The Connecticut’s
Department of Energy and Environmental Protection has
announced that funds are available to help muncipalities and land
conservation organizations with purchase and preservation of open
space through the state Open Space and Watershed
Land Acquisition program.
The following is the text of the (unedited) release that DEEP sent on this effort:
“We
are pleased to announce a new competitive grant round for projects that
protect open space in Connecticut,” said DEEP Commissioner Daniel C.
Esty. “Open space acquisitions funded under this grant program play a
real part in enriching our lives by providing enjoyable place to be
outdoors, protecting natural habitats for wildlife and bird species, as
well as preserving our local agricultural heritage. These grants
already have helped preserve thousands of beautiful and environmentally
significant acres across the state and through the continued commitment
of the Governor and the legislature, we continue to move toward our goal
of preserving 21% of land as open space by the year 2023.”
Funding
for this grant round will be made available from Community Investment
Act (CIA) funds held by DEEP, and may be augmented by state bond funds.
Background on Open Space and Open Space Grants
The
Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition grant program has played a
key part in helping the state move forward toward achieving its open
space protection goal.
Connecticut’s
open space includes recreation and conservation land owned or protected
by the state and land owned or protected by municipalities and others,
often with state financial assistance. These purchases are helping
Connecticut meet its open space goal of protecting 21 percent of
Connecticut’s land – or 673,210 acres – by the year 2023. DEEP and its
partners have protected nearly 500,000 acres already, putting us almost
74% toward the state’s goal. Since the Open Space and Watershed Land
Acquisition program began in 1998, DEEP has provided more than $109
million in grants to assist with the purchase of approximately 27,440
acres of open space across the state in 128 of Connecticut’s cities and
towns.
Background on the Community Investment Act
Under
the CIA, Public Act 05-228, a fee was established for the recording of
all documents into municipal land records. Funds from this fee are
shared by local governments and four state agencies: the Department of
Agriculture, the DEEP, the Department of Economic and Community
Development – Offices of Culture and Tourism, and the Connecticut
Housing Finance Authority.
The
CIA was designed to protect and preserve the beauty and unique
character of Connecticut for future generations by providing a new
source of funding for
- Open space
- Protection of farmland
- Preservation of historic sites
- Creation of additional affordable housing programs
- Important municipal capital improvement projects.
Details on Applying for an Open Space Grant
- Deadline: January 31, 2014.
- Application: Current version is available on DEEP website: www.ct.gov/deep/openspace
- Grant awards are expected to be awarded in the fall of 2014.
- For more information contact: Dave Stygar at (860) 424-3081 or Allyson Clarke at (860) 424-3774.
No comments:
Post a Comment