HomeMy WebLinkAbout106-10 - Res. Supporting Annual Allocation of Funding for Land and Water Conservation FundRESoLUTTON NO. /0 (þ-la
A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING AN ANNUALALLOCATION OF LEAST 40%OF TOTAL FUNDING FORTHE
LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND (LWCF) BE DIRECTED TO THE STATE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
FOR STATE AND LOCAL PARKS AND RECREATION AGENCIES.
WHEREAS the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) was established by Congress in L965 to
preserve, develop and assure accessibility to quality outdoor recreation resources "to strengthen the
health and vitality of the citizens of the United States;" and
WHEREAS, the LWCF is principally funded by revenue received from off-shore energy extraction, and is
authorized to receive $gOO mill¡on annually through the annual appropriations process; and
WHEREAS the LWCF funds a federal land acquisition program and provides matching grants to states
and localities for capital projects through the State Assistance program; and
WHEREAS, investments from the LWCF State Assistance program support the creation of public parks in
rural and urban communities throughout America, protect green space and local water supplies,
guarantee outdoor recreation opportunities, spur economic development, create jobs and significantly
aid national efforts to promote health, connect youth to nature and the outdoors, combat childhood
obesity and protect the environment; and
WHEREAS in the original authorizing legislation, Congress recognized the important role of state and
local parks in achieving its intended purpose by requiring the allocation of 60% of LWCF annualfunding
to the State Assistance program and 40% to the federal program; and
WHEREAS the language protecting the State Assistance program was removed in the mid j.970s
resulting in a disproportional amount (\a%l of LWCF funding going to the federal side of the program
over the past 25 years; and
WHEREAS no language exists to protect the State Assistance funding allocations, and Congress
appropriated a total of approximately S30¿ million to LWCF in FY 2009 but allocated only $ts million
(6%)to the State Assistance program, and in FY 2010 appropriated a total of approximately 5479 million
to LWCF with a mere $40 million (s%) eoing to the state Assistance program; and
WHEREAS Washington State received only $SSt,S¿z in Fy2009 and S7S7,24L in Fy2010; and
WHEREAS the disproportional allocation of LWCF funding between the two programs has severely
limited state and local governments in their capacity to develop parks and open spaces and protect
green space and local water supplies in light of rapidly increasing populations; and
WHEREAS, LWCF provides one-time funding for state and local capital projects and state and local
governments equally match the federal dollars, then assume all costs of management and maintenance;
WHEREAS the LWCF State Assistance program has invested more than 570,282,953 and 576 projects in
Washington since 1965 and has funded projects such as Oakland Bay County park lmprovement project
and the Sunset Bluff View Park acquisition project; and
WHEREAS the state of Washington has 5227,40O,0O0 in unmet need for LWCF State Assistance projects,
and Mason County has numerous projects that would qualify for LWCF State Assistance funding such as
North Bay Trail Development Project and Sunset Bluff Park lmprovements; and
WHEREAS requiring 40% of LWCF funds to be annually allocated to the State Assistance program would
not increase the national debt, but would ensure a more balanced allocation of resources between
federal land acquisition and state and localcommunity conservation efforts, as intended bythe
authorizing legislation.
NOW THEREFORE BE lT RESOTVED that the Mason County Board of County Commissioners calls on
Congress to implement legislation specifying an annual allocation of at least 40% of LWCF funds to the
State Assistance program.
BOARD OF MASON COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS
Tw*
Tim Sheldon, Commissioner
C: Parks and Trails Department
Commissioner
Gallagher, Chai
REVIEWED AS