 Alex
Paulluzzi
Director Branford Park and Recreation
CRPA Legislative Chiar
Current Issues
Pesticide Legistlation Final
Push
LWCF State Assistance Partially Restored at
$30 Million
Past/Relevant Issues
Publicity Bill for Parks and
Recreation
Transportation TEA-21
Land and Water Conservation
Health and Wellness
The Issue
Contact Info for the Governor
Draft Letter
The Connecticut General
Assembly's session for 2005 ended.
At 11:15pm SB 916 (the Pesticide Bill) was passed.
This however is not a total defeat. What began last year as a bill to
ban lawn care pesticides across the state ended up a law that has little
immediate effect on the professional pesticide applicator. The plus side
is that we gained a lot of allies along the way. We actually had legislators
speak and vote against a bill that was for the "health of kids"
as the activists proclaimed. We also strengthened out network system,
had newspapers calling us for information and brought many of you into
personal contact with your legislators.
The compromise wording of the bill, we have been told, will mean "no
pesticide bills for 2 years".
The law prohibits lawn care pesticides on the lawns of public and private
pre-schools and public and private elementary schools except that playgrounds
and playing fields with an IPM program in place may use lawn care pesticides
until July 2008 at which time lawn care pesticides will be prohibited
at these locations.
Our job now is to continue to educate the public and public officials
on the folly of this law and in 2008 get the ban rescinded and allow IPM.
We must reach out to all who use these fields and get them involved and
impress upon them the great possibility that these fields will begin to
deteriorate after 2008. Stay tuned for more info on this project.
We also can not relax our efforts to oppose the anti-pesticide activists
as a good part of their game plan is to incrementally achieve their goal
of no pesticides anywhere.
There is one last hope. If the governor doesn't sign this, it becomes
law in 15 days. Therefore, our only hope other than drafting new legislation
next year is to actively seek a veto from her. As in our jobs, a little
feedback goes a long way. Please write an e-mail an encourage your peers
and professional associations to do the same.
The Office of Governor M. Jodi Rell
Mailing Address
Governor M. Jodi Rell
Executive Office of the Governor
State Capitol
210 Capitol Avenue
Hartford, Connecticut 06106
Telephone
Greater Hartford Area: 860-566-4840
Toll Free: 800-406-1527
TDD: 860-524-7397
E-Mail: Governor.Rell@po.state.ct.us
An Example taken from Greg Foran, Galtonbury CT
My name is XNAMEX, residing at XXX Street, East Hartford, .
I work for the Town of XXX as the XXX. In that capacity, I am responsible
for the care of the school grounds.
I urge you to veto this bill for several reasons:
1. It is an unfunded mandate. While the fiscal analysis attached to the
bill states that it will not cost the municipalities any expense, this
is clearly not so. The traditional fertilizer and crabgrass preventer
that we currently use costs $60/Acre, while the organic alternative, corn
gluten, costs $196/Acre. In some cases, such as for grub control and broadleaf
weed control, organic alternatives do not exist, leading to point #2.
2. Without reliable pest control options, fields will decline quickly.
Athletic fields without good cover providing stable footing and a cushion
for falls present their own safety problems - torn ACL's, pulled hamstrings,
twisted ankles, and broken bones. It costs nearly $200,000 to build an
athletic field; we need to protect these investments through good management
practices.
3. Children are also at risk by limiting needed pesticide usage.
Besides the risk of injury on sports fields, there are also the problems
with noxious weeds and allergies, most notably poison ivy. It is not unusual
at all for children to have such a reaction to poison ivy as to require
treatment with steroids, an undesirable choice from a health perspective,
as well as, another cost to the health care system.
4. The ban is another bill that takes away local control from cities and
Towns. Whereas each municipality is currently free to develop a program
to manage the investment in their properties as they see fit, this legislation
invokes the State to determine how each Town should manage their grounds
in cookie cutter fashion from a vantage point far from the target area.
5. This bill hurts professionals. CT already has one of the strongest
laws to safeguard the public and schoolchildren from unwarranted use of
pesticides, and it works exceedingly well. Current legislation dictates
that only licensed professionals can apply pesticides on school grounds,
that Integrated Pest Management be practiced and safest viable controls
be used, prenotification, applications be done outside of school use,
posting for 24 hours records submission and other safety checks. No other
group is as regulated. There hasn't been a single safety or health violation
that I am aware of by the professional in this area, and yet these are
the people who are being targeted.
6. Professional Associations representing the Towns and staff oppose this
bill. The CT Conference of Municipalities (CCM), CT Recreation and Parks
Association (CRPA), CT Parks Association (CPA), and many municipal managers
have opposed this bill. This bill is a compromise between the Environmental
lobby and te Pesticide Industry lobby without a place at the table for
the municipalities affected, despite involvement in the process since
the earliest hearings in February.
Again, I urge you to veto this bill and allow us the opportunity to continue
to manage the fields as trained professionals in partnership with the
educational and health professionals in our individual Towns.
If you desire any clarification, please feel free to contact me at work
at XXX-XXX-XXXX or at home at XXX-XXX-XXXX. Thank you.
The Senate Appropriations Committee on June 9, reported
by voice vote the FY 2006 Interior spending bill (HR 2361). The bill provides
at least $100 million more in overall funding over the House's $26.2 billion,
and a cut from last year's $27 billion. The Senate Appropriations Committee
partially restored funding for Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF)
state assistance by providing $30 million. Rivers and Trails Conservation
Assistance received around $8.2 million.
The following areas of interest are from the subcommittee mark-up, June
7, further research will determine if any numbers have changed: LWCF federal
land acquisition, $163 million, Forest Legacy, $63 million and State and
tribal wildlife grants, $72 million.
Under the direction of Interior Appropriations Chairman, Conrad Burns
(R-MT), $1.1 billion was provided for the Clean Water State Revolving
Loan Fund, to keep the program operating at the current 2005 level, and
reversing the proposed cut of $250 million in the House bill. This add-on
used much of the Subcommittee discretionary funding within its total allocation.
LWCF state assistance received $91.2 million for FY 2005. The President's
proposed FY 2006 budget recommended termination of the program and zero
funds. The House provided no funds for the program, but it did not act
on the President's recommendation to terminate.
Publicity Bill for Parks and Recreation
Transportation TEA-21
Land and Water Conservation
Health and Wellness
Transportation TEA-21
* Reauthorize a six-year Transportation Equity Act (TEA21) at House and
Senate recommended funding level
* Continue the ten percent set aside for Transportation Enhancements
* Include funding for Recreational Trails Program, Safe Routes to School,
CMAQ, Sport Fishing and Recreational Boating Act, Federal Lands Highways
and Transit in Parks program
* Strongly oppose changes to current protections under Section 4(f) for
parks, wildlife and waterfowl areas
This act allows for the importance of parks to be realized. Developers
would not be able to lay a road straight through a park, or through a
wildlife area for easy and straight access. With this increased funding
we would have the resources to clean up the pollution and repair the overuse
of many of the roadways that negatively affect our parks, ponds and recreation
areas.
Land and Water Conservation
* Restore sufficient and reliable funding for land conservation and
capital investments in public parks and recreation resources
* Request $100 million for LWCF state-local assistance in FY06 Budget
* Strongly oppose the President's FY06 request to terminate the LWCF State
Assistance Program
* Support creation of a permanent, reliable funding source for parks and
recreation investments based on OCS drilling revenues such as proposed
in the American Outdoors Act and the Get Outdoors Act
* Strongly oppose proposed budget cut of $500,000 to NPS Rivers Trails
and Conservation Assistance Program and increase RTCA budget by $9.7 million
How important and relevant is this bill to you? These federally funded
monies are matched dollar for dollar by the state of Connecticut. The
LWC Act affects state parks and especially the rails for trails programs,
(Linear Trail / northern to southern CT - Shoreline Greenway Trail / eastern
to western CT). These trails have become an integral part of the communities
it traverses and will be enjoyed by people of all ages – walkers,
runners, hikers, cyclists, cross-country skiers, baby-carriage pushers
and everyone who enjoys the outdoors. More importantly, these trails will
connect to the East Coast Greenway, a route for non-motorized travel between
Maine and Florida. The rails for trails program will bring an increasingly
healthy and environmentally friendly connection across Connecticut!
Health and Wellness
* Pass a comprehensive health and anti-obesity bill and other health-related
legislation that includes eligibility of local parks and recreation agencies.
* Encourage passage of a health improvement bill similar to Healthy Lifestyles
and Prevention Act (HeLP) S. 2558 of 108th Congress
* Support increase in CDC funding for Steps to Healthier US
* Oppose termination of the Dept. of Education $2.5 million therapeutic
recreation Sec316 grants in the President's FY06 budget request and request
$3 million for FY06
* Support increase in funding for the Department of Education's 21st Century
Community Learning Centers
In the midst of an American epidemic of “unfitness”,
recreation is becoming an important means to physical activity. One way
of addressing this epidemic health issue is through The HELP Act. We have
to focus on preventative health measures in keeping our nations people
at low risk and away from increasing child obesity, type II diabetes and
cancer, risks. Monies spent on prevention helps with alleviation of healthcare
costs associated with Medicare and Medicaid programs. Community Recreation
After School Programs is providing nutritional alternatives as well asMonies
spent on prevention helps with alleviation of healthcare costs associated
with Medicare and Medicaid programs. Community Recreation After School
Programs is providing nutritional alternatives as well as health initiatives
to stimulate physical activity.
Attention to the Therapeutic Recreation Education Funding is not
sufficient. Service to members of our community that require special services
require much additional funding in meeting requirements. We need to support
funding for all those in need! The use of therapeutic recreation services
help to deal with needed social, interpersonal, and physical activity
skills.
We need to be the advocates and leaders of our
communities with regard to securing additional funding for our programs.
Please call on all your legislatures, senators and representatives in
your community. Meet us and
fellow professionals in Hartford April 7th. Put on the personal face on
who we are and what we represent. Always remember … the Benefits
of Parks, Recreation and Leisure Services are Endless!
Publicity Bill for Parks and Recreation
Media contact: Barry Tindall, 202.887.0290
U.S. Reps. Don Young (R-AK) and George Miller (D-CA) introduced legislation
on April 1 that would annually set aside $3.125 billion for capital investments
in public recreation and parks and other conservation activities.
H.R. 4100 was referred to the House Committee on Resources.
No immediate action is anticipated.
"The proposed $3.125 billion annual spending [in the Get Outdoors,
or GO, Act] is about 3 percent of annual health care costs borne by the
[federal] government for obesity-related illnesses," Young observed.Young
told a gathering of media and interest groups, including the National
Recreation and Park Association, that "the bill encourages more recreation
activity, because studies have shown that adequate lighting, good trails,
easy access, and community-based recreation infrastructure all result
in increases in physical activity.
"More physical activity will help decrease this nation's
obesity epidemic," Young continued. "The GO Act proactively
addresses this problem by providing a permanent source of annual funding
for local governments, states, and federal agencies to encourage physical
activity and recreation in urban, suburban, and rural areas."
Young and Miller directly linked the proposal to Americans' increasingly
sedentary lifestyles and resulting health challenges. Miller observed
that "obesity is a public health crisis of the first order. And the
Get Outdoors Act is a sensible way to help mitigate that public health
crisis."
"Congress cannot, and should not, tell Americans what to eat, but
we can fight the battle of the bulge by investing in local parks, recreation
centers, soccer fields, and hiking trails. If we are serious about addressing
the long-term cost of obesity-related health problems, we have to recognize
the importance of recreation opportunities for children, adults, and families,"
Miller said.
Young told advocates that "introduction of the bill is one tiny step
forward. Now it's your responsibility (to generate support)." This
proposal makes me feel good!" Young said. "Don't let anyone
hijack this idea."
Miller said that H.R. 4100 "will help communities investment in assets
that make them more livable."
The bill is similar to the Conservation and Reinvestment Act (H.R. 701),
which passed the House, 315-102, on May 11, 2000. "NRPA and its members
worked aggressively in support of CARA and will support H.R. 4100,"
said NRPA Executive Director John Thorner.
Under the proposal, state and local park systems would receive $450 million
from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), and eligible urban places
would compete for $125 million for the renovation of recreation and park
facilities in more distressed communities.
The proposal would reinvest a portion of the revenue earned from offshore
oil and gas leases and drilling. President Bush's proposed fiscal year
2005 budget estimates outer-continental shelf revenues at about $5 billion.
Principal elements of the Young-Miller proposal include
* $900 million from the LWCF, divided equally between federalagencies
and state and local governments for investment in public recreation and
park and similar resources.
* $550 million to coastal states, including the Great Lakesstates, for
coastal and marine conservation activities, including "impact assistance"
funds to mitigate on-shore impacts of off-shore drilling. Only selected
states would be eligible for impact assistance.
* $320 million for payment in lieu of taxes to offset taxrevenue
losses in states with large amounts of federal lands. An additional $30
million is recommended to aid communities near wildlife refuges.
* $350 million for state fish and wildlife conservation,recreation, and
education for preventing wildlife from becoming threatened or endangered
while enhancing public access.
* $150 million from the Historic Preservation Fund for matchinggrants
to encourage private and public investment in non-federal historic properties.
An additional $10 million is recommended for maritime heritage programs.
* $125 million for the Urban Park and Recreation RecoveryProgram to aid
renovation of existing public recreation and park facilities in more economically
distressed urban places.
* $50 million for private landowner incentives to aid recovery of endangered
and threatened species. Alexander, Landrieu to Introduce Bill Similar
to H.R. 4100
U.S. Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Mary Landrieu (D-LA) announced on
April 1 that they will introduce a bill similar to the Young-Miller House
proposal and to CARA.Alexander told NRPA members on Feb. 26 that he would
introduce a bill to authorize a permanent fund for recreation and conservation
investment by accessing annual federal revenue earned from outer-continental
shelf energy extraction. The Alexander-Landrieu proposal is expected to
authorize fewer funds than the House bill.
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