MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2000 Regular Session

To: Rules

By: Senator(s) Posey

A RESOLUTION URGING THE MISSISSIPPI CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION TO SUPPORT LEGISLATION PROVIDING FOR THE FULL AND PERMANENT FUNDING OF THE LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND.

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, acquisition and management of forests, preservation of clean water and open spaces and guarantee outdoor recreation opportunities, and other social and environmental objectives for the Nation; and

WHEREAS, since its creation, the LWCF has been responsible for the acquisition of nearly 7 million acres of parks, public forests, and open spaces and the development of more than 37,000 state and local resource conservation and recreation projects, including playgrounds, ball fields, national historic sites, scenic trails and nature preserves; and

WHEREAS, since its inception, the State of Mississippi has received $128,503,202 towards the establishment of over 500 sites including the University of Mississippi, Oxford Recreation and Soccer Complex, Oxford Little League Park, Batesville Community Park, Roosevelt State Park, Rolling Fork Recreational Parks, Washington County Park, Yazoo City Recreation Park, LeFleur's Bluff State Park, Meridian City Parks, Pascagoula Community Park, Natchez National Historical Park, Vicksburg National Military Park, Bogue Chitto National Wildlife Refuge, Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge, and numerous other sites; and

WHEREAS, Congress envisioned and encouraged, and the act authorizes federal, state, and local partnerships to create a national network of public parks accessible to all people; and

WHEREAS, the fund emphasizes the need to conserve public spaces and to develop and maintain national, state and local resources in anticipation of increasing population and response to rapid changes in land use and availability; and

WHEREAS, for years, the federal program has been under-funded and no allocations have been made to fund the stateside grant program; and

WHEREAS, without congressional allocations for federal land acquisition for national parks, forests, wildlife refuges, and other lands, opportunities for outdoor recreation is hindered, and for stateside programs, states are severely limited in their capacity to develop parks and open spaces or provide funds to local jurisdictions for the creation of neighborhood recreational opportunities; and

WHEREAS, the need to preserve open spaces and develop and maintain national, state, and local parks and recreational facilities becomes more critical each year due to the demands placed on such facilities by ever increasing populations:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we hereby urge members of the Mississippi congressional delegation to support legislation to provide full and permanent funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to the members of the Mississippi congressional delegation.