Public Law 88-578, approved September 3, 1964, (78 Stat. 897) created the Land and Water Conservation Fund, derived from various types of revenue (primarily Outer Continental Shelf oil monies) and authorizes appropriations from the fund for (1) matching grants to States for outdoor recreation projects and (2) land acquisition for various Federal agencies.
P.L. 94-422, approved September 28, 1976, (90 Stat. 1313) authorized funds for, among other things, the National Wildlife Refuge System for acquisition of: (1) habitat of endangered and threatened species of fish, wildlife and plants under section 5(a) of the Endangered Species Act; (2) areas authorized by section 2 of the Refuge Recreation Act; (3) areas under section 7(a)(5) of the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956, except migratory waterfowl areas which are authorized by the Migratory Bird Conservation Act; and (4) any areas authorized by specific Acts of Congress.
P.L. 95-42, approved June 10, 1977, (91 Stat. 210) increased the authorizations for acquisition of certain previously authorized areas.
P.L. 98-369, approved July 18, 1984, (98 Stat. 1020) provided that up to $1 million annually in excess motorboat fuels tax revenues shall be transferred to the Fund.
P.L. 100-17, approved April 2, 1987, (101 Stat. 132) extended the motorboat fuels tax component of the Fund through October 1993, and extended the authorization to pay funds received to the Land and Water Conservation Fund, and the Sport Fish Restoration Account through that date.
Public Law 100-203, approved December 22, 1987, (101 Stat. 1330) reauthorized the Fund without change through the year 2015.