WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced $199,600 from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) for parks and playgrounds in West Virginia.
“In a state like West Virginia, it is essential that we preserve our public lands and ensure access to outdoor recreation in both rural and urban areas. Since 1965, the Land and Water Conservation Fund has helped us achieve that goal, and I am thrilled that those funds are being used for community projects back home,” Senator Capito said. “This funding will aid redevelopment efforts for two locations in the Eastern Panhandle, by improving the infrastructure of two parks in Jefferson County and making them more accessible. I am grateful for the National Park Service and the LWCF, and look forward to their further impact in West Virginia.”
“West Virginia has a rich history and our deep appreciation for our public lands and outdoor playgrounds is at the core of it. I am pleased to partner with the LWCF to provide this investment for two of our parks. West Virginians enjoy our parks and playgrounds regularly, and I am confident that these improvements will make a lasting impact to West Virginians for generations to come,” Senator Manchin said.
In West Virginia, the LWCF funded the acquisitions of the Gauley River National Recreation Area, New River Gorge National River and Dolly Sods. Since 1965, $243 million of LWCF funds have been spent to enhance recreation and conservation just in West Virginia and has been used to provide public access and protect many of West Virginia’s most popular recreation sites such as Dolly Sods, every access point on the Lower Gauley River, and has protected 57,000 acres in the Gauley River and the New River Gorge area.
Individual awards listed below:
• $109,600 – Evitts Run Skatepark Renovations
• $90,000 – Hite Park Playground
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