Society of Outdoor Recreation Professionals release report on their proposed changes to LWCF

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The following is a press release from SORP announcing their ideas on the reauthorization of LWCF.  NASORLO appreciates their efforts, but has some concerns about the details of the proposal which were presented to the SORP representative at the Dubuque meeting and conveyed to their President after the meeting.  The main issues are ..

1.  It does not seem wise to have specific dollar amounts in the legislation, other than the overall full funding of 900 million.  Guaranteed percentages for state grants, equal to the federal percentage requirement of 40%, seem to be a better approach.

2.  NASORLO does not feel SCORP planning needs specific funding in the bill, but does support using LWCF state grants to fund the SCORP requirements.

3.  The establishment of PROS.. or a state council including federal, local, state and non profit entities may be a good idea, but not with authority to determine SCORP priorities for the state, or approve projects.

4.  NASORLO asked that SORP not process this plan or propose any LWCF language, until there was a consensus among all LWCF state advocates on specific funding language, SCORP planning requirements and other elements.

5.  And overall, the proposed bill language submitted for commentary to NASORLO, seems to detailed and complicated.  Less detail in the planning and funding requirements, other than a commitment to equity between the state and federal uses, seems to be a better approach to get legislation passed.

To see their report go to the following link..

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Adapting the 1965 Land and Water Conservation Fund Act for the next 50
years
The 1965 Land and Water Conservation Fund Act is one of the most significant environmental laws
in the history of the United States. The original legislation has has a
profound effect on the provision of quality outdoor recreation opportunities,
as well as the conservation of natural, cultural, and historic resources. It is
set to expire in 2015.

How can we strengthen the 1965 Land and Water Conservation Fund Act to meet the
outdoor recreation needs of all Americans for the next 50 years? This was the
question the Society of Outdoor Recreation Professionals challenged itself to
answer in anticipation of the Act’s 50th anniversary.

SORP engaged professionals over the course of five national conferences, reviewed the
recommendations of the 1962 Outdoor Recreation Resource Review Commission
(ORRRC) report, participated in the America’s Great Outdoors initiative,
solicited stakeholder comments through the internet-based National LWCF
Conversation, and conducted numerous interviews.

SORP is proud to present The 2015 Land and Water Conservation Fund Act—                                                                                         Adapting the Landmark 1965 LWCF to Meet the
Outdoor Recreation Needs of Americans for the Next 50 Years.
The paper presents the historical context for the 1965 Land and Water
Conservation Act, the SORP platform of core values central to strengthening
LWCF, and a proposed 2015 Land and Water Conservation Fund Act.

Click here to
download the report: http://www.recpro.org/assets/SORP_Reports/2013_adapting_lwcf_2015_final_compressed.pdf

Additional resources
on LWCF and other SORP reports: http://www.recpro.org/sorp-reports