WASHINGTON – Chuck Grassley announced today that the National Park Service has awarded three competitive matching grants totaling $371,438 to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources through the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources will use the funds as shown below.
•$11,894 to help the Des Moines County Conservation Board acquire 52 acres of land adjacent to the Thye Woods Recreation Area.
•$179,722 to help construct a new shower and restroom facility at Green Valley State Park near Creston.
• $179,722 to help construct a new shower and restroom facility at Emerson Bay Recreation Area at West Lake Okoboji.
The Land and Water Conservation Fund provides matching grants to help state and local governments purchase and develop public outdoor recreation areas and facilities. These investments intend to create and maintain a nationwide legacy of high quality recreation areas and facilities across the U.S. and to stimulate non-federal investments in the protection and maintenance of recreation resources.
Each year, thousands of local Iowa organizations, colleges and universities, individuals and state agencies apply for competitive grants from the federal government. The funding is then awarded based on each local organization or individual’s ability to meet criteria set by the federal entity.