The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) recently announced more than $12.2 million in competitive grants to 10 states for projects to support recreational boating through the Service’s Boating Infrastructure Grant (BIG) program. The Service will also release approximately $2 million in grants to 21 states willing to match a smaller program within BIG.
Grantees use BIG funds to construct, renovate and maintain marinas and other facilities with features for transient boats (those staying 10 days or less) that are 26 feet or more in length and used for recreation. Grantees also may use funds to produce and distribute information and educational materials about the program and recreational boating.
The BIG program includes two funding tiers, Tier One (competitive in some states) and Tier Two (nationally competitive). Under Tier One each state, the District of Columbia and insular areas may receive funding for eligible projects up to $100,000 annually. Tier Two funds, up to $1.5 million annually per project, are made available through a nationally competitive process.
Funding for the BIG program comes from the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund, which boaters and manufacturers support through excise and other taxes on certain fishing and boating equipment and gasoline.
Tier One grants include:
Arizona $100,000
Colorado $100,000
Georgia $100,000
Hawaii $100,000
Indiana $100,000
Maine $100,000
Maryland $100,000
Michigan $100,000
Mississippi $100,000
Missouri $100,000
New Jersey $99,870
North Carolina $32,000
Ohio $100,000
Oregon $100,000
Pennsylvania $100,000
Rhode Island $100,000
South Carolina $63,921
Vermont $100,000
Virginia $99,648
Washington $100,000
Wisconsin $100,000
Tier Two competitive grants include:
Transient Boater Facility, City of St. Petersburg, Florida
Harbor View Marina Transient Slips, City of Pensacola, Florida
City Marina Dinghy Docks, City of Fort Pierce, Florida
Transient Boater Facility, Owensboro, Kentucky
58 Fore Street Marina Redevelopment, Portland, Maine
Visiting Transient Boater Project, Newburyport, Massachusetts
Solomon Jacob’s Park Transient Boating Facilities, Gloucester, Massachusetts
Reed Park Transient Boating Improvements, Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts
Somers Point Transient Marina, City of Somers Point, New Jersey
Sheltered Cove Marina Transient Dock Replacement, Tuckerton, New Jersey
Bohicket Marina Expansion, Seabrook Island, South Carolina
Port Royal Landing Marina Transient Facilities, Port Royal, South Carolina
Transient Day Dock Development, City of Beaufort, South Carolina
Whitman Hollow Marina Transient Dock, LaFollette, Tennessee
Pelican Rest Marina Transient Slips, Galveston, Texas
Gray’s Creek Marina Transient Slips, Surrey County, Virginia
Transient Float Replacement, City of Port Angeles, Washington
Point Hudson Jetty Replacement, City of Port Townsend, Washington
For more information about the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration program visit: Web: http://wsfrprograms.fws.gov/.
source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service