§200306 Allocation of Fund amounts for Federal purposes

Summary

The President must assign Fund money for specific federal uses unless the law that gives the money says otherwise. That money can pay to buy land, water, or parts of them for park and recreation units, national forests (including inholdings and up to 3,000 acres next to a forest that fit a recreational area), and for lands needed for endangered and threatened species, wildlife refuges, refuge recreation areas, and wetlands as allowed by the laws named. Fund money can also be used to pay the Treasury as a partial offset for capital costs of federal water projects that provide recreation and fish and wildlife benefits and are built under an Act of Congress and financed by water agencies. Purchases under the forest and park rules are allowed even if older laws set spending limits, but yearly spending cannot exceed those old ceilings by more than 10 percent or $1,000,000, whichever is greater. Fund money cannot be used to buy land unless the purchase is otherwise legal, though it can pay for preacquisition work if approval is expected soon and big savings would result. Each year, from the amounts available under section 200303, at least the greater of 3 percent or $15,000,000 must go to projects on a priority list for public recreational access. The Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture must make that list every year with other Federal agencies. The projects must secure access to Federal lands for hunting, fishing, shooting, or other outdoor recreation. When deciding on acquisitions, the Secretaries must weigh the purchase’s importance and urgency, management efficiencies and cost savings, geographic balance, threats to the land, and the land’s recreational value.