640 CONFERENCE ON NATURAL BEAUTY 



22. We urge establishment of a new Federal program of grants to 

 the cities for park operation and maintenance. These grants would 

 be in addition to current local budgets which should be subject to 

 normal increases. The Federal Government would lease city "class- 

 room parks" for training park operation and maintenance personnel, 

 and for experimental renovation and the development of new mainte- 

 nance techniques. The cities would have to agree to hire trainees 

 from the Federal training program. 



23. We urge legislation by which donations of easements or de- 

 velopment rights to public agencies for open space, outdoor recrea- 

 tion, or scenic purposes would be deductible for income tax purposes. 



//. State action 



1. Every State should initiate a grant-in-aid program (such as 

 those in New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and California) to 

 encourage open space-recreation planning, acquisition, and develop- 

 ment by local governments. 



2. State legislation should be adopted, where necessary, that would 

 make it a matter of public policy to recognize parks, recreation areas, 

 and open space as serving a public purpose. 



3. All States should encourage cooperative school-park planning 

 programs through financial incentives for all new schools. They 

 should encourage and assist year-round use of schools and parks as 

 an integral operational unit. 



4. State highway departments should be required not only to co- 

 ordinate plans with but be under strong compulsion to conform with 

 the comprehensive plans of every political subdivision through which 

 State highways pass. Necessary review and appeal procedures would 

 have to be established. 



5. Rigid State laws should be enacted to regulate strip mining, 

 borrow pits, and gravel pit operation, including restoration of the 

 landscape. 



6. Effective water pollution and air pollution legislation should be 

 enacted. 



7. There should be legislation to develop, protect, and maintain 

 State parks in urban areas particularly for the development and 

 maintenance of natural or historic resources of statewide significance. 



8. States should undertake comprehensive river basin studies with 

 special consideration given to the urban environment. 



