What This Bill Does
This bill creates a new grant program called the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program within the National Park Service. The program gives money to states, cities, counties, tribal nations and nonprofits to buy land for parks and outdoor recreation spaces, and to build or fix up recreation facilities in populated areas.
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Who It Affects
States, cities, counties, special park districts, Indian tribes, urban Indian organizations, Alaska Native communities, Native Hawaiian communities, and nonprofit organizations that serve or represent qualifying urban areas.
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Key Provisions
- The Secretary of the Interior must establish a grant program that awards money to eligible organizations for buying land and water for parks and outdoor recreation in qualifying areas (Sec. 3(a)(1)(A))
- The Secretary must develop or renovate outdoor recreation facilities that give the public access to recreation opportunities in qualifying areas (Sec. 3(a)(1)(B))
- Organizations that receive grants must provide matching funds equal to at least 100 percent of the grant amount, though the Secretary can waive this requirement in certain situations (Sec. 3(b))
- No more than 10 percent of grant money can be used for administrative expenses (Sec. 3(b)(3))
- Grant money cannot be used for operation and maintenance, semiprofessional or professional sports facilities, indoor recreation centers, or land that restricts public access (Sec. 3(d)(2))
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What Changes
A new federal grant program begins that provides money to eligible organizations for purchasing land and building or improving outdoor recreation facilities in urban areas with populations of 25,000 or more, as well as areas run by tribes and Native Hawaiian communities.
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Important Definitions
- **Low-income community**: Any neighborhood where 30 percent or more of residents have household income at or below 80 percent of the area's median income (or 200 percent of the federal poverty line, whichever is higher)
- **Qualifying area**: An urbanized area or urban cluster with 25,000 or more people in the most recent census, 2 or more connected urban clusters totaling 25,000 or more people, or an area managed by an Indian tribe or Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian community organization
- **Eligible entity**: An organization that represents or serves a qualifying area, including states, cities, counties, park districts, Indian tribes, urban Indian organizations, and Alaska Native or Native Hawaiian communities
- **Eligible nonprofit organization**: A nonprofit organization recognized as tax-exempt under federal tax law
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Effective Date
Not specified in bill text
I
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION H. R. 1065
To codify the existing Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program of
the National Park Service, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FEBRUARY 17, 2023
Ms. BARRAGA´N (for herself, Mr. TURNER, Mr. LARSEN of Washington, Mrs.
NAPOLITANO, Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin, Mr. TONKO, Ms. NORTON, Ms.
BONAMICI, Mr. HUFFMAN, Mr. ESPAILLAT, Ms. TITUS, Mr. CASTEN, Mr.
HIMES, Ms. TLAIB, Mr. EVANS, Mr. MORELLE, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Ms.
JAYAPAL, Ms. CHU, and Ms. STANSBURY) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources
A BILL
To codify the existing Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partner-
ship Program of the National Park Service, and for
other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
3
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Outdoors for All Act’’.
4
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
5
In this Act:
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•HR 1065 IH
(1) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti-
1
ty’’ means an entity that represents or otherwise
2
serves a qualifying area.
3
(2) ELIGIBLE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION.—The
4
term ‘‘eligible nonprofit organization’’ means an or-
5
ganization that is described in section 501(c)(3) of
6
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and is exempt
7
from taxation under section 501(a) of such code.
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(3) ENTITY.—The term ‘‘entity’’ means—
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(A) a State;
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(B) a political subdivision of a State, in-
11
cluding—
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(i) a city;
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(ii) a county; and
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(iii) a special purpose district that
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manages open space, including a park dis-
16
trict; and
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(C) an Indian Tribe, urban Indian organi-
18
zation, or Alaska Native or Native Hawaiian
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community or organization.
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(4) INDIAN TRIBE.—The term ‘‘Indian Tribe’’
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has the meaning given the term in section 4 of the
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Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance
23
Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).
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•HR 1065 IH
(5) LOW-INCOME COMMUNITY.—The term ‘‘low-
1
income community’’ means any census block group
2
in which 30 percent or more of the population are
3
individuals with an annual household equal to, or
4
less than, the greater of—
5
(A) an amount equal to 80 percent of the
6
median income of the area in which the house-
7
hold is located, as reported by the Department
8
of Housing and Urban Development; and
9
(B) an amount equal to 200 percent of the
10
Federal poverty line.
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(6) OUTDOOR RECREATION LEGACY PARTNER-
12
SHIP
PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘Outdoor Recreation
13
Legacy Partnership Program’’ means the program
14
established under section 3(a).
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(7) QUALIFYING AREA.—The term ‘‘qualifying
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area’’ means—
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(A) an urbanized area or urban cluster
18
that has a population of 25,000 or more in the
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most recent census;
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(B) 2 or more adjacent urban clusters with
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a combined population of 25,000 or more in the
22
most recent census; or
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•HR 1065 IH
(C) an area administered by an Indian
1
Tribe or an Alaska Native or Native Hawaiian
2
community organization.
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(8) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means
4
the Secretary of the Interior.
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(9) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means each of
6
the several States, the District of Columbia, and
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each territory of the United States.
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SEC. 3. GRANTS AUTHORIZED.
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(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM.—
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(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish
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an outdoor recreation legacy partnership program
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under which the Secretary may award grants to eli-
13
gible entities for projects—
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(A) to acquire land and water for parks
15
and other outdoor recreation purposes in quali-
16
fying areas; and
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(B) to develop new or renovate existing
18
outdoor recreation facilities that provide out-
19
door recreation opportunities to the public in
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qualifying areas.
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(2) PRIORITY.—In awarding grants to eligible
22
entities under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall
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give priority to projects that—
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•HR 1065 IH
(A) create or significantly enhance access
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to park and recreational opportunities in an
2
urban neighborhood or community;
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(B) engage and empower underserved com-
4
munities and youth;
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(C) provide employment or job training op-
6
portunities for youth or underserved commu-
7
nities;
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(D) establish or expand public-private
9
partnerships, with a focus on leveraging re-
10
sources; and
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(E) take advantage of coordination among
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various levels of government.
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(b) MATCHING REQUIREMENT.—
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(1) IN GENERAL.—As a condition of receiving a
15
grant under subsection (a), an eligible entity shall
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provide matching funds in the form of cash or an in-
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kind contribution in an amount equal to not less
18
than 100 percent of the amounts made available
19
under the grant.
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(2) WAIVER.—The Secretary may waive all or
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part of the matching requirement under paragraph
22
(1) if the Secretary determines that—
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•HR 1065 IH
(A) no reasonable means are available
1
through which the eligible entity can meet the
2
matching requirement; and
3
(B) the probable benefit of the project out-
4
weighs the public interest in the matching re-
5
quirement.
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(3) ADMINISTRATIVE
EXPENSES.—Not more
7
than 10 percent of funds provided to an eligible enti-
8
ty under a grant awarded under subsection (a) may
9
be used for administrative expenses.
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(c) CONSIDERATIONS.—In awarding grants to eligible
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entities under subsection (a), the Secretary shall consider
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the extent to which a project would—
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(1) provide recreation opportunities in under-
14
served communities in which access to parks is not
15
adequate to meet local needs;
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(2) provide opportunities for outdoor recreation
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and public land volunteerism;
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(3) support innovative or cost-effective ways to
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enhance parks and other recreation—
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(A) opportunities; or
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(B) delivery of services;
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(4) support park and recreation programming
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provided by cities, including cooperative agreements
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•HR 1065 IH
with community-based eligible nonprofit organiza-
1
tions;
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(5) develop Native American event sites and
3
cultural gathering spaces; and
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(6) provide benefits such as community resil-
5
ience, reduction of urban heat islands, enhanced
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water or air quality, or habitat for fish or wildlife.
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(d) ELIGIBLE USES.—
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(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), a
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grant recipient may use a grant awarded under sub-
10
section (a) for a project described in paragraph (1)
11
or (2) of that subsection.
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(2) LIMITATIONS ON USE.—A grant recipient
13
may not use grant funds for—
14
(A) incidental costs related to land acquisi-
15
tion, including appraisal and titling;
16
(B) operation and maintenance activities;
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(C) facilities that support semiprofessional
18
or professional athletics;
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(D) indoor facilities, such as recreation
20
centers or facilities that support primarily non-
21
outdoor purposes; or
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(E) acquisition of land or interests in land
23
that restrict access to specific persons.
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•HR 1065 IH
SEC. 4. REVIEW AND EVALUATION REQUIREMENTS.
1
In carrying out the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Part-
2
nership Program, the Secretary shall—
3
(1) conduct an initial screening and technical
4
review of applications received;
5
(2) evaluate and score all qualifying applica-
6
tions; and
7
(3) provide culturally and linguistically appro-
8
priate information to eligible entities (including low-
9
income communities and eligible entities serving low-
10
income communities) on—
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(A) the opportunity to apply for grants
12
under this Act;
13
(B) the application procedures by which el-
14
igible entities may apply for grants under this
15
Act; and
16
(C) eligible uses for grants under this Act.
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SEC. 5. REPORTING.
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(a) ANNUAL REPORTS.—Not later than 30 days after
19
the last day of each report period, each State lead agency
20
that receives a grant under this Act shall annually submit
21
to the Secretary performance and financial reports that—
22
(1) summarize project activities conducted dur-
23
ing the report period; and
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(2) provide the status of the project.
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•HR 1065 IH
(b) FINAL REPORTS.—Not later than 90 days after
1
the earlier of the date of expiration of a project period
2
or the completion of a project, each State lead agency that
3
receives a grant under this Act shall submit to the Sec-
4
retary a final report containing such information as the
5
Secretary may require.
6
Æ
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