1.Short title; table of
contents
(a)This Act may be cited
as the Moving Outdoors in Nature Act
of 2010
.
(b)The table of
contents of this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Findings.
Sec. 3. Grants for development or implementation of Moving
Outdoors in Nature State Strategies.
Sec. 4. National strategy for connecting children, youth, and
families with the outdoors.
Sec. 5. National evaluation of health impacts.
Sec. 6. Technical assistance and best practices.
Sec. 7. Definitions.
Sec. 8. Authorization of appropriations.
2.Congress finds the following:
(1)Children today are
spending less time outdoors than any generation in human history, as evidenced
by studies that show children enjoy half as much time outdoors today as they
did just 20 years ago and children spend more than 7½ hours every day in front
of electronic media.
(2)Experiencing our
Nation’s natural splendor contributes to healthier lives for all Americans and
a deeper appreciation for the outdoors, and those who take advantage of the
opportunities afforded them in the outdoors generally live longer, healthier,
fuller lives than those who do not.
(3)Hunters and
anglers play a critical role in reconnecting young people with nature,
protecting our natural resources, and fostering a lifelong understanding of the
value of conserving the natural world. As children become more disconnected
from the natural world, the hunting and angling conservation legacy of America
is at risk.
(4)Research
demonstrates that hunters who become engaged in hunting as children are among
the most active and interested hunters as adults. The vast majority of hunters
report they were introduced to hunting between the ages of 10 and 12, and the
overwhelming majority of children are introduced to hunting by an adult.
(5)The health of our
children is at risk as evidenced by the growing obesity crisis where, over the
last 20 years, the childhood obesity rate has more than doubled and the
adolescent obesity rate has tripled.
(6)Spending time
outdoors in nature is beneficial to our children’s physical and mental health
and has been proven to decrease symptoms of attention deficit and hyperactivity
disorder (ADHD), improve motor skills, result in a better sleep, reduce stress,
increase creativity, improve mood, and reduce children's risk of developing
myopia.
(7)Kids who play
outdoors are generally more physically fit than those who spend the majority of
their time inside, and children who play outside in natural areas have a
statistically significant improvement in motor fitness with better
coordination, balance, and agility.
(8)The richness and
novelty of being outdoors stimulates brain development, and research indicates
that direct, ongoing experience of nature in relatively familiar settings
remains a vital source for children’s physical, emotional, and intellectual
development.
(9)Research indicates
that spending time outdoors reduces the severity of symptoms of children with
attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, and even short walks in urban
parks increase concentration and lessen other attention deficit and
hyperactivity disorder-related symptoms.
(10)Children who
spend time playing outside are more likely to take risks, seek out adventure,
develop self-confidence, and respect the value of nature, and green spaces
outside the home can increase concentration, inhibition of initial impulses,
and self-discipline.
(11)Time spent in
green spaces, including parks, play areas, and gardens, has been shown to
reduce stress and mental fatigue, and in one study children who were exposed to
greener environments in a public housing area demonstrated less aggression and
violence and less mental stress.
(12)Simply viewing
nature reduces physiological stress response, increases levels of interest and
attention, and decreases feelings of fear, anger, and aggression.
(13)A direct
childhood experience with nature before the age of 11 promotes a long-term
connection to nature, a connection that is currently dwindling as children
spend half as much time outside as they did 20 years ago.
(14)Resource
stewardship is more challenging without a strong sense of connection to the
natural world, and as visitation to public lands has declined or remained flat
in recent years and children spend less time outdoors on private lands as well,
that connection is being lost.
(15)It takes many
dedicated men and women to work to preserve, protect, enhance, and restore
America's natural resources, and with an aging workforce in the natural
resource professions, it is critical for the next generation to have an
appreciation for nature and be ready to take over these
responsibilities.
(16)Over the past
several years, urbanization, changing land use patterns, increasing road
traffic, and inadequate solutions to addressing these challenges in the built
environment have combined to make it more difficult for many Americans to walk
or bike to schools, parks, and play areas or experience the natural environment
in general.
(17)Natural play
areas, greenways, accessible trails, backyard wildlife habitats, and other
green features of the built environment provide children the opportunity to
experience nature in their communities and close to home.
(18)Conservation
education and outdoor recreation experiences like camping, hiking, boating,
hunting, fishing, archery, recreational shooting, wildlife watching, and others
are critical to engaging young people in the outdoors.
(19)Parks and
recreation, youth-serving, conservation, health, education, and
built-environment organizations, facilities, and personnel provide critical
resources and infrastructure for connecting children and families with
nature.
(20)Research has
shown that military children and families are facing increased stress and
mental strain and challenges due to multiple, extended deployments. Military
family service organizations have developed programs that connect military
children and families with positive, meaningful outdoor experiences benefiting
mental and physical health, but they lack sufficient resources to meet
increasing demand.
(21)States nationwide
and their community-based partners have some notable programs that connect
children and families with nature; however, most States lack sufficient
resources and a comprehensive strategy that effectively engages State agencies
across multiple fields.
(22)States need to
engage in a cross-sector agency and nonprofit approach that involves public
health and wellness, parks and recreation, transportation and city planning,
and others focused on connecting children and families with the outdoors to
increase coordination and effective implementation of the policy tools and
programs that a State can bring to bear to provide healthy outdoor
opportunities for children and families.
3.Grants for
development or implementation of Moving Outdoors in Nature State
Strategies
(a)The Secretary may
award competitive grants or cooperative agreements to eligible entities to
develop and implement a 5-year State strategy, to be known as a Moving Outdoors
in Nature State Strategy, for connecting children and families with the
outdoors.
(b)Submission and
approval of strategies
(1)An
application for a grant under subsection (a) shall—
(A)be submitted not
later than 120 days after the Secretary publishes guidelines under subsection
(f)(1); and
(B)include a Moving
Outdoors in Nature State Strategy meeting the requirements of subsection (c) or
a proposal for development and submission of such a strategy.
(2)Approval of
strategy; peer reviewNot
later than 90 days after submission of a Moving Outdoors in Nature State
Strategy, the Secretary shall approve or recommend changes to the strategy. The
Secretary shall carry out the preceding sentence through a peer review process
that includes participation from Federal, State, and local government and from
nongovernmental entities.
(3)An eligible entity
receiving funds under this section shall update its Moving Outdoors in Nature
State Strategy not less than every 5 years to reflect any changes and
modifications.
(c)Comprehensive
strategy requirementsThe
Secretary may approve a Moving Outdoors in Nature State Strategy under
subsection (b)(2) only if the strategy includes the following:
(1)A
description of how the eligible entity will connect children, youth, and
families to the outdoors through State and local—
(A)public health
systems;
(B)public parks and
recreation systems;
(C)public
transportation and city planning systems; and
(D)other public
systems that connect children, youth, and families to the outdoors.
(2)A
description of how the eligible entity will connect existing governmental
systems to networks of nongovernmental partner organizations serving children,
youth, and families.
(3)A
description of how State agencies, such as State departments of health, natural
resources, environmental quality, fish and wildlife, national guard, and
transportation, will collaborate with each other and nongovernmental
organizations and local agencies to implement the strategy.
(4)A
description of how funding will be spent through local planning and
implementation grants under subsection (d).
(5)A
description of how the eligible entity will evaluate the effectiveness of, and
measure the impact of, the strategy.
(6)A
description of how the eligible entity will provide opportunities for public
involvement in developing and implementing the strategy through a public
comment period, public hearings, or other means.
(d)Local planning
and implementation
(1)A Moving Outdoors in Nature State Strategy shall provide
for—
(A)local planning;
and
(B)subgrants by the grant recipient under
subsection (a) to local entities to implement the strategy through one or more
of the activities described in paragraph (2).
(2)The activities described in this paragraph are the
following:
(A)Outdoor recreation
programs and activities that engage children, youth, and families in healthy,
active time outdoors through camping, hiking, wildlife watching, and other
recreational activities that teach skills for lifelong participation in outdoor
activities.
(B)Youth mentoring
and outdoor recreation programs and activities that engage participants in
hunting, fishing, recreational shooting, and archery.
(C)Public health
initiatives to educate parents and caregivers about the health benefits of
active time outdoors to fight obesity and increase the quality of life for
children, youth, and families.
(D)Creation of
natural play areas within communities, as defined by nationally recognized
guidelines, to provide opportunities for safe outdoor play in natural
environments at daycare and afterschool childcare sites, schools, parks,
recreation centers, camps, libraries, military installations, and other
areas.
(E)Development of
trails and greenways to safely connect parks and outdoor recreation areas with
military installations, daycare and afterschool childcare sites, schools, and
communities through trail systems that encourage walking, biking, and increased
time outdoors by children, youth, and families.
(F)Creation of
outdoor learning environments such as schoolyard, community, or backyard
wildlife habitats or gardens.
(G)Environmental
sustainability and conservation education and interpretation programs and
activities that engage children, youth, and families in learning and physical
activity in the outdoors.
(H)Service learning
and volunteer opportunities to help restore natural areas, maintain
recreational assets, and engage children, youth, and families in the
outdoors.
(I)Promotional
activities that promote the benefits of time spent outdoors and invite
children, youth, and families to enjoy the outdoors by visiting nearby public
and private lands.
(J)Initiatives that
engage health professionals, pediatricians, educators, daycare instructors,
afterschool program providers, camp directors, community planners, local
planning commissions, homeowners associations, environmental professionals,
military, law enforcement, and business leaders in identifying innovative
solutions to connecting children, youth, and families with nature.
(e)In
making grants under subsection (a) and subgrants under subsection (d)(1)(B),
the Secretary and the recipient of a grant under this section shall give
preference to entities that serve individuals who have limited opportunities to
experience nature, including those who are socioeconomically disadvantaged or
have a disability.
(f)Not
later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and after
notice and opportunity for public comment, the Secretary shall publish in the
Federal Register guidelines on the implementation of this Act, including
guidelines for—
(1)developing and
submitting strategies under subsection (b); and
(2)technical
assistance and dissemination of best practices under section 6.
(g)Not later than 2 years after the Secretary
approves the Moving Outdoors in Nature State Strategy of an eligible entity
receiving funds under this section, and every year thereafter, the entity shall
submit to the Secretary a report on the implementation of the strategy based on
the entity’s evaluation and assessment of meeting the goals specified in the
strategy.
(h)An eligible entity receiving a grant under subsection (a)
for a fiscal year—
(1)may use not more
than 5 percent of the grant funds for administrative expenses; and
(2)shall use at least
95 percent of the grant funds for local planning and subgrants to local
entities under subsection (d).
4.National strategy
for connecting children, youth, and families with the outdoors
(a)Not later than September 30, 2011, the President of the
United States, in cooperation with Federal departments and agencies, shall
develop and issue a national strategy for connecting children, youth, and
families with the outdoors. Such strategy shall include, but not be limited
to—
(1)identification of
barriers to children, youth, and families spending healthy time outdoors and
specific policy solutions to address those barriers;
(2)identification of opportunities for
partnerships with States, cities, counties, municipalities, entities of local
government, park and recreation departments or districts, school districts,
institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations to connect
children, youth, and families with the outdoors;
(3)coordination of
efforts among Federal departments and agencies to address the impacts of
children and families spending less time outdoors on—
(A)public health,
including childhood obesity and attention deficit disorders;
(B)the future of
conservation in the United States; and
(C)the
economy;
(4)identification of
ongoing research needs to document the health, conservation, economic, and
other outcomes of implementing the national and State strategies;
(5)coordination with
State Moving Outdoors in Nature Strategies; and
(6)an action plan for
implementing the strategy at the Federal level.
(b)
(1)In
developing the national strategy in subsection (a), the President shall
engage—
(A)representatives of
Federal, State, and local government;
(B)business,
industry, and military leaders;
(C)representatives of
nonprofit organizations;
(D)educators;
(E)medical
professionals;
(F)representatives of
recipients of grants or subgrants under section 3; and
(G)such other persons
as the President determines appropriate.
(2)Throughout the process of developing the national
strategy in subsection (a), the President shall provide for public
participation that includes, but not be limited to—
(A)a national summit
of participants as defined in subsection (b)(1) with demonstrated expertise in
connecting children and families with the outdoors;
(B)listening sessions
across the country; and
(C)opportunities for
the public to submit ideas, recommendations, and comments through various
written and electronic methods.
(c)Updating the
national strategyThe President shall update the national
strategy not less than 5 years, and every 5 years thereafter, after the date
the first national strategy is issued pursuant to subsection (a). In updating
the strategy, the President shall, among other things, incorporate results of
the evaluation under section 5.
5.National
evaluation of health impactsThe Secretary shall enter into an agreement
with the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Director of the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention for—
(1)the development of
recommendations for appropriate evaluation measures and criteria for developing
a study of national significance on the health impacts of the programs under
this Act; and
(2)the administration
of such a study.
6.Technical
assistance and best practicesThe Secretary shall—
(1)provide technical assistance to grantees
under section 3 through agreements with national organizations with a proven
track record of connecting children to the outdoors; and
(2)disseminate best practices that emerge from
strategies funded under this Act.
7.In this Act:
(1)The term
eligible entity means—
(A)a State; or
(B)a consortium
of—
(i)a
State, city, county, municipality, entity of local government, park and
recreation department or district, school district, institution of higher
education, or nonprofit organization; and
(ii)any
combination of entities specified in clause (i).
(2)The term
Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior.
(3)The term
State means any of the several States, the District of Columbia,
the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam,
American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, any other
territory or possession of the United States, or any Indian tribe.
8.Authorization of
appropriations
(a)There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary
to carry out this Act—
(1)$15,000,000 for
fiscal year 2011;
(2)$50,000,000 for
fiscal year 2012;
(3)$100,000,000 for
fiscal year 2013; and
(4)such sums as may
be necessary for subsequent fiscal years.
(b)Of
the amounts made available to carry out this Act for a fiscal year, not more
than 5 percent may be made available for carrying out section 6.
(c)Funds made available under this Act shall be used to
supplement, and not supplant, any other Federal, State, or local funds
available for activities that connect children, youth, and families to the
outdoors.