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Fight to Save LWCF from Termination Enters Critical Period

From the National Recreation and Park Association

The fight to save the Land and Water Conservation Fund state assistance program from termination enters a new phase as the House and Senate take up the 2008 Appropriations bills. NRPA has led a highly successful campaign to secure support from members of Congress in the House and the Senate through "Dear Colleague" letters that have circulated in Congress supporting funding for the Land Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) state assistance program for 2008.

The President has proposed to terminate this successful partnership program in the 2008 budget just as he did in 2007. Last year, NRPA, with support from a coalition of national organization partners convinced Congress to rebuff the Administration?s bid to terminate funding, and $30 million was restored to LWCF stateside that will fund about 400 projects in states and localities across the country.

In the Senate, Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Sen. Ken Salazar (D-CO) are circulating a letter that requests $125 million for LWCF State Assistance in the 2008 budget. Signatures will be accepted until March 30, and possibly longer. To date, 39 Senators have signed-on, but our goal is to have a minimum of 51 senators signed on, which demonstrates that a majority of the Senate supports funding for the program. Timing is critical, so your advocacy is needed now.

The Senate Dear Colleague will remain open till March 30, perhaps longer. To view the Senate letter click the following link: http://www.nrpa.org/content/default.aspx?documentId=5366

The Senate co-signers are: Akaka (D-HI), Baucus (D-MT), Bayh (D-IN), Biden (D-DE), Bond (R-MO), Boxer (D-CA), Brown (D-OH), Cantwell (D-WA), Cardin (D-MD), Carper (D-DE), Clinton (D-NY), Collins (D-ME), Dodd (D-CT), Dole (R-NC), Durbin (D-IL), Feingold (D-WI), Hagel (R-NE), Harkin (D-IA), Kennedy (D-MA), Kerry (D-MA), Klobuchar (D-MN), Kohl (D-WI), Leahy (D-VT), Levin (D-MI), Lieberman (I-CT), Lincoln (D-AR), Lugar (R-IN), Menendez (D-NJ), Obama (D-IL), Reed (D-RI), Rockefellar (D-WV), Salazar (D-CO), Sanders (I-VT), Snowe (R-ME), Stabenow (D-MI), Tester (D-MT), Warner (R-VA), Webb (D-VA), Wyden (D-OR)

What You Can Do: If your Senators are NOT listed above, please call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask for the phone numbers or to be connected with the office of both your Senators. When connected, tell the receptionist your name, where you reside and that you are a constituent. Ask to speak to the staff person that handles Interior Appropriations matters. Tell them you are an advocate for the Land and Water Conservation Fund state assistance program, and that you would like your Member?s support for funding LWCF in the 2008 budget. Ask them to sign-on to the Salazar-Collins "Dear Colleague" letter (Senate) l requesting $125 million in funding for Land and Water Conservation Fund State Assistance in the 2008 budget.

If you are unsure who your U.S. Senators are, you can type in your zip code at www.congress.org or ask the Capitol Switchboard operator at 202-224-3121 for help. Feel free to contact Michael Phillips with NRPA Public Policy with any concerns or feedback, mphillips@nrpa.org .

In the House, Representatives Jim McGovern (D-MA), Peter King (R-NY), and Rush Holt (D-NJ) co-sponsored a "Dear Colleague" letter to the House Subcommittee on Interior Appropriations requesting $100 million of the LWCF state assistance for FY 2008. As of March 16, 122 Members of Congress had signed on.

While co-signatures will not be added to the letter, it is still vital to secure the broadest possible support for LWCF. If your Representative is not signed-on, your call to ask for their support is still very important. To view the letter click the following link: http://www.nrpa.org/content/default.aspx?documentId=5435

The House LWCF co-signers are: Abercrombie (D-1st HI), Ackerman (D-5th NY), Allen (D-1st ME), Arcuri (D-24th NY), Baird (D-3rd WA), Baker (R-6th LA), Baldwin (D-2nd WI), Bean (D-8th IL), Berkley (D-1st NV), Biggert (R-13th IL), Blumenauer (D-3rd-OR), Boswell (D-3rd IA), Boucher (D-9th VA), Brown, Henry (R-1st SC), Capito (R-2nd WV), Capps (D-23rd CA), Capuano (D-8th MA), Cardoza (D-18th CA), Carson (D-7th IN), Christensen (D-VI), Clay (D-1st MO), Cleaver (D-5th MO), Clyburn (D-6th SC), Coble (R-6th NC), Conyers (D-14th MI), Costa (D-20th CA), Crowley (D-7th NY), Cubin (R-At Large WY), Cummings (D-7th MD), Davis, Lincoln (D-4th TN); Davis (R-11th VA), Defazio (D-4th OR), DeGette (D-1st, CO), Delahunt (D-10th MA), DeLauro (D-3rd CT), Doggett (D-25th TX), Doyle (D-14th PA), Emanuel (D-5th IL), Engel (D-17th NY), English (R-3rd PA), Filner (D 51st CA), Fortenberry (R-1st NE), Fortuno (R-PR), Fossella (R-13th NY), Gerlach (R-6th PA), Gilchrest (R-1st MD), Gordon (D-6th VA), Green D-29th TX), Grijalva (D-7th AZ), Hall (D-19th NY), Hastings(D-23rd FL), Herseth (D-SD) Higgins (D-27th NY), Hirono (D-2nd HI), Holt (D-12th NJ), Hooley (D-5th OR), Inslee (D-1st WA), Johnson, Hank (D-4th GA), Kagen (D-8th WI), Kildee (D-5th MI), Kind (D-3rd WI), King, Peter (R-3rd NY), Kucinich (D-10th OH), Kuhl (R-29th NY), Langevin (D-2nd RI), Lantos (D-12th CA), Larson (D-1st CT), LaTourette (R-14th OH), Levin (D-12th MI), Lewis (D-5th GA), LoBiondo (R-2nd NJ), Lynch (D-9th MA), Maloney (D-14th NY), Markey (D-7th MA), Matheson (D-2nd UT), Matsui (D-5th CA), McCarthy (D-4th NY), McCotter (R-11th MI), McDermott D-7th WA), McGovern (D-3rd MA), McIntyre (D-7th NC), McNerney (D-11th CA), Michaud (D-2nd ME), Miller, Brad (D-13th NC), Miller, George (D-7th CA), Moore, Dennis (D-3rd KS), Jim Moran (D-8th VA), Murphy (D-5th CT), Nadler (D-8th NY), Neal (D-2nd MA), Oberstar (D-8th MN), Ortiz (D-27th TX), Pallone (D-6th NJ), Pascrell (D-8th NJ), Payne (D-10th NJ), Perlmutter (D-7th CO), Petri (R-6th WI), Price (D-4th NC), Price, Tom (R-6th GA), Renzi (R-1st AZ), Reyes (D-16th TX), Saxton (R-3rd NJ), Schwartz (D-13th PA), Scott (D-13th CA), Skelton (D-4th MO), Smith (D-9th WA), Snyder (D-2nd AR), Space (D-18th OH), Spratt (D-5th SC), Stark (D-13th CA), Sutton (D-13th OH), Tauscher (D-10th CA),Thompson, Mike (D-1st CA), Terry (R-2nd NE), Udall, Mark (D-2nd CA), Van Hollen (D-8th MD), Walden (R-2nd OR), Walsh (R-25th NY), Wilson, Charlie (D-6th OH), Wu (D-1st OR), Wynn (D-4th MD)

Support Growing for Urban Park and Recreation Recovery Act (UPARR) Funding in 2008

Led by the Directors of the largest urban park systems in the nation, NRPA staff and representatives of the Cities of Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco,met with key House and Senate staff have taken place recently with NRPA and to discuss the potential of securing funding for the Urban Park and Recreation Recovery (UPARR) in 2008 . Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN) and Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI) have co-sponsored a Senate Dear Colleague letter requesting that $30 million be added to the National Park Service budget for UPARR in 2008. The Senate Dear Colleague has just begun to circulate and your help is needed now to gain Senate co-signers. The Senate UPARR letter will remain open till April 6, 2007.

What You Can Do: If you don?t know your Senators number, call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask for their phone numbers or to be connected with the office of each of your Senators. When connected, tell the receptionist your name, where you reside and that you are a constituent. Ask to speak to the staff person that handles Interior Appropriations matters. Tell them you are an advocate for UPARR, and that you would like your Member's support for funding LWCF in the 2008 budget. Ask them to sign-on to the Coleman-Levin "Dear Colleague" letter requesting $30 million in funding for the Urban Park and Recreation Recovery Act in the 2008 budget. Please call both of your Senators and to gain more information or to report any feedback email Michael Phillips at mphillips@nrpa.org .

This action in the Senate follows a late-breaking Dear Colleague letter to support $30 million for the Urban Park and Recreation Recovery Act (UPARR) in the 2008 Interior Appropriations bill was initiated and launch on Wednesday March 14 by Representatives Donald Payne (D-NJ) and Chris Murphy (D-CT). NRPA Public Policy staff, Urban Park Directors, U.S. Soccer Foundation, and National Association of State Outdoor Recreation Liaison Officers (NASORLO), along with congressional staff, were able to generate the support of 40 House members. The list of signers will be arranged and released soon.

The House UPARR Dear Colleague co-signers are: Abercrombie (D-1st HI), Blumenauer (D-3rd-OR), Brown, Corrine (D-3rd FL), Butterfield (D-NC), Carson (D-7th IN), Christensen (D-VI), Clay (D-1st MO), Clyburn (D-6th SC), Conyers (D-14th MI), Crowley (D-7th NY), Davis, Artur (D-7th AL); Davis, Danny K. (D-7th IL), Delahunt (D-10th MA), Doggett (D-25th TX), Doyle (D-14th PA), Ellison (D- 5th MN), Fortuno (R-PR), Gordon (D-6th VA), Jackson-Lee (D-18th TX), Jefferson (D-2nd LA), Johnson, Eddie Bernice (D-30th TX), Lee (D- 9th CA), Levin (D-12th MI), Lewis (D-5th GA), Matsui (D-5th CA), McDermott D-7th WA), McGovern (D-3rd MA), Miller, George (D-7th CA), Moore, Gwen (D-4th WI), Murphy, Chris (D-5th CT), Payne (D-10th NJ), Rangel (D- 15th NY), Reyes (D-16th TX), Rush (D- 1st IL), Smith (D-9th WA), Thompson, Bennie (D-2nd MS), Tubbs-Jones (D- 11th OH), Waters (D-35th CA), Watson (D- 33rd CA), Watt (D- 12th NC), Waxman (D-30th CA)

National Health and Livability Summit to Bring together Leaders in Parks, Recreation and Health

Funded by a generous grant from the National Recreation Foundation, NRPA in cooperation with a number of national organizations will host the first ever National Health and Livability Summit in Atlanta, GA, April 17-19. With high-impact organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) involved, this first of its kind gathering will examine the vital contributions that park and recreation agencies make to improve the quality of life, health and livability of the individuals and communities they serve. To learn more or to register online, visit http://www.nrpa.org/content/default.aspx?documentId=4704

Ask your Senators to Co-sponsor the PLAY Everyday Act During the 2007 NRPA Legislative Forum, Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Hillary Clinton (D-NY) introduced legislation that NRPA helped to craft concerning active living. The bill -- Promoting Lifelong Active Communities Every Day or PLAY Every Day Act (S 651) -- authorizes the creation of a community play index to identify and define important elements within a community that enable and empower youth and families to be physically active on a regular basis. We anticipate that companion legislation will be introduced soon in the House of Representatives.

Introduction of this legislation is a major milestone in NRPA?s on-going efforts to position parks and recreation at the center of national efforts to encourage and facilitate active lifestyles. It is the product of an exciting partnership with the YMCA and close collaboration between NRPA?s Public Policy and National Partnership offices.

Advocates are encouraged to call their Senators and ask them to co-sponsor this legislation. You can find contact information at www.nrpa.org/advocacy

Conservation Easements Could be More Attractive Under House and Senate Bills

Bills have been introduced in the U.S. House (HR 1576) and Senate (S 469) that would allow a wider range of land owners to receive tax benefits associated with providing conservation easements. In 2006, Congress took an important first step in this direction by increasing the personal and corporate deductions for such donations and extending the period of time over which landowners could take such deductions from 5 to 15 years. Both of these changes had the effect of making conservation easements more attractive to moderate income individuals and smaller land owners. However, these provisions were only authorized for easements granted on or before December 31, 2007.

The new bills would make the beneficial tax treatment permanent. Representatives Mike Thompson (D-CA) and David Camp (R-MI) have introduced the House measure while the Senate bill is sponsored by Senators Max Baucus (D-MT) and Charles Grassley (R-IA). If you are especially interested in encouraging greater use of conservation easements for park and recreation use, contact your Senators and Representative and urge them to co-sponsor these measures. To view the text of the legislation, visit www.thomas.gov and type in the bill numbers.

Under current tax law, individuals and others can receive tax deductions for making a "qualified conservation contribution," which generally means an interest in real property that is provided to qualified organizations "exclusively for conservation purposes." Qualified organizations include many non-profits and "conservation purpose" means, among other things, "the preservation of land areas for outdoor recreation by, or the education of, the general public."

For additional information call NRPA Public Policy at 202-887-0290 or email mphillips@nrpa.org.

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