Originally published on kjzz.org | Story by Ron Dungan
*This piece includes an audio component that you can listen to here.
The Biden administration is restoring some federal funding for urban parks. The move reverses a cut made in the waning days of the Trump administration.
The Land and Water Conservation Fund provides critical funding for parks and outdoor recreation, from the inner city to national parks.
One of President Donald Trump’s last acts in office was to remove a program for urban parks from the fund.
President Joe Biden’s action will help restore that funding.
Vianey Olivarria, a spokeswoman for Chispa, a local conservation group, said the funding is an investment in local neighborhoods.
“The Land and Water Conservation Fund is key,” she said. “It’s a key component to have access to the outdoors. There’s so much inequity by now as to who gets access to these green spaces, right?”
Money for the Land and Water Conservation Fund comes from royalties on offshore and natural gas drilling.