Grants available to enhance public recreational boating

March 26, 2014

For more information contact: George Powell at: (207) 287-4964

AUGUSTA, Maine ? The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry?s Bureau of Parks and Lands is pleased to announce that it is seeking grant proposals to improve recreational boating access to the waters of the State of Maine for fiscal year 2015, which begins July 1, 2014 and ends June 30, 2015.

?With 2,300 great ponds, 32,000 miles of streams and rivers and over 3,000 miles of coastline, the State of Maine offers unparalleled opportunities for recreational boating,? said Governor Paul R. LePage. ?However, with only 460 assured public recreational boat access sites, we need to do more to ensure the public has adequate access to these waters.?

The Maine Legislature established the Boating Facilities Fund in 1963, which is administered by the Bureau of Parks and Lands, Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, and funded with the state tax on gasoline used by recreational motor boats. The Bureau uses these funds to acquire, develop and renovate recreational boat access sites and to place and maintain navigational buoys on nearly 50 inland lakes and ponds. The Bureau?s philosophy is that boating access sites are more efficiently managed on the local level and so accomplishes most of its mission of providing boat access through a grant process.

Grants are limited to a maximum of $150,000 and must be completed by June 30, 2016. A cash or in-kind match equal to 50% of approved project costs is required. Project proposals are due June 25, 2014. A pre-application inspection by Bureau staff must be completed before an application is submitted. Requests for pre-application inspections must be made no later than May 14, 2014.

For more information call 287-4952 or see the Bureau?s Boating Grant website: http://www.maine.gov/dacf/parks/grants/boatingfacilitiesfund.html