ACA pushes for camp initiatives - American Camping Assn

The New Republican Congress convened in Washington in January with an ambitious agenda. The Congress appears to have captured the momentum, and issues are advancing at an unusually brisk pace.

Safe Drinking Water Act

Maine camps' concern over costs of ongoing Environmental Protection Agency implementation of the Safe Drinking Water Act drew the attention of the American Camping Association last year. ACA Legislative Liaison David Gray met with Maine camps and water authorities, and discussed several camp drinking water issues.

A possible ACA amendment to the upcoming SDWA reauthorization bill was discussed, which would extend the current 60-day operating exemption to 90 days, provided bacteriological testing is conducted. This would remove most seasonal camps from Federal Environmental Protection Agency SDWA regulations, and place them under state health and safety laws. Background information on camp systems, costs, and needs was lacking; accordingly, a questionnaire was developed to obtain information from the field. The SDWA questionnaire was sent to all accredited camps and conference centers. Responses will be used to help assess appropriate actions.

United States Forest Service/Permit Access

A serious problem is developing in our nation's forests, as demand for access exceeds budgetary and resource capacity. Some tripping camps have experienced extremely high permit-rejection ratios, endangering programming. Pressure to raise money has, in some instances, also led to unreasonably high site permit fees for camps physically located on National Forest lands.

David Gray and ACA Executive Vice President John Miller met with western state camp representatives in Los Angeles to discuss these issues. A meeting was subsequently held with Agriculture Under Secretary James Lyons, who has direct authority over the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), and in Orlando with Mr. Bernie Weingardt, a senior USFS recreation official.

As a result of those meetings, ACA drafted a proposed Written Memorandum of Understanding between ACA and the USFS to identify and advance mutual interests, a number of which were identified in Orlando. An agreement was expected to be signed in April, 1995.

David Gray has undertaken a review of current laws and regulatory authority affecting site permits utilized by camps. Of particular interest:

* Current law allows non-profit camps located on national forest lands to work off site permit fees. No such authority currently exists for for-profit camps.

* Current site permit reappraisal guidelines for camps located on forest service lands stem from Office of Management and Budget Circular 825, which requires every recipient of a special federal benefit pay the full cost of market value of the benefit. The current USFS policy is to interpret this mandate by reappraising sites at 5 percent of permitted use value, not highest and best use.

* Current USFS policy is to allow discounts to non-profits with camp sites on forest service lands. A 100 percent discount applies to camps serving only underprivileged individuals, and a 60 percent discount applies to resource-based programs, generally interpreted as agency programming. No discounts are currently allowed to for-profit entities.

Criminal Background Checks

The American Bar Association, Center for Children and the Law, has completed a report under grant from the U.S. Department of Justice entitled "Effective Screening of Child Care and Youth Services Workers." The report is being formatted for printing, and will be available shortly from the ABA Center on Children and the Law, 1800 M Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036 for $35.

It is a several hundred page comprehensive report with considerable detail, including a long-awaited section with state-by-state analysis of criminal background check and criminal registry laws.

ACA is exploring the possibility of seeking federal regulatory guidance which would steer states away from requiring background checks on seasonal workers, such as camp counselors, until systems are in place which reasonably assure that results will be available before completion of the term of employment.

HUD

Secretary Henry Cisneros has preempted Congressional threats to eliminate HUD with a move to pare personnel and programming by one-third. Resulting wholesale restructuring of HUD has forced a temporary hold on efforts to obtain SUCCEED type funding from that agency.

U.S. Budget

On February 6th, the Administration budget arrived on Capitol Hill. The highlights:

* $34 million increase for OSHA inspections, training, and education.

* $2.4 million for National Park recreational and visitor services and facilities.

* $32 million in National Park user fees. General across-the-board increase in nutrition programming.

* $449 million in crime prevention grants (under attack).

Regulatory Reviews

Legislation which would slow or halt federal health, safety, and environmental regulation is moving forward in the House and Senate. H.R.9, part of the GOP Contract with America, would require a risk assessment and economic benefit analysis to be conducted on major regulations. Likely to be impacted are future drinking water, transportation, and OSHA requirements.

Work is progressing on a regulatory freeze bill, which would prohibit implementation of any regulations proposed since November 20, 1994, including upcoming Safe Drinking Water Act regulations.

Crime Bill

GOP efforts to re-work crime prevention grants incorporated in last year's crime bill are moving forward, with proponents advancing H.R.728. The bill would redirect the previously authorized prevention money to cities, with more flexible guidelines allowing use for enforcement.

FICA

Republican control of the Senate Finance and House Ways and Means Committees have opened several new doors for this continuing effort. Chairman Bob Packwood (R-OR) and Senator Al D'Amato, (R-NY), who have in the past been responsive to camping issues, now sit in the majority on the Finance Committee with Senator Bob Dole (R-KS), who will be making a primary bid for the Presidency. ACA has also received preliminary indications of support from the new Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, Bill Archer (R-TX).

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