[PRESS RELEASE] Application period opens for Land and Water Conservation Fund

Michelle Lujan Grisham, Governor

Melanie A. Kenderdine , Cabinet Secretary Designate

Ben Shelton, Acting Deputy Cabinet Secretary

Toby Velasquez, State Parks Division Director

Contact:

Wendy Mason

Marketing & Public Relations Manager

NM State Parks Division

wendy.mason@emnrd.nm.gov

505-819-1785

Sidney Hill

Public Information Officer, EMNRD

sidney.hill@emnrd.nm.gov

505-629-2900

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

September 3, 2024

Application period now open for the Land and Water Conservation Fund

$3.51 million dollars available to local, state, and tribal governments to apply for parks and outdoor recreation area development and improvements

SANTA FE – The State Parks Division of the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department is now accepting applications for $3,510,000 in federal funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

The application period runs through November 30, 2024. Application materials are available on the State Parks Division LWCF section of the EMNRD website.

Interested parties must also contact Alternate New Mexico State Liaison Officer Dr. Robert Stokes at Robert.Stokes@emnrd.nm.gov to discuss proposal requirements. Proposals will not be accepted for submission without prior consultation with the Alternate State Liaison Officer.

The U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service created the Land and Water Conservation Fund (WCF) to assist in preserving, developing, and assuring accessibility to outdoor recreation resources and to strengthen the health and vitality of citizens. The program provides matching grants to States and through the States to their political subdivisions and other appropriate public agencies, including recognized Indian tribes, for the acquisition and development of public outdoor recreation sites and facilities.

In New Mexico, the program is administered by the State Parks Division. The following types of projects receive priority consideration for LWCF grants:

· Projects that increase access for minority, elderly, disabled and other disadvantaged or underserved populations.

· Outdoor recreation projects of Federally recognized Tribes and other Indigenous communities.

· Conservation projects that benefit fish and wildlife.

· Projects that enhance habitat connectivity to improve climate change resilience as well as outdoor recreation.

· Recreational trails, supporting existing national historic trails, national scenic trails, and national wild and scenic rivers projects.

Offerors shall submit one electronic copy (by email or link) of the proposal to Robert Stokes at Robert.Stokes@emnrd.nm.gov no later than November 30, 2024 . The State Parks Division shall not accept proposals received after this date and shall make no exceptions for proposals not received by the appointed deadline.

For more information about the Land and Water Conservation Fund program log onto emnrd.nm.gov and click on the LWCF tab under Plans and Grants or contact Robert Stokes at Robert.Stokes@emnrd.nm.gov .

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