As part of ASLA’s Livable Communities Advocacy Campaign, ASLA National and its Members urged congressional offices to support the Conservation and Reinvestment Act of 2000 (CARA).  While the House passed HR 701 by an overwhelming majority, as did the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, ultimately the legislation was held up from a full floor vote in the Senate by appropriations process.  In an effort to gain bipartisan support, CARA sponsor Senator Mary Landrieu (D-La.) and Senate leadership reached an agreement on attaching funding for similar coastal and wildlife conservation programs to other appropriations bills. In early October, the Senate voted to approve the conference report to the FY2001 Interior Appropriations bill.  Appropriators included in the conference report a trust fund that provides more money than last year for conservation accounts but retains control over its distribution.   Under the Land Conservation, Preservation and Infrastructure Improvement Trust, federal and state sides of the Land and Water Conservation Fund system could receive up to $540 million, state conservation programs could garner $300 million, urban parks and forestry and historic preservation funds could get $160 million, and maintenance backlogs at federal sites could receive up to $150 million. Payments in lieu of taxes could garner $50 million annually. President Clinton signed the spending bill. Kathleen Kennedy is ASLA’s Government Relations Manager. The Land Conservation, Preservation and Infrastructure Improvement Trust. Under an Interior trust fund called the Land Conservation, Preservation and Infrastructure Improvement Trust, Congress authorized $2.4 billion over six years for conservation programs. $1.6 billion is provided in the first year, increasing by $160 million each year, to total $2.4 billion in the sixth year. However, spending is subject to Interior and Commerce-Justice-State subcommittees' appropriations each year. While the trust fund increases conservation funding and expands opportunities for purchase of endangered land, it provides far less than the $45 billion over fifteen years that CARA guaranteed for conservation. Unlike CARA, the Interior package does not assure the money will be spent or provide earmarks for specific projects. Although the conference report doubles FY00 conservation funding, CARA would have established permanent funding.  The conference report allocates $18.8 billion for Interior and related agencies for FY01--$2.5 billion above the administration's request and $3.9 billion more than the FY00 level. Most of the increase can be attributed to nearly $3 billion in wildfire prevention and rehabilitation funding, including $1.6 billion in emergency money.