News Release

Secretary Bernhardt Announces $170.6 Million to Support State Parks and Outdoor Recreation through the Land and Water Conservation Fund

Kayakers on Smith River beneath Stout Grove.

NPS Photo

News Release Date: September 5, 2019

Contact: [e-mail]

Contact: [e-mail]

(Press release originally distributed by the Department of the Interior Press Office)

WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt today announced $170,623,713 million in grants from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) to all 50 States, five U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia for state-identified outdoor recreation and conservation projects. LWCF funds are non-taxpayer dollars derived from Outer Continental Shelf lease revenues and are awarded through federal matching grants administered by the National Park Service.

“Using zero taxpayer dollars, LWCF invests earnings from offshore oil and gas leasing to help rehabilitate and improve infrastructure at state and local parks and other recreation areas,” said Secretary Bernhardt. “Funds will also be used to maximize access by opening up landlocked public lands. A small investment in a little strip of land can open up thousands of acres to outdoor recreation enthusiasts.”

“We are pleased with the permanent authorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which came as part of the John D. Dingell Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act earlier this year,” said National Park Service acting Deputy Director for Operations David Vela during remarks today at the National Association of State Park Directors conference. “Investing in high quality outdoor recreation space has proven to increase the public’s physical, cultural, and spiritual well-being. We look forward to continuing our work with state and local partners in the implementation of this important program.”

The LWCF was established by Congress in 1964 to ensure public access to outdoor recreation resources for present and future generations, and to provide money to federal, state and local governments to purchase land, water and wetlands for the benefit of all Americans.

Funds are also used to permanently conserve outdoor recreation areas for public use and enjoyment. The funds enable state and local governments to improve parks and other recreation areas in their communities by rehabilitating and upgrading existing parks, creating brand new parks in places that have none, and developing and expanding trail systems to link communities together and create recreation opportunities.

Since the inception of the LWCF, more than $4.4 billion has been made available to state and local governments to fund more than 43,000 projects throughout the nation.

The allocation for the State and Local Assistance grant (stateside) program is determined based on a formula set in the LWCF Act, and includes funds appropriated from the LWCF by Congress as well as revenue derived from the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act. For more information, please visit www.nps.gov/lwcf.

Fiscal Year 2019 Total Apportionments by State

State	Apportionment
Alabama	$2,689,167
Alaska	$1,548,962
American Samoa	$100,000
Arizona	$3,541,391
Arkansas	$2,145,470
California	$14,564,940
Colorado	$3,034,579
Connecticut	$2,557,032
Delaware	$1,635,930
District of Columbia	$391,688
Florida	$7,869,846
Georgia	$4,389,379
Guam	$104,640
Hawaii	$1,812,894
Idaho	$1,817,757
Illinois	$5,726,425
Indiana	$3,346,039
Iowa	$2,229,844
Kansas	$2,231,831
Kentucky	$2,558,960
Louisiana	$2,748,844
Maine	$1,659,106
Maryland	$3,297,805
Massachusetts	$3,623,566
Michigan	$4,441,165
Minnesota	$2,989,532
Mississippi	$2,118,928
Missouri	$3,168,557
Montana	$1,611,602
Nebraska	$1,906,325
Nevada	$2,292,912
New Hampshire	$1,713,672
New Jersey	$4,454,876
New Mexico	$1,996,570
New York	$7,941,700
North Carolina	$4,168,859
North Dakota	$1,529,494
Northern Marianas	$100,000
Ohio	$5,038,141
Oklahoma	$2,453,004
Oregon	$2,590,904
Pennsylvania	$5,430,820
Puerto Rico	$2,369,821
Rhode Island	$1,702,981
South Carolina	$2,713,499
South Dakota	$1,564,430
Tennessee	$3,225,968
Texas	$9,746,191
Utah	$2,295,171
Virgin Islands	$100,000
Vermont	$1,489,677
Virginia	$3,864,426
Washington	$3,577,901
West Virginia	$1,823,422
Wisconsin	$3,073,041
Wyoming	$1,504,029
Total	$170,623,713

 

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