54 U.S.C. § 200504: Recovery action programs

Summary

Local governments must prove they will keep planning, fixing, running, and caring for parks to get project approval. At first, officials may hand in a short, preliminary action plan set by federal rules. After that interim time, they must submit a 5-year action program that shows clear recovery goals and priorities, steps for carrying them out, specific rehab plans with cost estimates, the ability and promise to keep facilities maintained and staffed, an intent to keep local park spending at least as high as the year before the grant request (unless overall spending falls by the same share), and how the park work links to broader community development. Plans should be updated over time. They must cover systemwide renovation, extra needs in crowded or distressed areas, and restoring historic park features. Plans should also include neighborhood ideas like reusing abandoned schools, sharing public buildings, mobile programs, linking with redevelopment projects, converting unused streets or land to parks, and using land rules or tax incentives to get private help. The Secretary will publish rules for making and updating plans. To get at-risk youth grants, the 5-year plan must add a goal to reduce crime and juvenile delinquency and explain coordination with police, juvenile corrections, and youth services. The Secretary may pay up to 50 percent in matching grants for planning.

Title 54, §200504

National Park Service and Related Programs, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Evidence of Local Commitment to Ongoing Programs.—

As a requirement for project approval, local governments applying for assistance under this chapter shall submit to the Secretary evidence of their commitments to ongoing planning, rehabilitation, service, operation, and maintenance programs for their park and recreation systems. These commitments will be expressed in local park and recreation recovery action programs that maximize coordination of all community resources, including other federally supported urban development and recreation programs. During an initial interim period to be established by regulations under this chapter, this requirement may be satisfied by local government submissions of preliminary action programs that briefly define objectives, priorities, and implementation strategies for overall system recovery and maintenance and commit the applicant to a scheduled program development process. Following this interim period, all local applicants shall submit to the Secretary, as a condition of eligibility, a 5-year action program for park and recreation recovery that satisfactorily demonstrates—

(1)systematic identification of recovery objectives, priorities, and implementation strategies;

(2)adequate planning for rehabilitation of specific recreation areas and facilities, including projections of the cost of proposed projects;

(3)the capacity and commitment to ensure that facilities provided or improved under this chapter shall continue to be adequately maintained, protected, staffed, and supervised;

(4)the intention to maintain total local public outlays for park and recreation purposes at levels at least equal to those in the year preceding that in which grant assistance is sought except in any case where a reduction in park and recreation outlays is proportionate to a reduction in overall spending by the applicant; and

(5)the relationship of the park and recreation recovery program to overall community development and urban revitalization efforts.

(b)Continuing Planning Process.—

Where appropriate, the Secretary may encourage local governments to meet action program requirements through a continuing planning process that includes periodic improvements and updates in action program submissions to eliminate identified gaps in program information and policy development.

(c)Special Considerations.—

Action programs shall address, but are not limited to—

(1)rehabilitation of existing recreational areas and facilities, including—

(A)general systemwide renovation;

(B)special rehabilitation requirements for recreational areas and facilities in areas of high population concentration and economic distress; and

(C)restoration of outstanding or unique structures, landscaping, or similar features in parks of historical or architectural significance; and

(2)local commitments to innovative and cost-effective programs and projects at the neighborhood level to augment recovery of park and recreation systems, including—

(A)recycling of abandoned schools and other public buildings for recreational purposes;

(B)multiple use of operating educational and other public buildings, purchase of recreation services on a contractual basis;

(C)use of mobile facilities and recreational, cultural, and educational programs or other innovative approaches to improving access for neighborhood residents;

(D)integration of recovery program with federally assisted projects to maximize recreational opportunities through conversion of abandoned railroad and highway rights of way, waterfront, and other redevelopment efforts and such other federally assisted projects as may be appropriate;

(E)conversion of recreation use of street space, derelict land, and other public land not now designated for neighborhood recreational use; and

(F)use of various forms of compensated and uncompensated land regulation, tax inducements, or other means to encourage the private sector to provide neighborhood park and recreation facilities and programs.

(d)Publication in Federal Register.—

The Secretary shall establish and publish in the Federal Register requirements for preparation, submission, and updating of local park and recreation recovery action programs.

(e)Eligibility for At-Risk Youth Recreation Grants.—

To be eligible to receive at-risk youth recreation grants a local government shall amend its 5-year action program to incorporate the goal of reducing crime and juvenile delinquency and to provide a description of the implementation strategies to achieve this goal. The plan shall also address how the local government is coordinating its recreation programs with crime prevention efforts of law enforcement, juvenile corrections, and youth social service agencies.

(f)Matching Recovery Action Program Grants.—

The Secretary may provide up to 50 percent matching recovery action program grants to eligible local governments for program development and planning specifically to meet the objectives of this chapter.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 20050416 U.S.C. 2506.Pub. L. 95–625, title X, § 1007, Nov. 10, 1978, 92 Stat. 3541; Pub. L. 103–322, title III, §§ 31504, Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 1889. In subsection (c)(1), the word “areas” is substituted for “sites” for consistency with the defined term and with the new chapter.

§200504 Recovery Action Programs

Summary

Title 54, §200504

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Citations & Metadata