Report to Mayor and City Council
Tuesday, October 16, 2018
Discussion
SUBJECT:
Title
CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTION 18-148 SUPPORTING REAUTHORIZATION O F AND FULL FUNDING FOR THE LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND (CITY COUNCIL)
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I. SUMMARY
The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) expired on September 30, 2018. Due to the expiration, staff recommends that the Council express its support for, and urges Congress to act swiftly to enact full funding for and permanent reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
Since its inception in 1965, LWCF has funded over $2.4 billion worth of outdoor and conservation projects in the state of California. The City of Carson has received $760,039 in funding towards outdoor and recreation projects at no cost to taxpayers.
There is no fiscal impact.
II. RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
TAKE the following actions:
1. WAIVE further reading and ADOPT Resolution No. 18-148, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARSON,CALIFRONIA, SUPPORTING REAUTHORIZATION OF AND FULL FUNDING FOR THE LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND
2. INSTRUCT staff to submit a copy of the executed resolution to Nick Buro with the Rodriguez Strategies.
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III. ALTERNATIVES
DO NOT support Resolution 18-148.
IV. BACKGROUND
In 1964 Congress Established the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), which is one of the most successful government programs in preserving our country’s precious natural and cultural resources. The LWCF’s goal is to fund projects that improve equitable access to the outdoors in urban and rural communities, which is essential to California’s health, culture, economic opportunity as well as the future of our children and grandchildren.
LWCF has been instrumental in creating opportunities for Californians in urban, suburban, and rural areas to get outdoors. It has been a critical tool in conserving national parks and historic sites, national wildlife refuges and monuments, watersheds, working forests, wildlife areas, state and local parks, trails and ball fields.
The LWCF believes that as we extract natural resources that belong to our nation - offshore oil and gas - we should, in turn protect and invest in onshore resources for future generations. The LWCF is funded with a portion of royalties from offshore oil and gas development and invests that money in protecting America’s important public lands for future generations - be that an iconic national park or an urban playground.
Though LWCF is authorized to receive $900 million annually, this cap has been met only twice during the program’s nearly five decades of existence. Rather than fully fund the LWCF, nearly every year Congress diverts much of this funding to purposes other than the projects conserving our most important lands and waters. Despite receiving only a fraction of its intended funding over the last 53 years, LWCF has led to the protection of land in every state and nearly every county. The fund has improved access to these public lands, and has provided matching grants for the creation of more than 41,000 state and local park projects.
The LWCF supports and maintains the economic asset that our federal, state and local public lands represent such as hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, paddling and other outdoor recreation activities that contribute to California’s economy and support jobs in our state. California has received more than 1,500 state side LWCF grants to local governments and state parks, totaling over $2.4 billion across nearly all counties in the state.
The parks, trails, and recreation projects dependent upon LWCF funding are green spaces that contribute to the health and well-being of Californian families. Over the last 53 years, LWCF funding has contributed to the enhancement of the City of Carson’s local parks and recreation opportunities. Among these parks to receive funding are:
1) Victoria Park - $49,476
2) Veterans Park - $231,853
3) Stevenson Park - $396,765
4) Scott Park - $81,945
Since its inception in 1965, LWCF has funded over $2.4 billion worth of outdoor and conservation projects in the state of California. The City of Carson has received $760,039 in funding towards outdoor and recreation projects at no cost to taxpayers.
V. FISCAL IMPACT
NoneVI. EXHIBITS
1. Resolution 18-148 LWCF (pgs. 4-5)
1.
Prepared by: Tim Grierson, Recreation Superintendent