The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today awarded nearly $1.2 million in competitive large grant funding from the Boating Infrastructure Grant (BIG) program to boating facilities in Maine, South Carolina and Virginia. The Service also announced that 33 states and three territories will receive approximately $3.5 million in non-competitive small grant funds through the BIG program. The states will use this money for projects to improve marina facilities.
"We understand the importance of having safe and accessible tie-up facilities and the economic impact that boating can bring to local economies," said Interior Secretary Gale Norton. "The BIG program works with partners to improve recreational boating and fishing opportunities. It strengthens community ties to the waters edge by enhancing access to recreational, historic, cultural, natural and scenic resources for millions of boat owners."
The BIG program has two levels of funding, Tier-1 and Tier-2. Under the Tier-1 portion, all states and territories can receive up to $100,000 to construct or improve docking facilities for transient, non-trailerable boats without competing against other proposals. Thirty-three states and three territories requested funding for the Tier-1 portion of the program this fiscal year and will receive a total of approximately $3.5 million. The Tier-2 portion of the BIG program enables larger projects to compete for available funding.
Funded Tier-2 Projects include:
Old Belfast Bridge Marina, Belfast, Maine - This project will receive $375,000 to develop 22 dock slips with utilities, restrooms and pumpout facilities, and increase dinghy dock space.
Georgetown Harbor Walk Marina, Georgetown, South Carolina - This project will receive nearly $235,000 to develop floating slips with utility hookups to accommodate 28 transient vessels longer than 26 feet. The marina will match the BIG funding.
Upper York Harbor, West Point, Virginia - This project will receive more than $595,000 to develop 17 protected transient boat slips with utilities, pumpout services and restrooms, as well as to add moorings.
Proposals for the BIG program are reviewed by a panel of representatives from the Fish and Wildlife Service, as well as a committee from the Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council. The Council, a federally chartered body which advises the Secretary of the Interior and the Service on recreational fishing and boating issues, made an initial funding recommendation to the Service based on a review of project proposals by a Council-appointed committee.
The Councils Boating Infrastructure Grant Program Review Committee members included Mike Hough, (States Organization for Boating Access) Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources; Ryck Lydecker, BoatU.S.; Jim Hardin, Grady White Boats; John Schwartz, Michigan Sea Grant Extension Program; Mari Lou Livingood, Association of Marina Industries; and Doug Boyd, Coastal Conservation Association.
Funding for BIG is generated from excise taxes paid on boat motor fuel as authorized by the Wallop-Breaux Amendments to the Sportfish Restoration Act.
For more information, see the Federal Assistance website at http://federalaid.fws.gov or contact the Boating Infrastructure Grant Program, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Federal Assistance, Mailstop MBSP-4020, 4401 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203, phone 703-358-2156.
BIG is CFDA #15.622
