Dec. 16 letters to the editor

Show your support for
land and water fund
More than 50 years ago the Land and Water Conservation Fund was created, its purpose was to direct funds from offshore oil and gas royalties public lands projects in each state.
These projects impact our lives. For me they have given me a purpose to pursue a degree in wildlife and fisheries to protect West Virginia rivers. It’s stories like mine that show the importance of the Land and Water Conservation Fund, and how this program gives back to more than just our natural resources — it gives back to our communities and our economy by providing quality of place and jobs.
My story is similar to many young people discovering West Virginia. I was raised in the suburbs, surrounded by housing developments and strip malls very removed from any connection to the outdoors.
On a whim I came to West Virginia, and because of places like the New River Gorge and Gauley National Recreation Area, I now proudly call West Virginia home.
These rivers have allowed me to gain leadership skills and an understanding to the importance of protecting our natural resources, experiences made possible by the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
The Land and Water Conservation Fund will soon be voted on by Congress. I urge all of us to stand with Sen. Joe Manchin. D-W.Va., and support a funding bill that provides full and dedicated funding to this Land and Water Conservation program. West Virginia and all of our states deserve the many benefits of one of America’s greatest conservation programs, the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
Abigail Clasgens
West Chester, Ohio