| **News and Events: NEWS: State Awards $1.5 Million in Grants for Trails |
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| Thu, September 28, 2006 11:17 AM |
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State Awards $1.5 Million in Grants for Trails
Projects to improve trails in 11 counties got a boost this week when the Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation (IAC) announced grant funding totaling more than $1.5 million. The grants support rehabilitation and maintenance of backcountry trails.
These grants provide much needed money to maintain the rich diversity of Washingtons recreational opportunities, said Laura Johnson, director of the Office of the Interagency Committee. Our surveys show that walking and hiking are the most popular activities in Washington. We need to ensure that the state's trail systems are well maintained. Its vital to our way of life and our economy.
IAC received 58 grant proposals requesting more than $2.2 million in funding under the federal National Recreational Trails Program. Paid for by federal gasoline taxes, the National Recreational Trails Program funds projects that repair and maintain trails and facilities to provide a backcountry experience. IAC evaluates and ranks the proposals and manages the distribution of the federal funding. IAC was able to award 38 grants totaling more than $1.5 million.
Washington can be proud of the recreational facilities it offers, Johnson said. Keeping them well maintained and up-to-date takes the resources of many different groups, including the grant applicants themselves who are contributing more than $2.3 million or 61 percent of the cost of the projects. Its great to see that kind of commitment to keeping Washington a great place to live and play.
The Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation was established in 1964 to finance recreation and conservation projects throughout the state. For more information on the agency or its grant programs, visit the website: www.iac.wa.gov.
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