OLYMPIA - The Recreation and Conservation Funding Board awarded grants worth more than $8.2 million to improve trails, boating facilities and firearm ranges in 28 counties.
At its November meeting in Olympia, the board awarded grants to 76 projects under three recreation grant programs. The projects ranged from increasing safety measures at firearm ranges, to maintaining backcountry motorcycle trails, to building campgrounds to improving boat launches.
"Washington has some of the best outdoor recreational areas in the nation," said Val Ogden, chair of the Recreation and Conservation Funding Board. "These grants help us acquire and take care of those resources and enable us to keep Washington a great place to live, work and play."
Projects in the following counties were approved for funding. For details about the projects in each county, visit the Grants Awarded page (Adobe Acrobat).
| Asotin |
$15,750 |
|
Lewis |
$433,024 |
| Benton |
$228,377 |
|
Mason |
$540,050 |
| Chelan |
$898,446 |
|
Okanogan |
$113,622 |
| Clallam |
$300,733 |
|
Pend Oreille |
$250,000 |
| Clark |
$114,300 |
|
Pierce |
$948,694 |
| Columbia |
$27,214 |
|
Skagit |
$355,425 |
| Cowlitz |
$100,000 |
|
Snohomish |
$169,056 |
| Garfield |
$97,950 |
|
Spokane |
$467,293 |
| Grant |
$200,000 |
|
Stevens |
$18,500 |
| Grays Harbor |
$455,643 |
|
Thurston |
$93,300 |
| King |
$452,962 |
|
Whatcom |
$142,097 |
| Kitsap |
$98,957 |
|
Yakima |
$298,190 |
| Kittitas |
$433,928 |
|
Multiple Counties |
$972,713 |
This year, the Recreation and Conservation Funding Board received 105 applications requesting more than $12 million in funding. Applicants requested 32 percent more funding than was available.
Evaluation teams made up of representatives of recreation interests and state and federal natural resource agencies reviewed grant applications this summer and fall. Evaluation committees considered each project's needs, benefits and technical merits.
"The application process is very competitive," Ogden said. "Grant applicants not only must compete on the technical merits of their projects, but they also must bring additional resources to the table. That helps ensure the board is funding only the best, most needed projects."
Grant applicants will contribute $4.7 million in matching funds and resources, making the total investment in Washington's great outdoors nearly $13 million.
Funding was awarded in the following three grant programs.
- Boating Facilities Program: Paid for by a portion of the state gas tax, these grants fund projects that acquire, develop and renovate public boating facilities, including launching ramps, guest moorage and support facilities on both freshwater and saltwater.
- Firearms and Archery Range Recreation program: Paid for by $3 from each concealed pistol license fee, these grants fund projects to improve firearm and archery ranges open to the public.
- Nonhighway and Off-Road Vehicle Activities (NOVA) program: Paid for by gas taxes and off-road vehicle fees, these grants fund projects to develop and manage recreation opportunities for cross-country skiing, hiking, horseback riding, mountain bicycling, hunting, fishing, sightseeing, motorcycling and riding off-road vehicles.
|
