The Michigan Department of Natural Resources today announced that 12 community parks across the state and one DNR recreation facility in Emmet County have been recommended to share $1,239,400 in Land and Water Conservation Fund grants. This federal program, administered in Michigan by the DNR, supports villages, cities, townships, counties and the DNR in their efforts to provide better public outdoor recreation opportunities for their residents and visitors.
Applicants this year sought funding for a broad range of public outdoor recreation projects, including playground development and renovations, campground, park and athletic complex improvements; trail and walkway development, and improved access for those with disabilities.
This year’s Land and Water Conservation Fund grants have been awarded to:
•City of Algonac (St. Clair County)
•City of Charlotte (Eaton County)
•City of Coldwater (Branch County)
•Delhi Charter Township (Ingham County)
•Michigan DNR (Emmet County)
•City of Fraser (Macomb County)
•Isabella County
•City of Linden (Genesee County)
•Masonville Township (Delta County)
•Merritt Township (Bay County)
•Village of New Era (Oceana County)
•Village of Sebewaing (Huron County)
•Williams Charter Township (Bay County)
The full list of grant recipients, grant amounts and project descriptions is available on the DNR website at www.michigan.gov/lwcfgrants .
“The Land and Water Conservation Fund is a great example of a federal, state and local government partnership that works,” said Steve DeBrabander, DNR grants manager. “These vital dollars are used to provide communities with greater public outdoor recreation opportunities that both improve citizens’ quality of life and encourage healthier lifestyles.”
Successful applicants clearly demonstrated projects designed to increase public access to quality outdoor recreation opportunities. The selected projects were chosen from a field of 27 grant applications seeking some $2,256,900 in funding.
The Land and Water Conservation Fund is a federal program administered in Michigan by the Department of Natural Resources on behalf of the National Park Service. The DNR uses this funding to help develop public outdoor recreation facilities and to provide matching grants for local governments to do the same.
The Land and Water Conservation Fund is supported by revenues from federal gas and oil development from the outer continental shelf. Following congressional appropriation, the monies are apportioned to the states by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior each fiscal year in accordance with the apportionment formula contained in the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act. The project recommendations will be sent to the National Park Service for federal approval.
Application materials for future Land and Water Conservation Fund grants will be available in January at www.michigan.gov/lwcfgrants.
Source: DNR