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NMMA News Release - April 23, 2001 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FROM: NATIONAL MARINE MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION
200 E. Randolph Dr., Suite 5100
Chicago, IL 60601-6528
312/946-6200
RECREATION LEADERS REPORT HIGHLY PRODUCTIVE MEETING WITH INTERIOR SECRETARY
CHICAGO, April 23, 2001 - - Recreation community leaders representing
the American Recreation Coalition and the Recreation Roundtable met
with U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Gale Norton Friday,
April 20th, in what was described by both sides as a fruitful exchange
of ideas and information. Topics ranged from the state of the nation’s
trails to volunteerism on federal lands; from management of programs
providing nearly $1 billion annually in federal support for local
recreation and conservation projects to expanding the benefits of
recreation at federal sites; and from the National Recreation Lakes Act
and the Water Works Wonders national outreach program to increase
participation in boating and fishing to the nation’s physical, mental
and spiritual health.
Although the recreation leaders praised a number of initiatives now
underway, including the new Boating Infrastructure Grant program, the
fee demonstration effort and Water Works Wonders national outreach
program, they noted that the emphasis on resource protection efforts
over the past eight years had left many Americans feeling unwanted and
unwelcome in the Great Outdoors.
Recreation leaders were delighted by the session. "We found a
Secretary personally enthused about recreation and committed to
providing diverse, high-quality opportunities on federally-managed
lands. We described the current level of visits – nearly two billion
visits annually to federal sites – and our delight that the backlog of
deferred maintenance at these sites is being addressed seriously by
President Bush," said Thom Dammrich, president of the National Marine
Manufacturers Association, after the meeting. "She also told us that
Americans ought to be able to expect to have abundant recreation
opportunities on public lands – because these lands belong to
Americans."
During the meeting, Secretary Norton reminded the recreation leaders
that she had spent several years in the department during the 1980s.
When the President’s Commission on Americans Outdoors and the Take
Pride in America program were mentioned, she noted that she was
familiar with both and offered strong praise for each. The Secretary
also reiterated her strong interest in the "state side" of the Land and
Water Conservation Fund and the National Park Services’s rivers and
trails conservation program, both efforts supporting community-based
recreation facility development. She expressed interest in the
soon-to-be-released report of the National Park Advisory Board,
expected to recommend heightened emphasis on recreation and education
efforts by that agency.
PWIA Executive Director Monita Fontaine took the opportunity to stress
the need for tolerance for all modes of recreation. "It is imperative
to ensure public lands and waters are enjoyed by all Americans; we must
all work together to accommodate multiple recreational uses."
Fontaine added that "the personal watercraft industry stands ready to
undergo any scientifically based environmental assessment necessary to
sustain our use in appropriate national park units. The personal
watercraft industry has invested over $1 billion in state-of-the-art
technology which has reduced hydrocarbon emissions by 75% and noise
emissions by 70% over the past three years."
Much of the meeting focused on opportunities for cooperation and
partnerships to provide visitors with safe and outstanding memories of
time at federal sites. She was told of the diverse businesses – large
and small -- that operate on and near federal lands to aid visitors and
of the challenges concessionaires and permittees have faced in recent
years. She indicated agreement with the recreation community view that
recreation fees should be retained where collected and have visible
consequences, and welcomed the offer to help design a second phase
recreation fee demonstration program keyed not to revenues but to
results.
Commenting on general discussions with the Secretary, Dammrich noted
that she appeared very interested in working with the recreation
community to convey priorities and ideas through communications
channels ranging from magazines and newsletters to meetings and
websites. Norton agreed on the need to meet regularly with recreation
leaders, especially as the full Interior leadership team comes into
place. "We emphasized our willingness to assist the Secretary in
tackling recreation management challenges, utilizing a range of
technological, economic and educational tools," said Dammrich. "It was
gratifying to see Secretary Norton respond so well to information about
WOW- Wonderful Outdoor World, our partnership effort to introduce city
kids to outdoors fun and ethics, to our plans for Great Outdoors Week
in June and to Ranger for a Day, which will enlist Members of Congress
to highlight volunteerism opportunities at federal sites."
In addition to the meeting with Secretary Norton and key staff, the
recreation leaders also met with OMB associate Director Marcus Peacock,
U.S. Representative Jim Oberstar, Forest Service Deputy Chief Jim
Furnish and former Secretary of Transportation Rodney Slater over an
intense 24-hour period. Additional high-level meetings with the new
Bush Administration and congressional leaders are planned throughout
the spring and summer.
Representing the recreation community in the meetings along with
Dammrich and Fontaine were: Bill Anderson, President of Westrec Marinas
and the Marina Operators Association of America; Mike Sciulla, Vice
President of Boat Owners Association of the U.S.; David Brown,
Executive Director of America Outdoors; Tom Cove, Vice President of the
Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association; Derrick Crandall, President
of the American Recreation; Coalition and Executive Vice President of
the Recreation Roundtable; Rusty Gregory, President of Mammoth Mountain
Ski Area; and Dave Humphreys, President of the Recreation Vehicle
Industry Association.
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