Latest news with #LandandWaterConservationFund
Washington Post
02-08-2025
- Business
- Washington Post
Trump officials aim to divert money meant for buying wilderness land
Trump officials are seeking to divert money from a fund dedicated to purchasing wilderness areas in a bid to halt the expansion of federal public lands, according to three people familiar with the matter. The Department of Interior is drafting an order that would take money from the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which has an annual budget of $900 million primarily to buy land and easements, and use it for maintenance of existing national parks and federal lands, the people said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the order was under internal discussion and not public. The order could be announced as soon as Monday, they said.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Whitefish works on upgrades to Armory Park
Jun. 2—Whitefish continues to chip away at a list of improvements planned for Armory Park. City Council on Monday will consider awarding a construction contract to Lipka Excavating for the fourth phase of improvements planned for the park. The contract is $153,880 for a foundation for a storage garage, grading and development of a new well. City Council meets at 7:10 p.m. at City Hall, 418 E. Second St. Armory Park is the city's largest park at 30 acres. The city Park Board updated the park's master plan in 2019 to identify phases of improvements for the park. The Parks and Recreation Department plans to complete, in fiscal year 2025, the installation of a small child playground and some identified park amenities. Completed engineering on drainage improvements around the Armory building, well development for the dog park and a storage garage foundation have been completed, notes Parks and Recreation Director Maria Butts. "We continue to work on engineering for the reconstruction of one softball field, the removal and associated drainage improvements to the second existing softball field, restrooms, playground paths and benches, and an additional south parking lot," Butts said in a memo to Council. Council is also expected to approve applying for Land and Water Conservation Fund assistance through the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks for the next phases of development of Armory Park. Changes have an estimated cost of $1.6 million. The city will seek about 45% funding for the cost of the project. AN UPDATE of the city's ordinance on snow and ice removal is on the agenda for Monday. Council will consider updating the ordinance to include additional commercial zones and adding bulb-outs to the list of areas cleared in the business district. The administrative fees for those not in compliance will be changed from 20% to a $60 minimum and $300 maximum. In addition, language in the ordinance will be revised to state that all sidewalks and paths be reasonably clear of accumulations of snow and ice and passable for pedestrians. The ordinance now says free and clear of all accumulations. "This revision is meant to address the feasibility of clearing snow and ice in Montana's climate and lessen the city's risk by creating a more reasonable and achievable expectation for property owners," Butts said in a memo to Council. The city's Parks and Recreation, Public Works and Planning and Building departments recently reviewed the ordinance to revise it, addressing any ongoing challenges associated with the ordinance. During a work session at 5:30 p.m., Council will hear an update on the 2045 Vision Whitefish Growth Policy. Deputy Editor Heidi Desch may be reached at 758-4421 or hdesch@
E&E News
02-06-2025
- Business
- E&E News
Trump move to redirect conservation dollars sparks anger
Conservationists are urging Congress to ignore President Donald Trump's requested changes to the Land and Water Conservation Fund in his fiscal 2026 budget request. Trump signed the Great American Outdoors Act into law during his first term, which provided permanent annual funding of $900 million for the LWCF. The fund is used to purchase land for conservation or recreation use. But the LWCF Coalition and other conservation groups say Trump's new budget request, released Friday, would 'put a stake in the heart' of the program by diverting funds away from LWCF. Advertisement Specifically, the budget would propose diverting $111 million in LWCF funding to a new 'Forest Service Deferred Maintenance Program.'
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Roger Wheeler State Beach is a go-to for families. Why it won't be as friendly this summer
NARRAGANSETT – Beachgoers will find their favorite sandy spots a little more cramped when they visit Roger W. Wheeler State Beach this summer. The beach is undergoing a makeover as construction crews replace and expand the boardwalk and build a bulkhead. By the time work is done, the new boardwalk will have doubled in size to nearly 1,200 feet in length and be accessible for people with disabilities. New stairs, sidewalks, shade structures, a foot washing station and concrete benches will also be installed, according to the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM). The work, however, will bring some disruptions to beachgoers. Amenities at the beach – among them concessions, lifeguards, restrooms and showers – will open on Saturday, June 14, later than in previous seasons. Until then, the beach will be an active construction site with limited access, according to Evan LaCross, a public affairs officer at DEM. The beach area also will be reduced, with some sections being rocky, according to DEM. 'There will be fenced-off areas along the East and West sides of the beach, extending into the parking lot and beachfront itself to establish safe work zones,' says a DEM page on the construction project. The parking area may also be reduced, DEM warned. It is a popular nesting spot for piping plovers, a protected shorebird. DEM said it would monitor and protect the nesting areas. The work began last August and is scheduled to last until May 2026, with a pause in construction this summer. It is being funded by $3.1 million in federal money from the Land and Water Conservation Fund; $7.5 million from the 2021 Beach, Clean Water and Green Economy Bond; and $150,000 from state capital funds. In total, about $10.7 million, LaCross said. Roger W. Wheeler State Beach is the oldest state beaches in Rhode Island, according to DEM. It was originally known as Sand Hill Cove, a name still used by some locals. The state's ownership of the beach goes back to the Revolutionary War, when the state seized the property from a Tory sympathizer of King George III. Over time, beaches became more popular with Rhode Island's working class. But it wasn't until the 1940s – in the middle of World War II – that the state kicked out a community of squatters who had built illegal structures at the beach. The beach was renamed in 1970 after the late Capt. Roger W. Wheeler, who was credited with creating the Rhode Island State Life-Saving System, a series of stations that assisted ships in distress. These days, Roger W. Wheeler State Beach is known for its fine white sand and calm waters protected by Galilee's breakwaters, making it a popular spot for families with children. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Roger Wheeler State Beach getting a makeover, new boardwalk
Axios
29-04-2025
- Axios
Arizona's Saguaro National Park grows by 48 acres
Nearly 50 acres in the foothills of the Tucson Mountains have been added to Saguaro National Park, bringing its total footprint to over 92,000 acres. Why it matters: The national park outside Tucson is visited by about a million people annually and is a sanctuary for a wide array of desert plants and animals, including, of course, the state's iconic Saguaro Cactus. State of play: Trust for Public Land acquired the 48 acres near the Tucson Mountains to increase the scope of the park, one of five expansions in the past decade. How it works: Trust for Public Land purchased the acreage using the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund, financed by a portion of U.S. offshore oil and natural gas revenues. Pima County and the Southern Arizona Hiking Club also supported the expansion. The bottom line:"Saguaro is a truly unique getaway—not only a vast desert backyard for Tucsonans and Southern Arizonans, but also a destination for visitors from across the country and around the world who come to experience the natural wonders of the American Southwest," Trust for Public Land CEO and president Carrie Besnette Hauser said in a statement.
