(OVERLAND PARK, KS) - Congressman Dennis Moore (Third District - Kansas) today announced his continued support for the ongoing effort to create 2,800 acres of park land in Johnson County and said he would introduce a companion bill to Sen. Pat Roberts’ legislation designed to accomplish that goal.

“The greatest gift we can give to future generations is acres and acres of parks and nature trails. I have three grandchildren and one on the way. I would love nothing more than to be able to take them to play in the parks we are working to create today,” said Moore at a news conference with Sen. Roberts at the Johnson County Parks and Recreation Department this morning.

At the event, Roberts announced he is introducing legislation in the Senate that would ensure the transfer of 2,800 acres of undeveloped land around the site of the Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant near De Soto. Currently, the General Services Administration is considering the county’s request to transfer ownership of the land to the Johnson County Parks and Recreation District.

“I’ve been working on this issue since I was first sworn into office in January 1999. Sen. Roberts has been a leader in the Senate and I will work with him to ensure swift passage of this conservation bill. With the rapid growth Johnson County has experienced in recent years, it is important that we set aside areas for parks and nature preserves now, before they are developed,” said Moore.

In March 1999, Moore wrote to the General Services Administration to urge them to transfer the land so that it could become part of the planned system of parks and recreation areas envisioned in the Parks and Recreation District’s long-term plan for Johnson County.

“Granting this request will enable our community to preserve and conserve recreational and open space areas as it continues to experience rapid urban growth,” wrote Moore.

The area supporters wish to transfer to county control contains both tallgrass prairie and old-growth forest. The transfer would expand the borders of the 850-acre Kill Creek Park in Olathe, which opened last year.