WASHINGTON, June 18, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The below letter was sent to the United States House of Representatives calling for the reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), which is set to expire on September 30, 2015. Signed by 75 Latino organizations from across the United States, the below letter is a profound and unprecedented statement from the Latino community in support of the environment and urges the House to protect our nation's precious resources, which are vital to the Latino community's health, culture and future. 

June 18, 2015

United States House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Representative:

The undersigned Latino organizations write in support of H.R. 1814 (Rep. Grijalva; Rep. M. Fitzpatrick), a bipartisan bill that would permanently reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), which is set to expire on September 30, 2015.

Created by Congress in 1965, the LWCF preserves natural areas, water resources, provides recreational opportunities, and improves access to the outdoors for all Americans. Funded by the use of revenues from the depletion of one set of natural resources – offshore oil and gas – to support the conservation of another set of precious resources – our land and water – the LWCF is essential to the Latino community's health, culture, and the future of our children. From national parks like the Rocky Mountains, the Grand Canyon, and the Great Smoky Mountains, to national wildlife refuges, national historic sites, national forests, rivers and lakes, community parks, trails, and ball fields, the LWCF has helped protect America's most treasured places in every state. Moreover, more than 41,000 state and local park projects were set aside for Americans to enjoy thanks to the LWCF.

The LWCF has been instrumental in creating recreational opportunities for Latinos in urban, suburban, and rural areas to get outdoors through the parks, trails, and recreation projects dependent upon LWCF funding. Access to these green spaces contributes to the health and well-being of Latino families. The importance of the LWCF to Latinos is underscored by the fact that our community is disproportionately affected by environmental factors which place long-term health in serious jeopardy. Forty percent of Latino children are overweight, and 50 percent are on track to develop diabetes. The recreational and outdoor opportunities created by the LWCF could help to reduce or reverse these trends.

From the Santa Fe National Forest and Watershed, a National Park Service Latino Heritage Site significant for its history as the home to Hispano settlers, and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains to the recently established Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge that provides critical outdoor and educational opportunities to the Latino communities in Bernalillo and Valencia Counties in New Mexico, the LWCF has preserved public lands significant to the Latino community's cultural and historical heritage. The Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, the Cabrillo Beach Development and Roberto Clemente State Park are a few of the special places set aside to honor the contributions of Latinos to our nation.

The LWCF protects our open spaces and improves access of these public lands for everyone, but its importance to the Latino community is without question. The 2015 Colorado College State of the Rockies Poll found that when it comes to specific environmental priorities, there is nearly unanimous Latino support for protecting and conserving natural areas for future generations

(97 percent), protecting and conserving wildlife habitat (96 percent) and making sure that rangers have the resources they need to take care of public lands and provide services to visitors

(96 percent). The poll also found that nearly 3 out of every 4 Latinos support the continuation of funding for the LWCF. The preservation of these public lands and its accessibility is essential to the Latino community's health, culture, and future of our children.

As this law is set to expire this September, the undersigned national and local Latino organizations urge you to co-sponsor H.R. 1814 to permanently reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

For the important contributions they make to the Latino community's health, well-being, and access to our nation's natural treasures, we urge you to fully fund and reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund through the passage of H.R. 1814.

Sincerely,

Acacia Network
ACCION East
Aid for AIDS
Andrew Glover Youth Program
Arte
ASPIRA Association
ASPIRA of New York
Azul
Casita Maria
Center for Latino Progress
Centro Civico de Amsterdam
Circulo de la Hispanidad
Committee for Hispanic Children and Families
Community Association of Progressive Dominicans (ACDP)
Community Health Councils
Community Organization for Parents and Youth (COPAY)
Comunilife
Cuban American National Council
Dominican Women's Development Center
Dominico-American Society
East Harlem Council for Community Improvement
El Puente
Esperanza Immigration Legal Services
GreenLatinos
Hispanic Access Foundation
Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU)
Hispanic Brotherhood of Rockville Centre
Hispanic Center of Greater Danbury
Hispanic Federation
Hispanic Health Council
Hispanic Health Initiatives
Hispanic Resource Center of Larchmont and Mamaroneck
Hispanos Unidos de Buffalo
Institute for Puerto Rican/Hispanic Elderly
Junta for Progressive Action
La Casa de Don Pedro
Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA)
Latino Commission on AIDS
Latino Community Fund of Washington
Latino Community Services
Latino Outdoors
LatinoJustice PRLDEF
League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC)
Loisaida
Make the Road New York
MANA, A National Latina Organization
Multicultural Community Resource Center
National Alliance of Latin American and Caribbean Communities
National Association of Hispanic Federal Executives
National Council of La Raza
National Hispanic Environment Council
National Hispanic Medical Association
National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health
National Puerto Rican Coalition
New Immigrant Community Empowerment
New York Council on Adoptable Children
Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance (NoMAA)
Northern Manhattan Coalition for Immigrant Rights
Nuevo Sendero
Puerto Rican Action Board
Puerto Rican Association for Human Development
Puerto Rican Family Institute
Regional Aid for Interim Needs (RAIN)
San Juan Center
SER - Jobs for Progress National
Spanish Community of Wallingford
Spanish Speaking Center of New Britain
Spanish Speaking Elderly Council – RAICES
St. Ann's Corner of Harm Reduction
U.S.-Mexico Foundation
United Bronx Parents
United States Hispanic Leadership Institute (USHLI)
Violence Intervention Program
Westchester Hispanic Coalition
William C. Velazquez Institute

SOURCE Hispanic Federation