HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-10-21 Public Comment - P. Simmons - FW_ Secretary Haaland Announces $150 Million to Create Public Parks, Expand Recreation Opportunities in Urban Areas - from residentFrom:Pat Simmons
To:"Zachary Brown"; scott.macfarlane@gallatin.mt.gov; Agenda
Subject:FW: Secretary Haaland Announces $150 Million to Create Public Parks, Expand Recreation Opportunities in Urban
Areas - from resident
Date:Monday, May 10, 2021 1:52:44 PM
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I hope Gallatin County and the City of Bozeman will read the email below about new grant funds for
public parks in areas with 50,000 or more with LWCF funds. We need more trails and parks and
improvements to existing parks all over Gallatin County. Thanks,
Pat
Pat Simmons
psimmons100@gmail.com
From: U.S. Department of the Interior <info@updates.interior.gov>
Sent: Monday, May 10, 2021 11:04 AM
To: psimmons100@gmail.com
Subject: Secretary Haaland Announces $150 Million to Create Public Parks, Expand Recreation
Opportunities in Urban Areas
Grant program will help states, local communities create close-to-home outdoor recreation experiences
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US Department of the Interior News Release
Date: Monday, May 10, 2021
Contact: Interior_Press@ios.doi.gov
Secretary Haaland Announces $150 Million to Create Public
Parks, Expand Recreation Opportunities in Urban Areas
Grant program will help states, local communities create close-to-home outdoor recreation
experiences
WASHINGTON — The Department of the Interior today announced that the National Park
Service will distribute $150 million to local communities through the Outdoor Recreation
Legacy Partnership (ORLP) grant program. The program, established in 2014, enables
urban communities to create new outdoor recreation spaces, reinvigorate existing parks,
and form connections between people and the outdoors in economically underserved
communities.
The announcement comes on the heels of the Biden-Harris administration’s newly launched
“America the Beautiful” initiative to support locally led, voluntary conservation and
restoration efforts that address the nature and climate crises, improve equitable access to
the outdoors, and strengthen the economy. Providing safe outdoor spaces for communities
that are park-deprived is one of six areas of focus identified in the report.
“Every child in America deserves to have a safe and nearby place to experience the great
outdoors,” said Secretary Deb Haaland. “The Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership
program is a crucial tool to advancing environmental justice and ensuring equitable access
to nature and its benefits. Working together with state and local governments to ensure
green spaces promotes the health and welfare of urban communities.”
The ORLP program, funded through the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), is a
nationally competitive grant program that delivers funding to urban areas — jurisdictions of
at least 50,000 people — with priority given to projects located in economically
disadvantaged areas and lacking in outdoor recreation opportunities.
“The National Park Service is proud to help people enjoy the outdoors, get active and make
lasting memories in their 400 plus national parks across the country,” said Shawn Benge,
National Park Service deputy director for operations exercising the delegated
authority of the NPS Director. “To help create more equitable access to the outdoors, we
have opened the ORLP grant program to more communities by removing the cap on the
number of proposals states can submit on behalf of local jurisdictions and by increasing the
maximum grant from $1 million to $5 million.”
Funding applications are now being accepted in Grants.gov through September 24. States
may apply for the grants, whether on behalf of themselves or eligible urban jurisdictions.
Interested jurisdictions should contact their state lead agency for LWCF. A list of contacts
can be found at LWCF’s contacts page. Project sponsors must match the grant award 1:1
with non-federal dollars. A total of $150 million in funding is available during this grant cycle.
Since its inception in 1965, the LWCF has funded $4 billion worth of projects in every
county in the country. Last year, Congress permanently funded the LWCF at $900 million
per year with wide bipartisan support. At no cost to taxpayers, the LWCF supports
increased public access to and protection for federal public lands and waters — including
national parks, forests, wildlife refuges, and recreation areas — and provides matching
grants to state governments for the acquisition and development of public parks and other
outdoor recreation sites.
For more information about the program and these ORLP grants, please visit NPS's Land
and Water Conservation Fund page.
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