Recommendation: 



States establishing coastal zone authorities should 

 take steps to assure adequate representation of the 

 various recreation interests in the area. 



VII. ACQUISITION 



Access to coastal areas for recreation purposes 

 can be achieved through utilizing existing facilities 

 and through such regulatory methods as zoning, 

 easements, or use permits to allow development of 

 additional facilities. However, these means do not 

 suffice in all areas and it then becomes necessary 

 for governments to acquire coastal lands in order 

 that the public can control their use. 



A. Financing 



The Land and Water Conservation Fund is the 

 main source of assistance to Federal and State 

 agencies for the acquisition and development of 

 outdoor recreation areas. Prior to July 1968 the 

 Fund derived its revenue from the sale of excess 

 Federal property, marine motorboat fuel tax, and 

 entrance and user fees on Federal recreation areas. 

 These revenue sources have not come up to 

 original estimates, and on July 16, 1968 the 

 President signed an amendment to the Land and 

 Water Conservation Fund Act which doubles the 

 Federal outlay for parks and recreation lands to 

 $200 milUon a year for the next five years and 

 permits allocation of Outer Continental Shelf oil 

 and mineral leasing revenues to the Fund in 

 amounts required to bring the Fund's revenues up 

 to the $200 million annual allotment. However, 

 because of Government-wide budgetary cutbacks 

 it is anticipated that the fund will operate on a 

 budget of about $90 million in Fiscal Year 1969. 



Under the Pittman-Robinson and Dingell- 

 Johnson programs, special taxes on sporting arms 

 and ammunition and fishing tackle (10 per cent) 

 are apportioned to the States for fish and wildlife 

 restoration measures. 



National Wildlife Refuges are acquired with 

 Revenues from Duck Stamps which are in effect, a 

 Federal license to hunt waterfowl. Funds from this 

 source were supplemented by Congress by $10 

 million in 1964, $7.5 milUon in 1966 and $6 

 million in 1967, in order to acquire additional 

 refuges before escalating prices made acquisition 

 economically unfeasible. 



Virtually all States require paid licenses to hunt 

 and fish in fresh water, revenues from which 

 support all or most of the activities in their fish 

 and game departments. However, only 6 of the 24 

 coastal States have a salt-water Ucense. This has 

 seriously limited effective management of marine 

 sport fisheries by the States that are reluctant to 

 support areas which do not provide revenue. 



Recommendations : 



Coastal States that do not presently require 

 licenses for fishing in salt water should begin 

 requiring licenses. Funds should be used to im- 

 prove management of sport fisheries in coastal 

 waters. Implementation would be eased if out-of- 

 State licenses could be honored on a reciprocal 

 basis. 



The Bureau of Outdoor Recreation has found 

 that the rate of increases in values of land suitable 

 for public recreation is rising considerably faster 

 than the 5 to 10 per cent annual increase generally 

 applicable to land prices. The price of land along 

 coastal and Great Lakes shorelines is skyrocketing, 

 and it is argued that prompt acquisition for 

 recreational purpose is the only practical solution. 

 This argument appears sound, providing the ac- 

 quisitions are selected according to a system of 

 priorities determined by an overall plan tailored to 

 the needs for recreational land against the needs 

 for seashore land for other vital activities of the 

 Nation. 



Development of already-acquired recreational 

 land should proceed at an orderly pace along with 

 acquisition of new lands. 



It appears that the financing of land acquisition 

 and development should continue to be mainly 

 from user fees and special taxes rather than from 

 the general fund. Those who use recreational areas 

 should be willing to pay. At the same time, it is 

 recognized that the disadvantaged generally cannot 

 afford to pay for recreation, and their participa- 

 tion will require public subsidy. 



A problem in funding land acquisition under 

 the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act arises 

 when a State is unable to provide its share to 

 match Federal funds on a 50-50 basis. Evidently 

 this situation arises from time to time but the 

 panel is not able to judge the seriousness of the 

 problem. An increase in user fees at State parks to 

 provide more monies for acquisition is one solu- 

 tion that is feasible in most cases. 



Vll-249 



333-092 0-69— 17 



