Washington, D.C. - The U.S. Senate has begun consideration of an energy bill that includes a provision based on Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet's bipartisan bill to permanently reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF).

"Conserving our open space is an important priority for Colorado that helps create jobs, grow our economy, and protect our environment and quality of life," Bennet said. "Rural and urban communities throughout our state benefit from the Land and Water Conservation Fund and have joined our fight to permanently authorize this important fund. It has helped preserve dozens of landscapes across the state to ensure future generations will enjoy them as we do today."

Since coming to the Senate, Bennet has fought to strengthen the LWCF. Last year, he introduced a bipartisan bill with Republican Senators Richard Burr of North Carolina and Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire to permanently reauthorize the LWCF. He has also fought to fully fund the program.

Bennet helped secure a three-year reauthorization for the LWCF in the year-end funding bill Congress passed in December. It also provided $450 million for Fiscal Year 2016, including nearly $20 million in designated funding for projects in Colorado at Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Sangre de Cristo Conservation Area, Blanca Wetlands Special Recreation Management Area, the Rio Grande National Forest and the Toll Properties in Roosevelt National Forest.