trust for Public Land President and CEO Diane Regas issued the following statement:

“Budgets are statements of priorities, and we are grateful to President Biden for prioritizing the urgent park and land conservation needs faced by our communities, our states, and by Tribal nations.

Significantly, the President’s FY24 budget request represents a first-ever programmatic commitment to fund the return of historic homelands to Tribes through the creation of a new Tribal Land and Water Conservation Fund, with a $12 million proposed budget. Trust for Public Land is proud to serve as a partner with a number of Tribes working to reclaim these lands to enhance stewardship, safeguard cultural resources, and advance economic self-sufficiency. We look forward to working with Congress and the Administration to secure this vision and the LWCF increase that will pay for it, and to enact the Outdoors for All Act — recently introduced by Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Susan Collins (R-ME), and Representatives Nanette Barragán (D-CA) and Michael Turner (R-OH) — to provide the gateway for these funds to be put to essential use.

The President’s Budget Request also makes clear that the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) will and must be fully expended — as provided for in the recently passed Great American Outdoors Act, and consistent with the President’s America the Beautiful Initiative — with a balanced hand that conserves our national treasures while advancing critical park access, protection of fish and wildlife habitat, and now-or-never community conservation imperatives. We are particularly encouraged by the strong, continuing commitment to the Outdoor Resources Legacy Partnership, which delivers the multiple benefits of parks to neighborhoods lacking equitable access to nature.”

About Trust for Public Land

Trust for Public Land (TPL) is a national nonprofit that works to connect everyone to the benefits and joys of the outdoors. As a leader in equitable access to the outdoors, TPL works with communities to create parks and protect public land where they are needed most. Since 1972, TPL has protected more than 4 million acres of public land, created more than 5,364 parks, trails, schoolyards, and iconic outdoor places, raised $93 billion in public funding for parks and public lands, and connected nearly 9.4 million people to the outdoors. To learn more, visit tpl.org.