Maine will receive $972,249 in federal funds that will be used for state-identified outdoor recreation and conservation projects, Secretary of the Interior Ryan K. Zinke announced in a Tuesday press release.
The funds will be distributed from the Land and Water Conservation Fund and are part of disbursements made to all 50 states, along with U.S. territories and the District of Columbia.
The funds are nontaxpayer dollars derived from Outer Continental Shelf lease revenue and are awarded through federal matching grants administered through the National Park Service, according to the release.
“The Land and Water Conservation Fund and its State and Local Assistance Program has provided over $4.2 billion to help states protect special places and bring outdoor recreation opportunities to local communities across the country,” Zinke said in the release.
According to a recent story by Maine Public, Maine has benefited from more than $180 million in funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund during the past half-century. Among the beneficiaries have been Acadia National Park and the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, along with projects such as Rangeley Lake State Park and the Allagash Wilderness Waterway.
In all, $100 million was distributed nationwide from the fund. California topped the list with an $8,527,497 disbursement. The Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa and the Northern Marianas were at the other extreme with $75,000 apiece.
The LWCF was established by Congress in 1965 to ensure access to outdoor recreation resources for present and future generations. The LWCF invests earnings from offshore oil and gas leasing to permanently conserve outdoor recreation areas for public use and enjoyment, according to the release.
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