Summary: In 1963, the Secretary of the Interior was authorized to prepare and maintain a comprehensive nationwide outdoor recreation plan and a continuing inventory of the Nation's outdoor recreation needs and resources. The plan was to identify problems and present solutions, and submit a report every 5 years.
The initial plan was 10 years late and met with disfavor. The 1978 plan will provide a description of the Federal Government's role in providing outdoor recreation opportunities to the people. No continuing inventory has been prepared. The Bureau of Outdoor Recreation (BOR) established a program to obtain uniform data from the States, but no procedures were established for inventory maintenance. In 1972, the National Park Service (NPS) initiated a program to provide alternate transportation systems. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) advised NPS that no new studies or systems could be initiated in fiscal year 1975 and that future studies should be reviewed by OMB prior to request for funds. The director of NPS indicated that an additional $45 to $50 million would be required annually to operate the parks at an "acceptable standard." NPS has established a "Management by Objective" system to identify and describe the mission, administrative policies, long range objectives, and standards for each operating level of the Park Service. Several weaknesses were noted which raise questions as to the reliability of the system and the validity and accuracy of the data being reported.
