Implementation Guidance 29 



1. ROLE OF THE STATES 



Section 303 of the Act (discussed in section C, Authority) requires that 

 SCORPs include wetlands components. The National Park Service 

 administers the Federal portion of the SCORP program and is managing 

 the required program changes through revision of Federal regulations, 

 technical assistance and training. The Fish and Wildlife Service and 

 the National Park Service have cooperated closely during development of 

 the NWPCP, especially regarding section 303 requirements and State 

 implementation guidance, in order to facilitate these changes. 



In order to meet the requirements of the Act and maintain eligibility to 

 participate in the LWCF Program, each State must revise its SCORP to 

 include a wetlands component, or develop a State Wetlands Priority Plan 

 that is consistent with the NWPCP as an addendum to the SCORP. The 

 Act also requires that the State agency responsible for fish and wildlife 

 resources be specifically consulted as part of this process. The National 

 Park Service can provide recreational grants to States for work on 

 SCORPs, including development of wetlands components. 



The National Park Service has indicated that they are requiring States to 

 develop SCORP wetlands components that are consistent with the 

 NWPCP. They have requested that a State Assessment and Policy Plan 

 should include consideration of wetlands as an important outdoor 

 recreation resource, as well as address wetland protection strategies, 

 including acquisition. At a minimum, the wetlands component of the 

 Assessment and Policy Plan should provide wetland acquisition goals, 

 objectives and/or strategies. Also, the State Action Program should 

 consider specific actions that will be taken to protect wetlands. The 

 relationship between SCORP wetlands components and the NWPCP is 

 shown in Figure 2. 



Since the SCORP wetlands component is an implementation tool for 

 wetland protection, it should identify wetland sites (refer to definitions 

 section) warranting priority consideration for acquisition. If the 

 information is available, specific wetland parcels or tracts may be listed. 

 If the planning information is general in the Assessment and Policy 

 Plan (e.g., freshwater emergent wetlands in the southern part of the State), 

 then the National Park Service is requiring States to list in their Action 

 Program specific wetland sites intended to be acquired consistent with 

 NWPCP criteria. States are encouraged, but not required, to use the 

 Threshold Criteria (Appendix 1) and follow the outline for the Service 

 Regional Wetlands Concept Plan (Concept Plan) contained in the 

 NWPCP to comply with the Act, while making modifications and 

 increasing the level of detail and accuracy as necessary to meet State 

 needs. 



National Wetlands Priority Conservation Plan 



