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OCR for page 237
Appendix B
Procedure for Compiling
Federal Land Acquisition
Pnonty List
I. DOf and USDA determine which proposed acquisitions meet mini-
mum criteria.
~-
1 The property is (a) within the boundaries of an existing Federal
conservation/recreation unit, if such boundaries are set by statute; or
(b) contiguous with property now comprising a Federal conservation/
recreation unit, if the unit's boundaries are administratively deter-
mined; or (c) the initial "building block" of a newly authorized Feder-
al conservation/recreation unit.
2. The property presents no known health/safety/liability problems
(e.g., hazardous waste contamination, unsafe structures).
3. There is no indication of opposition from current ownersks) to
Federal acquisition of property (condemnations may be necessary in
rare instances).
4. The cost of infrastructure necessary to make the property acces-
sible, safe, and usable by the general public does not exceed ten
percent of the estimated purchase price.
Il. DO! and USDA score proposed acquisitions that meet minimum
criteria.
237
OCR for page 238
238 SETTING PRIORITIES FOR land CONSERVATION
Each potential acquisition is scored by summing points it receives
from meeting one or more of the following "randcing criteria." The
indicated number of points is awarded if the proposed acquisition:
I. a. Prevents imminera (within 2-3 years) property develop-
ment that is determined by the regional or State director to be
incompatible with the affected unit's authorized purposes).
50 points
b. Prevents short-to-medium term (within 4-8 years) property
development Mat is determined by the Secretary to be incompati-
ble wig the affected unit's authorized purposets). 25 points
2. a. Provides multiple recreation opportunities (seven or more
of the activities listed on Attachment A) and is within a county
with a population of one million or more. SO points
b. Provides multiple recreation opportunities (seven or more
of Me activities listed on Attachment A) within 100 miles of a
Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area (SMSA) 50 points
c. Provides multiple recreation opportunities (seven or more
of Me activities listed on Attachment A) between 100 and 250
miles from a Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area (SMSA)
35 points
d. Provides limited recreation opportunities (one to six of the
activities listed on Attachment A) within 100 miles of a SMSA.
35 points
e. Provides limited recreation opportunities (one to six of the
activities listed in Attachment A) between 100 and 250 miles
from a SMSA. 20 points
a. Preserves habitat of endangered species . 40 points
b. Preserves habitat of threatened species. 30 points
c. Preserves a recognized type of ecological community, for
the purpose of promoting natural diversity. 20 points
4. Preserves a nationally significant natural or cultural feature of a
type not now represented in any Federal conservation/recreation unit.
40 points
OCR for page 239
APPENDIX B
239
a. The principal benefit to be derived from the acquisition is
its wetlands characteristics as defined in Me Emergency Wet-
lands Act of 1986. 80 points
b. The property contains a wetland or riparian area that is
relatively scarce or unique. 60 points
c. The property contains a wetland or riparian area that while
not scarce or unique nevertheless provides substantial public
benefits. 40 points
6. a. Includes existing infrastructure required to make property
accessible to and usable by We general public and by elderly/
handicapped citizens. 40 points
b. Includes existing infrastructure required to make property
accessible to an usable by the general public, but not by elder-
ly/handicapped citizens. 20 points
7. Expands a unit with a record of visitor-day growth exceeding
five percent per year in at least three of the five prior years.
20 points
S. Improves manageability and efficiency of a unit. 20 points
9. Results in Federal savings in acquisition costs through the use of
land exchanges, donations and other alternatives to the direct purchase
of a property at full value. Add five points for each estimated 20
percent savings in Federal acquisition costs up to a maximum of 25
points. 5-25 points
10. Involves Federal acquisition of less than full fee title to We
property (e.g., purchases of scenic or conservation easements).
lO pokes
It. Involves significant non-Federal partnership. For each non-
Federal pawner (State, local, or private) contributing significant re-
sources (i.e., at least 25 percent of acquisition, development, or
management dollars), add S points, up to a maximum of 15 points.
S-IS points
OCR for page 240
\
240 SETTING PRIORITIES FOR LAND CONSERVATION
12. Provides a Federal Leans Management Agency with an opportu-
nity judged by the appropriate Assistant Secretary to be necessary to
substantially further Me goals of a Presidential, Departmental, or
Bureau MBO and to be essential to the fulfillment of the Agency's
mission. (Each Agency will rank their 20 highest priority projects
which implement their MBO and mission in descending order. The
first priority project will be awarded 150 points, the second 142.5,
Me third 135 and son on). 7.5-150 points
Ranking criteria listed under a single number (e.g., " I .a. ," " ~ .b. ") are
mutually exclusive; points may not be awarded for more than one. A
proposed acquisition may score 40 points for meeting criteria 3.a., but
cannot score 70 points for meeting both criteria 3. ~ . and 3.b.
Each property proposed for acquisition is normally scored separately.
However, if several related properties are proposed for purchase as a
group to optimize use of funds, the group may be assigned a composite
score (e.g., the criteria may be applied and a score assigned to the For-
est Service Lake Tahoe project or the Park Service Santa Monica Moun-
tains project as a whole.~.
IlI. DOI and USDA tentatively rank acquisition proposals.
The Departments jointly prepare a unified list of acquisition propos-
als, ranked in descending order of points scored. A cut-off point is
determined by summing costs associated with the ranked acquisitions
until the cumulative cost reaches the land acquisition budget limit ($250
million, less administrative and emergency acquisition costs).
IV. Review by Land Acquisition Working Group.
The Land Acquisition Working Group, including representatives of
Me Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Fish, Wildlife and Parks, the
Assistant Secretary for the Interior for Land and Minerals Management,
and He Assistant to the Secretary of Agriculture for Natural Resources
and Environment, reviews and modifies the tentative ranking of land
acquisition proposals to reflect (~) corrections of identified scoring er-
rors, (2) proposed exceptions to the minimum criteria, and (3) subjective
factors not taken into account in the scoring process.
OCR for page 241
APPENDIX B
241
Examples of subjective factors include, but are not limited to: the
role of a given acquisition in a coordinated Federa1JState/Iocal effort to
preserve recreation lands; the possible effect of an acquisition on State,
local, or private efforts to offer competing recreation opportunities; the
prospect Mat a private conservation group may desire to purchase the
property.
For each proposed acquisition added to the list on a basis other than
points scored, We Working Group prepares a written justification ex-
plaining why We acquisition has been afforded higher priority.
/
OCR for page 242
242 SETTING PRIORITIES FOR LAND CONSERVATION
Attachment A
Recreation Activities
Hiking
Camping
Picnicking
Fishing
Hunting
Swimming
Boating/Canoeing/Rafting
Auto Touring
Off-Road Vehicle Use
Skiing/Ice Skating
Snowmobiling
Bicycling
Horseback Riding
Observing Wildlife
Representative terms from entire chapter:
activities listed
