OutdoorNebraska

9 P U R P O S E O F T H E S C O R P Introduction Nebraskans have a history of hard work ethic and deserve to enjoy the outdoor recreation resources offered throughout the state in their leisure time, because Time Outdoors is Time Well Spent. With the rise of sedentary lifestyles, chronic health conditions, the onset of COVID-19 and the economic hardships that have ensued, the need to provide quality, affordable outdoor recreational opportunities that meet the demands of the public has never been greater. The Nebraska State Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) is a document required by the National Park Service (NPS) for the State to receive funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) State Assistance Program. LWCF is a federal program established in 1965 that provides grant funds to states, counties and municipalities for outdoor recreation related planning, acquisitions and developments. States are required to update and submit the SCORP to the NPS for approval every five years to maintain eligibility of these funds. The SCORP sets priorities for LWCF funding based on sound planning principles for the evaluation of funding grant requests. History of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Program In 1961, the Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission reported key elements for an effort to make outdoor recreation opportunities available to the general public. Based largely on the major recommendations, President Kennedy proposed legislation in February 1962 that would establish a "Land and Water Conservation Fund" to assist states in planning, acquisition and development of recreation resources and to finance new federal recreation lands. With bipartisan support in both Houses of Congress, the bill was passed and signed into law on September 3, 1964, as Public Law 88- 578, 16 U.S.C. 460/-4. The Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 was created with the following purpose: "The purposes of this part are to assist in preserving, developing, and assuring accessibility to all citizens of the United States of America of present and future generations and visitors who are lawfully present within the boundaries of the United States of America such quality and quantity of outdoor recreation resources as may be available and are necessary and desirable for individual active participation in such recreation and to strengthen the health and vitality of the citizens of the United States by: (1) providing funds for and authorizing Federal assistance to the States in planning, acquisition, and development of needed land and water areas and facilities and; (2) providing funds for the Federal acquisition and development of certain lands and other areas." Funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund program is based on the principle that when the federal government sells the finite, irreplaceable Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) resources, a portion of the proceeds from the sale should be reinvested into open space and recreational opportunities all people need. While the majority of funding is derived from OCS mineral leasing receipts, it is supplemented with the sale of surplus federal property, motorboat fuel taxes, and fees for recreational use of federal lands. Boy holding a found white-tailed deer antler shed. (Wayne County)

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