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RCO outlines SCORP extension plan, seeks National Park Service planning grant
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Summary
RCO staff told the board they will seek a planning grant from the National Park Service to extend Washington's Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) and begin a demand assessment with Eastern Washington University ahead of an April 2028 extension request.
Ben Donatelli, RCO policy specialist, told the Recreation and Conservation Funding Board that the state will pursue a planning grant from the National Park Service to extend the 2023 Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) through 2028 and beyond. Donatelli said the NPS recently changed guidance that shifted planning horizons from five to ten years and that Washington intends to request a five-year extension to its current plan rather than rewrite it immediately.
The planning grant would fund the participation survey and other components of the demand assessment; Donatelli said Eastern Washington University has conducted similar surveys for the office in prior cycles and is the planned contractor. The participation survey is expected to take about 11 months from design through analysis and will inform whether current priorities still match statewide needs. If awarded, Donatelli said the grant would be submitted this May and RCO would not expect to receive a funding decision until September or October.
Donatelli reviewed what the SCORP must include under Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) policy: an assessment of recreational demand, an inventory of recreational supply, and an opportunity for public input. He said staff will re-evaluate the board's unified strategy and the implementation plan to see what work has been completed and what should be added for the extended five-year period. RCO expects to reengage internal staff, stakeholders and the public on the unified strategy in 2027 and submit any extension request to the Park Service by April 2028.
Board members asked about risks that NPS would not apportion planning funds. Donatelli replied that federal funding is never guaranteed but noted RCO routinely tailors its proposals to the federal apportionment for the LWCF program. Several board members expressed interest in a mid-term check-in for any future 10-year plan; Donatelli said the Park Service is still developing specific requirements for such check-ins.
Next steps: RCO will complete and submit a planning grant application in May, contract for the demand assessment if funded, and return to the board with updates as public engagement and technical work move forward.
