DOI Grants being examined… especially land acquisitions with LWCF

Spotty grant tracking draws watchdog’s fire Michael Doyle, E&E News reporter Published: Thursday, September 28, 2017 Some Interior Department officials are tussling with the Office of Inspector General over the department’s failure to standardize the tracking of hundreds of millions of dollars in grants used for land purchases. The behind-the-scenes bureaucratic conflict, percolating for months, […]

NPS Releases $94.3 Million to States for Parks and Outdoor Recreation

Sec. Zinke today released the following related to the distribution of LWCF for state and local grants.. 1. FY17 LWCF State Grants Release – FINAL

New State Outdoor Recreation funding survey!!

BOULDER, Colo. – September 6, 2017 – Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) today released the State Funding Mechanisms for Outdoor Recreation report featuring case studies on seven states across the country that are investing in the public lands and waters that support the outdoor economy. “Funding for outdoor recreation and conservation is a central part of what OIA and […]

Congress Considering Reforms to Conservation and Recreation Funding

Article by Jeff Stockdale, director of legislative affairs, Council of State Governments E Newsletter August 2017. In 1964, Congress created the Land and Water Conservation Fund, or LWCF, “to assist the States and Federal agencies in meeting present and future outdoor recreation demands and needs of the American people.” Since the program’s inception, this powerful […]

IMPROVING PUBLIC HEALTH THROUGH PUBLIC PARKS AND TRAILS: EIGHT COMMON MEASURES

Parks and trails can be gateways to healthy living by promoting holistic health. Parks provide opportunities for physical activity, stress reduction, social interaction, and environmental sustainability. The Community Guide now recommends access to parks and trails in combination with improved walk/bike routes as a public health intervention to increase physical activity. Park and trail system […]

OIA Releases 50 State Outdoor Recreation Economy Reports

Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) today released the state-level Outdoor Recreation Economy Report featuring economic data for all 50 states across the United States, the largest and most comprehensive state-by-state report of its kind. The data underscores a growing economic force that generates billions in consumer spending and creates millions of good-paying, American jobs in communities across the country. […]

Outdoor Legacy Partnership program awards announced for 2017 !!

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Interior and the National Park Service announced today $13.3 million through the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) program to assist 22 cities in 17 states with projects to plan, build, and enhance parks and other outdoor recreation facilities in underserved communities. These public-private partnerships leverage $13.3 million in federal […]

Administration Budget targets LWCF, State Grants and GOMESA

The Trump administration would scale back significantly on new federal land acquisitions and revenue-sharing partnerships with states, while seeking new oil and drilling opportunities in the Arctic, under its fiscal 2018 Interior budget proposal unveiled today ( 5-23-17 ). The White House has requested $11.7 billion for Interior in fiscal 2018. That’s slightly more than […]

New Economic Impacts of Outdoor Recreation by state released

Follow the link to the new economic impact data released by the Outdoor Industry Association.  Total impacts are 887 Billion annually and the report list it by state. https://outdoorindustry.org/advocacy/

Breaking News – 3-27-17 House Members Support Significant LWCF Funding

More than 200 House Democrats and Republicans are urging “robust” funding for a major land and water conservation program set to expire in fiscal 2018. The lawmakers, including 36 Republicans, are asking appropriators to ensure that all the programs under the Land and Water Conservation Fund “receive strong and consistent support in FY 2018 in order to […]