WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King, a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, announced today that the National Park Service has awarded funding to 10 organizations and municipalities throughout the state of Maine.  This funding is provided through the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), a partnership program that provides matching funds to states and local communities for conservation of parks and open space

“The LWCF is America’s most successful conservation and outdoor recreation program. The LWCF has been instrumental in establishing and maintaining outdoor recreation space in Maine and across our nation. These important investments will help protect and preserve a number of Maine’s parks and recreation facilities that are vital not only to our communities, but to our way of life,” said Senators Collins and King.

The LWCF is a partnership program that provides matching funds to states and local communities for acquisition, development, and conservation of parks and open spaces.                                 

Despite strong support bipartisan support for the LWCF, on September 30^th, 2015, the authority to collect revenue into the LWCF Fund expired.

“While the program will continue to be funded under the short-term funding agreement beyond the September 30 expiration date, we must act quickly to make certain this critical program is properly supported,” Senators Collins and King continued.  “We have long advocated for a permanent reauthorization of the LWCF to ensure that this important connection to our nation’s conservation effort in Maine and across our country is not lost. We will continue to work with our colleagues on both sides of the isle to permanently extend our nation’s premier federal conservation program.”

Senator Collins and Senator King are both cosponsors of bipartisan legislation that would permanently reauthorize LWCF, S. 338.

In September, a bipartisan coalition of 53 senators led by Senators Collins, Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), and joined by Senator King, authored a letter calling on Senate leadership to permanently reauthorize and adequately fund the nation’s premier federal conservation program, now in its 50th year.   

In June, Senators Collins and Steve Daines (R-MT) offered an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2016 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill which was approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee and passed as part of the reported bill.  The amendment adds another $13.9 million for the LWCF Program, bringing it in line with the current funding level.

In a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing earlier this year, Senator King called on Congress to permanently reauthorize and fully fund the program, and in July, he voted in support of a bill that would also reauthorize the program.

The award recipients are listed below:

Project Sponsor: State of Maine, Bureau of Parks and Lands

Amount of Grant Award: $135,000

Project name: Trail Head Parking—Four Seasons Adventure Trail

Project Description: Awarded for the 3.8 acres that will be used for public parking and recreational users of the Four Seasons Adventure Multi-Use Rail Trail in Newport.

Project Sponsor: Town of Swan’s Island

Amount of Grant Award: $14,809.50

Project name: Mill Pond Park Playground

Project Description: Awarded for a new playground at the Mill Pond Park in the Town of Swan’s Island. The existing play equipment is in need of replacement.

Project Sponsor: Town of St. Agatha

Amount of Grant Award: $20,000

Project name: St. Agatha Recreation Park and Boat Launch Park Renovation

Project Description: Awarded for renovations to 2 existing community playground facilities in St. Agatha, including the St. Agatha Recreation Park and the St. Agatha Beach and Boat Launch Park.

 

Project Sponsor: Maine Bureau of Parks and Public Lands

Amount of Grant Award: $60,000

Project name: Veteran’s Fishing Pier at Songo Locks

Project Description: Awarded for the Veteran’s Fishing Pier at Songo Locks project, which includes the development of two new fishing platforms, and ADA compliant walkway, a hand-carry boat launch, and approximately 85’ of shoreline stabilization.

 

Project Sponsor: Town of York

Amount of Grant Award: $75,190.50

Project name: bog Road Recreational complex—Phase II Amenities

Project Description: Awarded for the Bog Road Athletic Field project, which includes enhancements to a recently constructed multi-purpose athletic field in the Town of York

 

Project Sponsor: Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands

Amount of Grant Award: $25,000

Project name: Lemoine State Park Group Shelter

Project Description: Awarded to construct an open air shelter/pavilion at the Lamoine State Park for use by groups camping and to buffer the weather during cool periods on the Maine coast.

 

Project Sponsor: Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands

Amount of Grant Award: $25,000

Project name: Mt. Blue State Park Nature Center

Project Description: Awarded for the rehabilitation of the foundation and support structures of the Nature Center at Mt. Blue State Park in Franklin County.

 

Project Sponsor: Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands

Amount of Grant Award: $35,000

Project name: Popham Beach State Park Entrance Expansion

Project Description: Awarded to increase the capacity of the entrance to Popham Beach State Park with the construction of an additional travel land and entrance booth.

 

Project Sponsor: Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands

Amount of Grant Award: $15,000

Project name: Colonial Pemaquid Floats

Project Description: Awarded to replace seven floats at the Colonial Pemaquid State Historic Site, which will provide continued fishing and boating access.

 

Project Sponsor: Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands

Amount of Grant Award: $200,000

Project name: Sebago Lake State Park Headquarters

Project Description: Awarded for the replacement of the Sebago Lake State Park headquarters facility. The new facility will replace the one destroyed by a fire. This facility will provide services to the entire park that include: law enforcement; a warming hut area for hikers, skiers, bikers, campers, boaters, etc; reception area for outdoor recreation information and registration on camping, fishing, boating, trails, safety and rescue, etc; and public restrooms and meeting area. This headquarters will be the hub of services for park and recreation users at this state park.

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