$4 Million in Boating Projects Approved, Projects in 8 Counties Make List


For immediate release: May 31, 2005	Contact: Tammy Owing, 360-902-2637 E-mail: tammyo@iac.wa.gov
$4 Million in Boating Projects Approved, Projects in 8 Counties Make List
OLYMPIA - Boating projects in eight counties will receive grants totaling more than $4 million, the Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation announced today.
"Washington has more than 250,000 registered boats and we need to make sure that the facilities in the state can accommodate those boaters and protect the environment," said Laura Johnson, director of the Office of the Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation. "These grants invest money in fixing what we have and making improvements so it's easier for people to enjoy their time outdoors."
Projects in the following counties were approved for funding (click on a county for more information):

The Interagency Committee is responsible for evaluating and distributing the Boating Facilities Program grants. Since 1965, the Interagency Committee has awarded about $90 million to local and state governments for 559 projects statewide to accommodate boaters .

Created in 1964 by voter Initiative 215, the Boating Facilities Program offers grants to state and local governments to plan for, buy, develop or renovate boating facilities for motorboats, including launch ramps, short-term moorage and other support facilities. The program is funded by a portion of the gasoline tax paid by boaters.

This year, the Interagency Committee received 12 applications from various state agencies, requesting more than $4.8 in funding. Earlier this year, the Interagency Committee awarded $2.5 million to six communities for local projects. Information on the local projects is available at http://www.iac.wa.gov/Documents/IAC/Grants/BFP/BFP-local_grants_award_memo11-04.pdf

The grant applications were reviewed and ranked by a 10-member evaluation team comprised of representatives of county park departments, state natural resource agencies, ports and boaters.

A summary of the grant program is available at the Interagency Committee Web site at: http://www.iac.wa.gov/iac/grants/bfp.htm.

The Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation was established in 1964 to finance recreation and conservation projects throughout the state.