WASHINGTON-- Interior Secretary Gale A. Norton today announced that close to $92 million from the Land and Water Conservation Fund is being provided in Fiscal Year 2004 to the 50 states, five territories and the District of Columbia. The funds will be used for state recreational projects that will enhance outdoor opportunities for present and future generations.

"These allocations can help state and local governments--many facing budget shortfalls--invest in recreational projects so that all Americans will have access to recreational opportunities and open spaces," Norton said. "Local decisionmaking is a key to this program and a priority with this administration." The grant program is a major component of Secretary Norton's commitment to involve state governments in conservation planning activities. Under this partnership effort, the states, the territories and the District analyze their own recreational needs, set project priorities, establish application procedures and set deadlines.

The LWCF has provided more than $3.4 billion to state and local governments since it was founded in 1965. These governments are required to match their grant 50/50, which has doubled the nationwide investment to more than $6.8 billion. More than 39,000 recreational projects have received funding and about 10,000 of those have added 2.3 million acres of state and local parkland.

The National Park Service, which manages the fund, evaluates and approves grants and oversees project compliance and completion. The grants help states develop and maintain high quality recreation areas and stimulate nonfederal investments in the protection and maintenance of recreation resources across the United States.

Through the program, states have invested in outdoor recreation planning, established and expanded their own scenic rivers and trails and encouraged their cities and counties to improve planning and development of recreation resources. More information is available from the agency that administers the program in each state. Their addresses and phone numbers can be found online at www.nps.gov/lwcf.

The program is intended to create and maintain a nationwide legacy of high quality recreation areas and facilities and to stimulate non-federal investments in the protection and maintenance of recreation resources the United States. It provides matching grants to state and local governments for the acquisition and development of public outdoor recreation areas and facilities.

The LWCF is primarily funded by the collection of royalty receipts from oil and gas leases on the Outer Continental Shelf. The OCS administered by the Interior Department's Minerals Management Service has contributed $19 billion dollars to the Land and Water Conservation Fund since 1982.

Note to Editors: Attached is a state-by-state breakdown of the FY 2004 LWCF grant allocations.

Alabama

$1,505,476

New Hampshire

$925,439

Alaska

$812,141

New Jersey

$2,514,015

Arizona

$1,692,300

New Mexico

$1,015,635

Arkansas

$1,127,700

New York

$4,602,356

California

$7,773,970

North Carolina

$2,098,683

Colorado

$1,530,452

North Dakota

$816,562

Connecticut

$1,433,923

Ohio

$2,928,848

Delaware

$869,387

Oklahoma

$1,298,026

Florida

$3,906,846

Oregon

$1,327,256

Georgia

$2,129,605

Pennsylvania

$3,158,174

Hawaii

$944,836

Rhode Island

$936,081

Idaho

$900,474

South Carolina

$1,424,179

Illinois

$3,143,272

South Dakota

$823,628

Indiana

$1,821,934

Tennessee

$1,714,171

Iowa

$1,158,500

Texas

$4,710,673

Kansas

$1,155,308

Utah

$1,125,856

Kentucky

$1,340,962

Vermont

$799,586

Louisiana

$1,553,887

Virginia

$2,042,432

Maine

$898,515

Washington

$1,852,210

Maryland

$1,809,750

West Virginia

$989,180

Massachusetts

$2,052,710

Wisconsin

$1,667,759

Michigan

$2,651,675

Wyoming

$786,025

Minnesota

$1,594,425

District of Columbia

$1,259,106

Mississippi

$1,113,283

Puerto Rico

$1,259,106

Missouri

$1,708,407

Virgin Islands

$141,539

Montana

$833,308

Guam

$50,000

Nebraska

$990,003

American Samoa

$50,000

Nevada

$1,082,426

Northern Marianas

$50,000

TOTAL

$91,902,000