Legal & Legislative Notes

by Robert A. Stuart General Counsel

LAND & WATER CONSERVATION FUND ACT IN TROUBLE

In July of 1975 park and recreation agencies throughout the United States were optimistic concerning the possible increase in the total authorization of funds to be made available under the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act from a level of 300 million annual authorization to one billion dollars authorization per year. At the present time, however, in view of President Ford's austerity program, it appears possible that a one year moratorium on new appropriations for Federal, state and local acquisition and development activities covered by the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act is a very real possibility.

In hearings before the Committees in the House of Representatives and the Senate in Washington it had been pointed out that the Land and Water Conservation Act is perhaps the most important program ever developed to deal with parks and recreation in the history of the United States. It was further pointed out in those hearings that in the past ten years some 982.8 million dollars had been made available for more than 13,500 state and local planning projects involving the acquisition and development of parks and open space to satisfy a vital need in urban planning. Through these projects more than one million acres of parks and open space had been acquired.

In November of 1975 the Senate approved S. 327 and the House Subcommittee on National Parks and Recreation had completed its work on H. R. 2763, which measures contemplated the authorization of 300 million dollars for the Land and Water Conservation Fund. However, in late November the Office of Management and Budget, which is responsible for the appropriation of the fiscal 1977 budget allowance, recommended the elimination of all monies for Land and Water Conservation Fund programs. In the event the recommendation of OMB shall prevail, the President's budget for fiscal 1977 will not request funds for Land and Water Conservation Fund activities, thus, in effect, eliminating the availability of all Federal funding on a matching grant basis or otherwise for parks and recreation on all levels, Federal, state and local. Several meetings with Thomas S. Kleppe, the new Secretary of the Interior, have been held by representatives of the National Recreation and Park Association and other concerned organizations urging a reconsideration of its position by the Office of Management and Budget. The budget will be sent to Congress in January and is presently in the final stages of completion. Many telegrams and letters are being sent directly to President Ford by concerned park and recreation groups and organizations urging the inclusion of funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund in the final budget.

Each park district in Illinois, through its elected commissioners and professional personnel, should immediately contact their Congressmen and Senators urging their support for future funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund in fiscal 1977. Individual letters directed to President Ford at the White House urging his consideration are suggested.

The following is a list of all members of Congress from Illinois to whom letters should immediately be sent. It is suggested that this list also be retained for action involving future legislation on matters of interest to the members of our Association:

Senate:

Charles H. Percy
4321 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, D. C. Phone: 224-2152
1860 Federal Building
219 S. Dearborn
Chicago, Illinois 60604
Phone: 312-353-4952
Federal Building
Springfield, Illinois
Phone: 217-525-4442

Adlai E. Stevenson, III
456 Rayburn Senate Office Building
Washington, D. C.
Phone: 224-2854
2100 Federal Building
219 S. Dearborn
Chicago, Illinois 60604
Phone: 312-353-5420
Federal Building
Springfield, Illinois
Phone: 217-525-4126

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Illinois Parks and Recreation 9 January/February, 1976

LEGAL & LEGISLATIVE ...

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Thirteenth District Robert McClory (Lake Bluff) 2452 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D. C. Phone: 225-5221 326 N. Genesee Street Waukegan, Illinois 60085 Phone: 312-336-4554 Fourteenth District John N. Erlenborn (Elmhurst) 2236 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D. C. Phone: 225-3515 421 N. County Farm Road Wheaton, Illinois 60187 Phone: 312-668-1417 Fifteenth District Tim L. Hall (Dwight) 1221 Longworth House Office Building Washington, D. C. Phone: 225-2976 301 W. Galena Boulevard Aurora, Illinois 60507 Phone: 815-584-1084 Sixteenth District John B. Anderson (Rockford) 1101 Longworth House Office Building Washington, D. C. Phone: 225-5676 Rock River Savings Building 401 W. State Street Rockford, Illinois 61101 Phone: 815-962-8807 Seventeenth District George M. O'Brien (Joliet) 422 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D. C. Phone: 225-3635 57 N. Ottawa Street Joliet, Illinois 60431 Phone: 815-727-4718 Eighteenth District Robert H. Michel (Peoria) 2112 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D. C. Phone: 225-6201 1007 First National Bank Peoria, Illinois 61602 Phone: 309-673-6358

Nineteenth District Thomas F. Railsback (Moline) 2431 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D. C. Phone: 225-5905 228 Federal Building Rock Island, Illinois 61201 Phone: 309-794-1681 Twentieth District Paul Findley (Pittsfield) 2133 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D. C. Phone: 225-5271 205 Federal Court Building Springfield, Illinois 62701 Phone: 217-525-4062 Twenty-First District Edward R. Madigan (Lincoln) 1728 Longworth House Office Building Washington, D. C. Phone: 225-2371 200 W. Church Champaign, Illinois 61820 Phone: 217-356-8633 Twenty-Second District George Edward Shipley (Oiney) 237 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D. C. Phone: 225-5001 111 S. Boone Street Olney, Illinois 62450 Phone: 618-395-2171 Twenty-Third District Melvin Price (East St. Louis) 2468 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D. C. Phone: 225-5661 Federal Building 650 Missouri Avenue East St. Louis, Illinois 62201 Phone: 618-274-2200 Twenty-Fourth District Paul Simon (Carbondale) 1724 Longworth House Office Building Washington, D. C. Phone: 225-5201 107 Glen view Carbondale, Illinois 62901 Phone: 618-457-4171

Illinois Parks and Recreation 23 January/February, 1976