Advocacy still needed on Dept. of Interior funding - Advocacy Update

Parks & Recreation, Sept, 2002

Because Congress adjourned for its summer recess without finalizing Fiscal Year 2003 funding for the Department of Interior, there's still time to contact your federal legislators about the need for more resources for the Land and Water Conservation Fund and the Urban Park and Recreation Recovery Program.

In July, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed its version of the Interior spending bill. It totaled $19.8 billion, which is $546 million above the current funding level and $717 million above President Bush's request. The House agreed to $154 million from the Land and Water Conservation Fund for state assistance, a $10 million increase over current funding. The Urban Park and Recreation Recovery Program was funded at $30 million, the current level. The president's budget request submitted earlier this year proposed no urban park rehabilitation funds.

The House bill includes an amendment by Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.) and Norm Dicks (D-Wash.) that provides an additional $10 million for the National Endowment for the Arts and $6 million for the National Endowment for the Humanities. The House also voted to terminate 36 oil-drilling leases off the coast of California. The bill also retained $700 million for firefighting on federal lands, even though several legislators argued that the cost of firefighting should be appropriated from emergency accounts.

The Senate didn't act on its version of the bill before recessing in early August. Its bill includes $144 million for present funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund for state assistance, and $10 million for urban park restoration.

The Senate report accompanying the bill urges the Interior Department to work with states, tribes and other relevant stakeholders "to explore opportunities to develop synergies" between the Land and Water Conservation Fund state grant program and the state and wildlife grant program--funded at $100 million in the House bill and $60 million in Senate--to enhance recreation and wildlife investments.

NRPA is asking members to contact their senators and urge them to pass the House levels of funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund and the Urban Park and Recreation Recovery programs.

For help in educating your legislators about these programs, contact NRPA'S Public Policy staff at mphillips@nrpa.org or 202-887-0920.