Central ND News

The National Park Service (NPS) has announced the allocation of $575,000 to the North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). This funding will facilitate upgrades at Icelandic State Park, including replacing 30-amp electrical service with 50-amp service and installing water service and hydrants at each renovated site.

Since its inception in 1965, the NPS has distributed over 40,000 LWCF grants. These grants are primarily funded through federal offshore oil and gas lease revenue and are aimed at supporting local public parks projects, state conservation efforts, and expanding outdoor recreation access.

In 2019, U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) played a role in passing the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act. This legislation reauthorized and reformed the LWCF program to ensure that states receive at least 40 percent of its funding. The distribution of grants through the LWCF program is locally determined and competed at the state level through a process managed by state partners of the NPS.