BISMARCK, N.D. – The National Park Service (NPS) announced an award of $1,000,000 to the North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department through the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). The funds will support the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians as they construct five playground and picnic areas with amenities. The project is expected to be completed by December 30, 2029.
Since 1965, the NPS has provided more than 45,000 LWCF grants, primarily funded with federal offshore oil and gas lease revenue, to states and local communities. LWCF awards allow states to further allocate these funds to support local public parks projects and state conservation and expand outdoor recreation access.
In 2019, U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) helped pass the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act. The legislation reauthorized and reformed the LWCF program to ensure states receive at least 40 percent of its funding. Grants distributed through the LWCF program are locally determined and reviewed at the state level through a process designed and managed by state partners of the NPS.