Blumenthal & Lamont Join Environmental Advocates & Connecticut Audubon on 2nd Anniversary of Great American Outdoors Act

[HARTFORD, CT] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Governor Ned Lamont joined, state and local elected officials and leaders from Connecticut environmental nonprofits at The Connecticut Audubon Society’s Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center on Friday to celebrate the recent conservation and open space preservation projects that have been empowered by the Great American Outdoors Act.

The Great American Outdoors Act, signed into law in August of 2020, utilizes revenues from energy development to permanently fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) which invests in conservation and outdoor recreation projects across the country. In Connecticut, the LWCF has been utilized to preserve wildlife habitats, protect clean water, and provide critical climate benefits and access to nature for the 2.4 million people who inhabit the Connecticut River watershed region. The funding has protected nearly 1,000 acres of the Conte Refuge, which encompasses the entire 4-state Connecticut River watershed.

“Connecticut is immensely fortunate to have articulate, energetic advocates dedicated to preserving our natural treasures. Protecting open space and public lands is more important than ever, as Congress devotes new resources to fighting climate change and other environmental challenges in the Inflation Reduction Act,” said Senator Blumenthal. “I am proud to champion legislation like the Great American Outdoors Act and the Complete America’s Great Trails Act, which significantly expand conservation efforts in Connecticut and across America. I will continue to advocate for federal support of conservation projects in Connecticut, including robust funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund and investments in public lands.”

“In Connecticut, we are setting an example for what a state can do to become more environmentally sustainable and make meaningful progress on climate resilience. The Land and Water Conservation Fund helps us save open space, preserving the outdoors for our kids’ future,” said Governor Lamont.

“We are grateful for Senator Blumenthal’s leadership in conserving key lands in the Conte Refuge for wildlife, people, and climate resiliency,” said Kristen Sykes, Southern New England Director of Conservation and Partnerships for the Appalachian Mountain Club and Advocacy Chair for the Friends of Conte.  “We look forward to working with him to further strengthen the Land and Water Conservation Fund and direct more investment to the Watershed as we seek to achieve the ambitious goals of the America the Beautiful Initiative, building on a shared understanding that land protection is critical to climate action and equity.”

“We were thrilled to host the Senator, the Governor and other elected officials to celebrate the Land and Water Conservation Fund and the Great American Outdoors Act,” said Patrick Comins, Executive Director of The Connecticut Audubon Society. “The fund is a critical tool for conservation and the Act was a tremendous victory for its implementation, and a great example of bipartisan action that truly illustrates that conservation knows no party.”

In May of 2022, Blumenthal reintroduced the Complete America’s Great Trails Act which would create a tax credit for landowners who make voluntary land contributions towards the completion of America’s national trail system.

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