210 



§ 1500. Congressional declaration of findings and 

 purpose. 



(a) The Congress finds that the rapid expansion 

 of the Nation's urban areas and the rapid growth 

 of the population within such areas has resulted in 

 severe problems of urban and suburban living for 

 the preponderant majority of the Nation's present 

 and future population, including the lack of valuable 

 open-space land for recreational and other purposes. 



(b) The Congress further finds that there is a 

 need for the additional provision of parks and other 

 open space in the built-up portions of urban areas 

 especially in low income neighborhoods and com- 

 munities and a need for greater and better coordi- 

 nated State and local efforts to make available and 

 improve open-space land throughout entire urban 

 areas. 



(c) The Congress further finds that there is a 

 need for timely action to preserve and restore areas, 

 sites, and structures of historic or architectural 

 value in order that these remaining evidences of 

 our history and heritage shall not be lost or de- 

 stroyed through the expansion and development 

 of the Nation's urban areas. 



(d) It is the purpose of this chapter to help curb 

 urban sprawl and prevent the spread of urban blight 

 and deterioration, to encourage more economic and 

 desirable urban development, to assist in preserving 

 areas and properties of historic or architectural 

 value, and to help provide necessary recreational, 

 conservation, and scenic areas by assisting State 

 and local public bodies in taking prompt action to 

 (1) provide, preserve, and develop open-space land 

 in a manner consistent with the planned long-range 

 development of the Nation's urban areas, (2) ac- 

 quire, improve, and restore areas, sites, and struc- 

 tures of historic or architectural value, and (3) 

 develop and improve open space and other public ur- 

 ban land, in accordance with programs to encour- 

 age and coordinate local public and private efforts 

 toward this end. (Pub. L. 87-70, title VII, § 701, 

 June 30, 1961, 75 Stat. 183; Pub. L 89-117, title EX, 

 §901 (b), (c), Aug. 10. 1965, 79 Stat. 494; Pub. L. 

 89-754, title VI, §605 (b), (c), Nov. 3, 1966, 80 

 Stat. 1279; Pub. L, 91-609, title IV, § 401, Dec. 31, 

 1970, 84 Stat. 1781) 



Amendments 



1970 — Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 91-609 substituted "the 

 rapid expansion of the Nation's urban areas and the rapid 

 growth of population within such areas has resulted In 

 severe problems of urban and suburban living for the 

 preponderant majority of the Nation's present and future 

 population. Including the lack of valuable open-space 

 land for recreational and other purposes" for "a com- 

 bination of economic, social, governmental, and techno- 

 logical forces have caused a rapid expansion of the Na- 

 tion's urban areas, which has created critical problems of 

 service and finance for all levels of government and which, 

 combined with a rapid population growth In such areas, 

 threatens severe problems of urban and suburban living. 

 Including the loss of valuable open-space land In such 

 areas, for the preponderant majority of the Nation's 

 present and future population." 



Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 91-609 substituted "a need for 

 the additional provision of parks and other open space In 

 the built-up portions of urban areas especially In low In- 

 come neighborhoods and communities and a need for 

 greater and better coordinated State and local efforts to 

 make available and Improve open-space land throughout 

 entire urban areas" for "an urgent need both for the ad- 

 ditional provision of parks and other open-space areas In 



tho developed portions of the Nation's urban areas and 

 for greater and belter co.irdliialrd loc.il cITorLs to beautify 

 and Improve open f,p.*co and other public land throughout 

 urban are.is to fncllUalc their Increased u.sc and enjoy- 

 ment by the Naitlons urban population". 



Subsec, (c). Pub. L. 91-009 deleted "past" from "past 

 history and herltai;o". 



Sub.scc (d) Pub L. 91-G09 s\ibstUutcd "local public 

 bodlc:;" for "local Rovernnicnt.s", cl. (I) provision "opcn- 

 spaco land In a manner coiisl.stent with the planned long- 

 range development of the Nation's urban areas" for 

 "open-space land which Is essential to the proper long- 

 range development and welfare of the Nation's urban 

 areas. In accordance wlUi plans for the allocation of such 

 land for open-space uses", and cl. (3) term "develop" for 

 "beautify". 



1966 — Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 89-754, 5 605(b), added 

 subsec. (c). Former subsec. (c) redesignated (d). 



Subsec, (d). Pub. L. 89-754, 5 605(b). (c) , redesignated 

 former subsec. (c) as (d), and stated on additional pur- 

 pose of this chapter to be to assist In preserving areas 

 and properties of historic or architectural value, added 

 cl. (2), and redesignated former cl. (2) as (3). respec- 

 tively. 



1965— Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 89-117. 5e01(b), redesig- 

 nated former subsec. (b) as subsec, (c) and added subsec. 

 (b). 



Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 89-117, §901 (b), (c), redesignated 

 former subsec. (b) as subsec, (c) and. In subsec, (c) as 

 so redesignated, substituted "(1) provide, preserve, and 

 develop" for "preserve" and "uses, and (2) beautify and 

 Improve open space and other public urban land. In ac- 

 cordance with programs to encourage and co-ordinate 

 local public and private efforts toward this end" for 

 "purposes". 



Effective Date of 1970 Amendment 

 Section 401 of Pub. L. 91-609 provided In part that 

 amendment of this chapter by section 401 of Pub. L. 91- 

 609, shall be effective July I, 1971. 



Section Referred to in Other Sections 

 This section Is referred to In section 3914 of this title. 



§ 1500a. Grants to States and local public bodies for 

 acquisition and for development of open-space 

 land. 



(a) Authorization; limitation on amount of grant; 

 limitation on donations for non-Federal share. 



The Secretary Is authorized to make grants to 

 States and local public bodies to help finance (1) the 

 acquisition of . title to, or other interest in, open- 

 space land in urban areas and (2) the development 

 of open-space or other land in urban areas for open- 

 space uses. The amount of any such grant shall not 

 exceed 50 per centiun of the eligible project cost, as 

 approved by the Secretary, of such acquisition or 

 development. Not more than 50 per centum of the 

 non-Federal share of such eligible project cost may, 

 to the extent authorized in regulations established 

 by the Secretary, be made up by donations of land 

 or materials. 



(b) Itcstrictioiis on use of grants. 



No grants under this chapter shall be made to (1) 

 defray ordinary Stale or local governmental ex- 

 penses, (2) help finance the acquisition by a pub- 

 lic body of land located outside the urban area for 

 which it exercises (or participates In tho exercise 

 of) responsibilities consistent with the purpose of 

 this chapter, (3) acquire and clear developed land in 

 built-up urban areas unless the local governing body 

 determines that adequate open-space land cannot 

 be effectively provided through the use of existing 

 undeveloped land, or (4) provide assistance for his- 

 toric and architectural preservation purposes, except 



