POLICY BRIEFING

Capital Investment for State, Local Recreation and Conservation

Access to high quality recreation experiences depends on continuing investment by local, state and federal governments to conserve, maintain and develop appropriate sites and facilities. Collectively, these investments create a nationwide network that includes both close-to-home and remote recreation destinations.

Recognizing the continuing demand for resource conservation and recreation access, Congress created two national programs – the Land and Water Conservation Fund and Urban Park and Recreation Recovery Program – to help shape community growth and livability, conserve the built environment, landscapes and habitat, and enhance public access to recreation resources.

The Land and Water Conservation Fund Act authorizes grants to the states, and through states to local governments, to acquire, develop and renovate public recreation resources to expand and enhance access. Grants may not exceed 50 percent of total project costs. Outer continental shelf energy receipts are the largest source of LWCF appropriations. The Urban Park and Recreation Recovery Act authorizes grants principally for the restoration of recreation facilities and parks in more distressed urban settings. The matching level is 70 percent federal. State and local recipients are responsible for operation and maintenance of all assisted projects.

Typical LWCF state and local projects range in scope from small additions to existing parks, large land conservation strategies to protect ecosystems, and actions to address public recreation deficiencies. They include projects to develop basic features (roads, trails, restrooms, picnic and campground areas, youth sports and playground facilities, for example) necessary to make places accessible to residents and to assure local and state taxpayer participation in and support for public recreation and parks. These investments help shape community growth and enhance livability, conserve the built environment, landscapes and habitat, and enhance public access to recreation resources.

A growing movement to restore the national commitment to conservation and recreation captured the attention of the 106th Congress. Efforts to pass a substantive capital investments bill (Conservation and Reinvestment Act, H.R. 701) resulted in passage by the House of Representatives (315-102) and a favorable report by the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. On Feb. 14 several representatives reintroduced H.R. 701 in the 107th Congress.

Also in the 106th Congress, Senate and House Interior appropriation conferees, in negotiations with the White House, adopted Title VIII, “ Land Conservation, Preservation and Infrastructure Improvement,” for fiscal years 2001-2006. While amounts allocated to this title incrementally rise to about $3 billion per year, access to these funds remains the annual prerogative of appropriators. For fiscal year 2001, the Congress appropriated $90 million from the Land and Water Conservation Fund for state/local assistance and $30 million for urban park restoration.

Appropriations ~ The President has publicly committed to “full funding” for LWCF. The President, on Feb 27 in his address to Congress, recommended $900 million from the LWCF for fiscal year 2002. This recommendation includes $450 million from the LWCF for the matching grant program for state and local projects.

Message to Legislators:

• Local and state advocates for public recreation and parks commend legislators who have consistently supported appropriate funds for capital investment in federal partnership programs.
• Local and state recreation and park agencies are highly efficient partners to match and reinvest public resources in accessible and affordable recreation and conservation.
• The Land and Water Conservation Fund should be permanently funded at $900 million per year, with one-half available to state and local governments.
• The Urban Park and Recreation Recovery Program should be funded at an adequate appropriation – not less than $100 million. The number of eligible local jurisdictions should be expanded to reflect current demographic and socio-economic change.
• The Land and Water Conservation Fund stateside assistance program should remain consistent with current authority – maintaining eligibility for a broad array of public investments, including statewide recreation and conservation planning, conservation of lands and waters, and the development and restoration of public parks.
• The programs should continue to require full opportunity for citizens to participate in determining statewide and community recreation priorities, and for state and local authorities to select public recreation and conservation projects.

National Recreation and Park Association, February 2001