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Resolutions Adopted at the
67th Annual Conference of Mayors
New Orleans, Louisiana
June 11-15, 1999 |
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ARTS, CULTURE AND RECREATION
FULL FUNDING OF LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION
FUND AND UPARR PROGRAMS
WHEREAS, in 1964, Congress created the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) to
assure that all Americans have access to high quality recreation resources, to enhance the
health and vitality of the Nation, and to preserve valuable habitat; and
WHEREAS, investments from the fund support the creation of public parks,
efficient management of forests, preservation of clean water and open spaces and guarantee
outdoor recreational opportunities, and other social and environmental objectives for the
nation; and
WHEREAS, since its creation, LWCF has been responsible for the acquisition of
nearly seven million acres of parks, public forests, and open space including the
development of more than 37,500 state and local resource conservation and recreation
projects, including playgrounds, ball fields, national historical sites, scenic trails,
and nature reserves; and
WHEREAS, the LWCF Act is authorized to invest $900 million annually in
recreational resources, principally from public revenue received from off-shore energy
extraction, and that the Congress must annually appropriate funds from the LWCF account;
and
WHEREAS, from 1978 through 1995, the Urban Parks Recreation and Recovery Program
(UPARR) awarded almost $228 million to over 400 local jurisdictions which benefited more
than 1,500 park and recreational facilities, and
WHEREAS, the Congress envisioned federal-state-local partnerships to create a
national network of public parks and other recreation resources accessible to all people;
and
WHEREAS, for several years, no allocations have been made to fund the LWCF and
UPARR program through the enabling legislation provided for such allocations; and
WHEREAS, the need to preserve open spaces and develop and maintain local parks
and recreational facilities becomes more critical each year due to the demands placed on
such facilities by ever increasing populations; and
WHEREAS, state and local governments equally match federal fiscal resources,
then assume all costs of management and provision of recreation services, thus often
containing the cost of potential federal actions to meet public demand,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the members of the Conference of Mayors see,
as an absolutely critical need, the full funding of LWCF and UPARR programs annually; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Conference of Mayors encourages Congress to
have a guaranteed pass-through of at least 50% of the funds of the state and local
assistance program of LWCF directly to cities; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Congress revitalize the UPARR program at $150
million annually and that it be a competitive matching grant program; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that activities for funding under UPARR be flexible to
include parks and recreational projects and programs involving performing arts centers;
and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that any federally funded urban parks program be
administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the U.S. Conference of Mayors that a copy of this
resolution be mailed to the President, Secretary of Interior, Secretary of Housing and
Urban Development and the bipartisan leadership of the Congress.
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