Thursday, December 18, 2014

DNR Awards $930,700 in Michigan Land and Water Conservation Fund Grants

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources today announced that nine community parks across the state and one DNR recreation facility in Oceana County have been recommended to share $930,700 in Land and Water Conservation Fund grants. This federal program, administered in Michigan by the DNR, supports cities, townships, counties and the DNR in their efforts to provide better public outdoor recreation opportunities for their residents.

The LWCF grants have been recommended to be awarded to:

Delta Charter Township (Eaton County)

City of Allegan (Allegan County)

City of Marlette (Sanilac County)

City of Southfield (Oakland County)

City of South Haven (Van Buren County)

City of St. Johns (Clinton County)

Michigan DNR (Oceana County)

Muskegon County

Orion Township (Oakland County)

Ottawa County (Ottawa County)

The full list of recipients, grant amounts and project descriptions is available at www.michigan.gov/dnr-grants.

"The DNR is proud to partner with these communities by providing grants for these excellent outdoor recreation projects," said Steve DeBrabander, DNR grants manager. "Access to quality, public outdoor recreation opportunities not only promotes healthy lifestyles, it also helps local communities create a sense of place while boosting their local economies."

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 soon be available at www.michigan.gov/dnr-grants, by calling 517-284-7268, or by writing to:

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Grants Management

P.O. Box 30425

Lansing, MI 48909-7925

Contact: Christie Bayus, 517-284-5923 or Ed Golder, 517-284-5815