The Interior Department has been preparing a plan to siphon funds from a popular conservation program to public lands maintenance projects, potentially setting up a spending battle with Congress, according to a person familiar with the document.
The memorandum being drafted by Interior seeks to reallocate funds intended to purchase new federal lands or pay for state grants and instead put that money toward repairs and upkeep at national parks and other federal sites. The order under consideration by the Trump administration was first reported by The Washington Post.
An Interior spokesperson did not respond to questions about the move, but the agency indicated in its fiscal 2026 budget in brief issued in June that it was targeting $276.1 million designated for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) to divert to maintenance needs.
A conservation advocate, who was granted anonymity to discuss confidential conversations, told POLITICO’s E&E News that Interior is drafting a new document on the use of LWCF monies.
