MONTGOMERY— The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs today received notification that $682,757 will be available in 2014 for a grant program that develops community parks, trails and outdoor recreation projects.
The allocation is from the National Park Service’s Land and Water Conservation Fund. Created by Congress in 1964, the LWCF uses a portion of the federal revenue received from offshore oil and gas production royalties to preserve public lands and support additional recreation spaces. The program has helped develop thousands of local parks, trails, and recreation areas and helps protect some of the nation’s most treasured public lands.
LWCF grants totaling $66.5 million have supported 880 outdoor recreation projects across Alabama. ADECA’s Recreation and Conservation Unit coordinates the program in Alabama. Municipalities, counties and state agencies apply to ADECA for grants to fund specific projects.
Sally Jewell, Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior, announced the funding while visiting a park in Fort Worth, Texas.
“Over its 50 year history, the Land and Water Conservation Fund has helped fund over 40,000 local conservation and outdoor recreation projects by re-investing a small portion of revenue from offshore oil and gas development in waters owned by the American people,” Jewell said. “These local projects – parks, ball fields, open spaces – play an important role in improving the health and vitality of urban areas, and protecting natural areas for future generations of Americans to enjoy.”
Jewell will visit Birmingham’s East Lake Park on Wednesday to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the LWCF program.
Contact: Mike Presley, Larry Childers