490 CONFERENCE ON NATURAL BEAUTY 



Questions and Discussion 



Mr. WHYTE. I take strong exception to something that Mr. 

 Crafts said, or perhaps I misunderstood him. You supervise all this 

 Land and Water Conservation Fund money. Can't we shake some 

 of it loose for landscape action programing? 



You made the point that you think it would be wrong to ear- 

 mark any of this money for specific purposes. 



I ask the question, how can we ever get some of these new devices 

 applied, particularly in the landscape field, if we don't earmark 

 money? 



Consider the sorry history of the Section 319 program for highway 

 landscaping, and other toothless incentives. They say here is some 

 money you can use for new and imaginative action if you want to 

 use it that way. But if you want to spend it the same old way you've 

 been doing all along, you can have the money anyways. The result, 

 naturally, is the same old way. 



I would like to throw this proposition to you. Can we not have 

 countryside grants comparable to the townscape grants which the 

 Housing and Home Finance Agency is going to administer a pro- 

 gram which would say to the community we are going to help you 

 out on the planning, help you on the cost, but the main thing is, go 

 out and get going, take an inventory of your landscape and get a 

 long-range program going. 



Number two, could there not be incentives earmarked for a much 

 broader use of devices in addition to outright acquisition, such as 

 the scenic easement, purchase and lease-back? These devices don't 

 seem to get tried until, as in Wisconsin, money is deliberately ear- 

 marked for them. 



Is there any opportunity under the Land and Water Conservation 

 Fund for these kind of incentives? 



Mr. CRAFTS. Well, Senator Muskie said yesterday that you don't 

 get a clear-cut answer from a Senator. I am not sure you are going 

 to get a clear-cut answer from an administrator. 



I will have to try to catalog your questions a little bit. 



First of all, money under the Fund Act is eligible for use for town- 

 scape purposes, landscape purposes, if it fits within the comprehen- 

 sive, statewide outdoor recreation plan as approved by the Secretary 

 of the Interior. 



