Obama proposes full funding for land and water conservation program

President Obama outlined a plan Wednesday to fully fund a program that would allow federal and state governments to protect land and water throughout the country.

Obama’s fiscal year 2012 budget proposal, which was sent to Congress Monday, called for fully funding the program at $900 million. The program, which has rarely received full funding, will be funded by royalties from the oil and gas industry.

“We are intending to pay for it with existing oil and gas revenues,” Obama said at the White House Wednesday. “If you take something out of the earth, you have the responsibility to give something back to it.”

The effort was met by praise from environmental and conservation groups, who have long-called for full funding of the program, which was established in 1964. But the proposal could face opposition in Congress. House Republicans unveiled a proposal late last week to fund the government through the end of the fiscal year that would cut funding for the program.

The announcement is part of the Obama administration’s “America’s Great Outdoors Initiative.” After months of “listening sessions” across the country, the administration released a report Wednesday outlining a series of proposals to “help empower local communities to accomplish their conservation and recreation priorities.”