Following a unanimous vote by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee to advance the America the Beautiful Act to reauthorize the Legacy Restoration Fund, Maite Arce, President and CEO of Hispanic Access, issued the following statement:
"We celebrate this bipartisan vote as a major win for public lands and for Latino communities that depend on them. It is a powerful reminder that collaboration is how we deliver real, lasting benefits for families and communities across the nation. By reauthorizing the Legacy Restoration Fund through its own dedicated funding, the America the Beautiful Act removes the threat of diverting money away from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF)—ensuring that deferred maintenance on our public lands, trails, and outdoor spaces gets addressed without sacrificing investments that have benefited communities in every state and county.
“For more than 60 years, the LWCF has been one of our nation’s most effective and bipartisan conservation tools--funding the neighborhood parks where children play, the trails where families gather, and the natural spaces that anchor the health and well-being of Latino communities across the country.
"Critically, this bill does not change or amend the Land and Water Conservation Fund in any way—preserving the reliable, dedicated funding that communities across every state and county have depended on for generations to access parks, trails, and open spaces.
"This vote honors the original intent of the Great American Outdoors Act of 2020—ensuring our most cherished public lands remain safe, welcoming, and accessible to everyone, while preserving the dedicated funding that makes local green and open space preservation possible.
“Our national parks, forests, and recreation areas deserve the resources necessary to remain safe, accessible, and resilient—and this bill delivers that without compromising the program that makes conservation possible at the community level.
"Hispanic Access remains committed to continuing to work with policymakers from both parties to advance solutions that strengthen our public lands, support local communities, and preserve the conservation legacy that benefits current and future generations."
For years, Hispanic Access has worked alongside community leaders, conservation partners, and families to raise awareness about the importance of the Land and Water Conservation Fund and the role it plays in expanding access to nature. Through initiatives like our Land, Water y Comunidad film, which shares stories from Latino communities across the country, we have documented the lasting impact LWCF has had on local parks, recreation areas, public lands, and community well-being. This work reflects our belief that everyone deserves access to the outdoors and that protecting LWCF means protecting opportunities for future generations to connect with, enjoy, and steward the places they call home.
