Shaheen, Hassan Announce $175K in LWCF Funds to Support NH Parks & Recreation
**Shaheen & Hassan cosponsored the bill signed into law last month to permanently fund the LWCF and help address the more than $43 million maintenance backlog in New Hampshire **
(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) announced two New Hampshire projects that will receive funding through the Land and Water Conservation Fund’s (LWCF) State and Local Assistance Program. Nearly $129,000 will be invested in improving 13 miles of the Rockingham Recreational Trail from Fremont to Windham, and more than $45,000 will be used for renovations and the addition of a multi-use support and picnic facility at Daniell Park in Franklin. Shaheen and Hassan were cosponsors of the Great American Outdoors Act, bipartisan legislation that was signed into law last month that permanently funds the LWCF.
“I fought to permanently authorize and fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) for this very reason – to see federal dollars be put to good use in New Hampshire parks and recreational projects,” said Senator Shaheen. “These investments make important improvements that will help boost our local economies and benefit Granite State families who enjoy the Rockingham Recreational Trail, Daniell Park and other sites that will similarly receive federal funding from the LWCF. I’ll continue to support programs that prioritize conservation efforts and will keep fighting for federal funds to ensure our parks, refuges and wildlife are here to be appreciated to generations to come.”
“These federal grants will help improve natural spaces in Franklin and on the Fremont Branch of the Rockingham Recreational Trail so that they can be used by Granite Staters and visitors of all abilities for generations to come,” said Senator Hassan. “The recent passage of the bipartisan Great American Outdoors Act, which included full funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund, will help make more important conservation projects like these possible. I will continue working to protect and preserve our beautiful natural resources.”
Shaheen and Hassan have led efforts to help secure full funding and permanent authorization for the LWCF, which has helped protect more than 2.5 million acres of land and supported tens of thousands of state and local outdoor recreation projects throughout the nation. Shaheen and Hassan’s bipartisan bill to permanently reauthorize the LWCF was included in legislation that was signed into law last year. A senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Shaheen successfully secured $495 million in federal funding – $60 million over previous funding levels – for the LWCF in government funding legislation signed into law in December. Shaheen and Hassan are also cosponsors of the Restore Our Parks Act, bipartisan legislation included in the Great American Outdoors Act that would address the $20 billion backlog in long delayed maintenance projects on public lands.
In July, Shaheen visited Glen Ellis Falls to discuss the deferred maintenance needs of the White Mountain National Forest (WMNF) and highlight the importance of permanently funding the LWCF, which helps preserve and maintain sites like Glen Ellis Falls. The WMNF, where Glen Ellis Falls is located, would also be eligible for maintenance funding under the Great American Outdoors Act. Additionally, in July, Hassan toured the Jigger Johnson campground and hiked to Rocky Gorge in the White Mountain National Forest to discuss how the Great American Outdoors Act will benefit these sites.
