OLYMPIA - Trail projects in 17 counties will receive state funding totaling nearly $3.4 million, the Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation announced today.
At its November meeting in Olympia, the Interagency Committee approved a list of 40 projects to be funded by Nonhighway and Off-Road Vehicle Activities (NOVA) grants. NOVA grants are used to develop and manage recreation opportunities for cross-country skiing, hiking, horseback riding, mountain bicycling, hunting, fishing, sightseeing, motorcycling, and riding all-terrain and four-wheel drive vehicles.
Projects in the following counties were approved for funding. For details, please see our breakdown by county.
Chelan
Clallam
Clark
Ferry
Grant
King
Kittitas
Lewis
Mason
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$377,048
$175,117
$138,389
$112,943
$43,400
$245,885
$599,471
$83,560
$342,660
|
Pend Oreille
Pierce
Skagit
Skamania
Snohomish
Thurston
Whatcom
Yakima
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$30,000
$190,952
$348,400
$126,000
$62,685
$228,952
$4,765
$282,520 |
"Nearly 2 million Washingtonians use backcountry trails for everything from hiking, to picking berries, to cross-country skiing to motorcycling," said Laura Johnson, director of the Interagency Committee. "These grants invest money in providing critical trail and campground construction and maintenance so that Washington can offer a variety of experiences for everyone venturing outdoors. The work accomplished with these grants may not be glamorous but it helps keep our trails and campgrounds open."
This year, the Interagency Committee received 54 applications requesting more than $4 million in funding. Applicants requested nearly 20 percent more funding than was available. They also will contribute $2 million in matching funds and other resources, making the total investment in trails nearly $5.4 million.
Grant applications were reviewed in October by a 15-member evaluation team comprised of representatives of federal, state and local governments and recreationists, including hikers, anglers, equestrians, bicyclists and off-road vehicle users. The evaluation committee considered each project's needs, benefits and technical merits.
Funding comes from fuel taxes and fees paid to the state by those who benefit from the facilities. A summary of the grant program is at the Interagency Committee's Nonhighway and Off-Road Vehicle Activities (NOVA) Web site. Grants were given in three categories:
- Nonhighway road grants to serve recreationists such as boaters using canoes and kayaks, campers, sightseers, anglers, hunters, picnickers and people who cut firewood and gather berries and mushrooms.
- Nonmotorized trail grants to create and maintain opportunities for cross-country skiing, horseback riding, hiking and mountain bicycling in a backcountry environment.
- Off-road vehicle grants to create and maintain opportunities for all-terrain vehicles, four-wheel drives, and off-road motorcycle recreation in both backcountry and competition track environments.
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