Future of the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program

 

Washington, like many states across the country, finds itself in a serious budget shortfall due to the economy.  As part of making recommendations to the Governor for the 2011-2012 Capital Budget, the WA Office of Financial Management (OFM) has made a recommendation to suspend or eliminate funding for the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program (WWRP).  Since 1990, the WWRP has funded over 1,000 projects across the state.  The type of projects included in that mix are parks, ball fields, trails, water access and wildlife and fish habitat.  Since inception of the program, it has funded 75 projects in the 'Critical Habitat' category, including the Tieton Canyon, Sanford Pasture and Phase 1 of Rock Creek.  You may recognize these three projects as ones The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation has partnered in.

 

RMEF is concerned about this recommendation, because a shut-down of the program would not only cause the second phase of  Bald Mountain-Rock Creek to fail, but would suspend a program that is badly needed in a populous and growing state like Washington.   Funded primarily through general obligation bonds, WWRP has been extremely successful in providing funds to match federal programs to provide outdoor opportunities for Washington citizens, and to protect threatened wildlife and fish habitat.

 

If you don't agree with the suspension or elimination of this program as part of the 2011-2012 Washington State Capital Budget, please make your thoughts known to our public officials.  There have already been two public meetings on the proposed budget, and two more are scheduled for July 27 and July 29.  The notice is short, so if you can't make one of the remaining meetings, please take time to send an email or letter to Governor Gregoire, your State legislators and the OFM. 

 

It's very important that people take time to make their feelings known about any proposed budget cuts.  It's likely that if citizens don't speak up in favor of programs proposed for elimination or suspension, those programs must not be important to voters. 

 

Below are some talk points assembled by the WWRP Staff, and some additional pertinent points to consider in creating your correspondence:

 

 Thank you in advance for taking time to weigh in with your opinion!

 

Transforming Washington’s Budget

 

WWRP Talking Points

 

$100 Million – 2011 Proposed Capital Appropriation

 

The Values of the People of Washington: Protect Natural Resources and Recreational Opportunities

 

State, local and non-profit agencies have submitted 273 applications for Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program (WWRP) grants totaling $190 million. We are seeking $100 million for WWRP capital grants for parks, trails, habitat and working farms in the 2011 Capital Budget.

 

Background

 

The WWRP capital grant program is administered by the Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) through the use of general obligation bonds.  There are no general fund or operating appropriations to this program. This state agency reviews, ranks and distributes WWRP capital grants in a nationally recognized competitive process that guarantees only the best projects are funded. According to a statutory formula, a $100 million capital appropriation would fund:

 

·       Outdoor Recreation – $36 M for acquisition and development of state and local parks, trails and shorelines.

·       Habitat Conservation – $36 M for natural areas, wildlife habitat and restoration projects.

·       Riparian Habitat Protection – $19 M for acquisition and restoration of fresh and salt water riparian land.

·       Farmland Preservation – $9M for conservation and restoration of working farms.

 

Response to the Governor’s Questions

 

1.     Is the activity an essential service?

Yes, because it is essential to Washington’s quality of life and to our ability to attract new businesses.  Additionally, WWRP is representative of the Governor’s core values – protecting natural resources and cultural and recreational opportunities.  48% of the WWRP’s currently proposed projects will help protect or restore Puget Sound, which is a top priority for the Governor.  Finally it is also essential for the state to provide habitat for state and federal candidate species. 

 

2.     Does state government have to perform the activity, or can it be provided by others?

Thanks to the WWRP’s unique partnership with local, federal and private partners, the

state has the ability to get a ROI simply not available through the private sector.  Among other things, they can't get the same bonding rate or leverage required matching funds.

 

3.     Can the activity be eliminated or delayed in recessionary times?

a.      No, because unlike a specific service, land developed or lost can never be recaptured.

b.     Washington’s quality of life attracts major employers and is critical to the region’s economic recovery. We cannot afford to skip a few years investment in habitat, parks and saving working farms anymore than we can skip job creation or education of the next generation.

c.      It is much cheaper to conserve land than to restore converted or damaged land

d.     Now is the time to invest in our future: interest rates and property values are low and sellers are motivated.  Now is the best time to invest!

 

4.      Does the activity need to be paid for with state general funds?  Should users pay a portion of the costs?

a.      The WWRP is not paid for with state general funds. WWRP costs just a small portion of the capital budget which is funded by an even smaller portion of the debt service. One year's debt service for the WWRP is less than 1/10 of 1% of the general fund.

b.     There is no revenue generating option that will save salmon and elk habitat, nor a user-pay system that will create and develop new parks, trails and recreation opportunities for our families.

 

5.     Are there federal funds or other fund sources available to support this activity?

Yes, the state’s $618 million investment in WWRP to date has leveraged $425 million in local and private matching funds, plus more in federal funds that require a state match.  It cannot be replaced by the Trust Land Transfer program, which merely transfers state owned property from one category to another without increasing the amount of land set aside for public use.

 

6.     Are there more cost-effective, efficient ways to do the activity?

No. The WWRP’s award winning competitive process should be a model for Transforming Washington’s Budget. Only 26% of applicants were successful last biennium.  It's effective and efficient with the state's money in meeting one of the state’s primary goals: protecting natural resources and cultural and recreational opportunities. WWRP is the premiere state partnership in accomplishing this goal. 

 

7.     Can the activity be the subject of a performance contract?

Yes, it currently is. (waiting for more info from the RCO)

 

8.     Can the activity be the subject of a performance incentive?

Yes, it currently is. (waiting for more info from the RCO)

 

Additional Talking Points

 

1.     Outdoor Recreation Generates Revenue – Active outdoor recreation generates over $11.7 billion in revenues annually to Washington’s economy and supports 115,000 jobs. According to the Census Bureau each year over 2.7 million people participate in hunting, fishing, and wildlife watching in Washington, contributing $3 billion to the economy.

 

2.      Development Creates Jobs – Over 40% of WWRP projects are development projects that create local jobs. The rest are easements and acquisitions that put money in the pockets of local land owners. These projects fuel the economy and generate taxes that return to state and local coffers.

 

3.     A Legacy for Future Generations – Over the last twenty years our state’s population has grown by 1.8 million and is projected to increase by another 1.6 million by 2030.  We need to act now to make sure tomorrow’s population has safe and accessible parks and that fish and wildlife habitat is protected from encroaching development.

 

4.     Reducing Obesity – WWRP is the state’s primary funding source for local parks and trails.  Access to recreation is essential to getting kids outside.

 

Broad Based Support

 

The WWRP grant program was created by a non-profit citizens group co-chaired by former Governors Dan Evans and Mike Lowry. Our coalition includes over 130 groups representing conservation, recreation, business, labor, government and community interests.

 

Business Support Includes:

 

·       Alaska Airlines

·       The Boeing Company

·       Green Diamond Resources

·       Group Health

·       John L. Scott Real Estate

·       Northwest Marine Trade Association

·       Olympic Resource Management

·       Port Blakely Communities

·       Puget Sound Energy

·       REI

·       Washington Realtors

·       Washington State Grange

·       Weyerhaeuser

 

Organizational Support Includes:

 

·       Association of Washington Cities

·       Audubon Society

·       Cascade Land Conservancy

·       Ducks Unlimited

·       The Nature Conservancy

·       Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

·       Trout Unlimited

·       Trust for Public Land

 

·       Washington Conservation Voters

·       Washington Environmental Council

·       Washington Recreation and Park Association

·       Washington State Assoc. of Counties

·       Washington State Federation of Fly Fishers

·       Washington Wildlife Federation

Past Endorsers:

 

·       Vancouver Columbian

·       Ellensburg Daily Record

·       Kitsap Sun

·       News Tribune

·       Olympian

·       Seattle PI

·       Seattle Times

·       Wenatchee World

Discussion Points

 Inclusion of 2011 capital appropriation for continuation

 of the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program

 

• According to Washington’s Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy, 90 percent of the state’s old-growth forests have been lost to human development since statehood.  Seventy percent of Washington’s coastal grasslands and estuarine wetlands also have been altered or destroyed, along with 50 percent of eastside shrub-steppe habitat and 50 percent to 90 percent of the natural habitat near rivers and streams statewide.
• Current WA population  is over 6.7 million people.  Projection is for continued population growth
• Next to California, WA has highest population density per square mile of any state west of the Mississippi River
• Recreational opportunities are an important aspect of attracting business  and skilled employees to WA
• Quality of life: Thousands of people travel away from urban areas to camp, fish, boat, hike, watch wildlife, hunt.  Continued protection of wildlife habitat, creation of parks, trails and water access important to thousands of outdoor recreationists.
• Washington's citizens spend tens of thousands of days each year watching wildlife, hiking, hunting, fishing, camping, cross-country skiing, and other outdoor recreational pursuits.
• Outdoor recreationists spend millions each year in pursuit of their passion, purchasing outdoor equipment and supporting local economies by traveling and staying in rural areas to recreate.
• The number one reason given by people who leave those outdoor recreational pursuits is the loss of opportunity or access.  The WWRP is critical to providing outdoor recreation opportunity by increasing access and protecting wildlife habitat.
• Many of the habitat projects proposed for acquisition in 2010 were listed for sale by realtors, and will be sold if not protected by WWRP acquisition.  Those properties will be converted to uses not compatible with wildlife habitat, and Washington's wildlife legacy will continue to erode.
• Several projects on the list of proposed 2011 projects are partially complete.  Cancellation of the program will cause those projects to fail.

 

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Washington Governor mailing address:

Governor Chris Gregoire
Office of the Governor
PO Box 40002
Olympia, WA 98504-0002

 

Phone number: (360) 902-4111

 

Email link:

http://www.governor.wa.gov/contact/default.asp

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Washington State Office of Financial Management mailing address:
P.O. Box 43113
Olympia, WA 98504-3113
(360) 902-0555

 

Email address:

ofm.budget@ofm.wa.gov

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Public Meeting Schedule: 

 

July 27 7–9 p.m. Gaiser Hall Clark College 1933 Fort Vancouver Way Vancouver, Washington   July 29 5–7 p.m. Spokane Community College Lair Student Center 1810 N. Greene St. Spokane