TODAY I am pleased to announce an important milestone in our Legacy of Parks program. With the addition of 34 properties being made available for State and local parks and recreational purposes, we have brought to 400 the number of Legacy of Parks properties which have been created in the less than 3 years the program has been in existence.
I am greatly pleased with this record. As we draw nearer to our Nation's 200th birthday, I believe that the Legacy of Parks program exemplifies the approach that I believe should characterize our Bicentennial activities--combining Federal resources and local initiative to provide a heritage which our descendants will be able to enjoy long into the future.
I also consider the Legacy of Parks program an outstanding example of the New Federalism in action. I hope that future generations will look upon this program as a symbol of the 1970's, a reminder of the major new effort we have launched to revitalize State and local governments by concentrating .resources and decisionmaking authority in those levels of government closest to the people.
All Americans can be proud that the Legacy of Parks program is providing great public benefits while strengthening the bonds of our Federal system.
Note: The statement was released at San Clemente, Calif.
On the same day, the White House released an announcement providing additional information on the program as well as a list and description of the 34 parcels of land.
Richard Nixon, Statement About the Legacy of Parks Program Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/256603