Recreation and Conservation Funding Board

2023-25 Washington Wildlife Recreation Program

40000053

Funding is provided for the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program for a broad range of land protection and outdoor recreation. Projects include park acquisition and development, habitat conservation, farmland and forest preservation, and construction of outdoor recreation facilities. The purpose of the program is to provide public access to these lands before they are converted to other uses, and to develop or renovate existing public recreational lands and facilities to meet the needs of present and future generations.

Prior Biennium Current Biennium Reappropriations Appropriations Future Cost Total Costs
0 0 0 120,000,000 400,000,000 520,000,000
Funds: Outdoor Recreation Account - Bonds 234,000,000
Funds: Farm and Forest Account - Bonds 52,000,000
Funds: Habitat Conservation Account - Bonds 234,000,000

2023-25 Salmon Recovery Funding Board Grant Programs

40000054

The Salmon Recovery Funding Board (SRFB) grant program implements the Salmon Recovery Act (RCW 77.85) and provides funding for projects that protect or restore salmon habitat, and funds other salmon recovery programs and activities across the state. This is the only grant program in Washington that focuses exclusively on protecting and restoring salmon habitat statewide. Projects are developed locally and evaluated to assess if and how well they will implement priorities addressed in federally adopted salmon recovery plans.

Prior Biennium Current Biennium Reappropriations Appropriations Future Cost Total Costs
0 0 0 115,000,000 460,000,000 575,000,000
Funds: General Fund - Federal 375,000,000
Funds: State Building Construction Account - State 200,000,000

2023-25 Boating Facilities Program

40000055

Funding is provided to acquire, develop and renovate boating facilities, including boat launches and ramps, transient moorage and upland boating support facilities on lakes, rivers and saltwater. The program operates out of the Recreation Resources Account, and grants are divided equally between state and local agencies. The account is funded by the percentage of the state gasoline tax revenue attributable to recreational boating.

Prior Biennium Current Biennium Reappropriations Appropriations Future Cost Total Costs
0 0 0 13,800,000 55,200,000 69,000,000
Funds: Recreation Resources Account - State 69,000,000

2023-25 Nonhighway and Off-Road Vehicle Activities

40000056

Expenditure authority is provided to develop and manage recreation opportunities for users of nonhighway roads, including hikers, equestrians, off-road vehicles, bicyclists, hunters and others. Nonhighway roads are those not supported by state fuel taxes.

Prior Biennium Current Biennium Reappropriations Appropriations Future Cost Total Costs
0 0 0 11,249,000 44,996,000 56,245,000
Funds: NOVA Program Account - State 56,245,000

2023-25 Firearms and Archery Range Recreation

40000057

Funds the Firearms and Archery Range Recreation program to provide grants to acquire, develop, and renovate public and private (non-profit) firearm and archery training, practice and recreation facilities. These projects provide safe places for people to shoot firearms and archery. All facilities receiving grants must be open for public use on a regular basis and made available to law enforcement personnel, members of the general public possessing Washington concealed weapon permits, and those with Washington hunting licenses. Facilities must also be available for hunter safety education classes on a regular basis. This program is funded with a portion of concealed pistol license fees.

Prior Biennium Current Biennium Reappropriations Appropriations Future Cost Total Costs
0 0 0 840,000 3,360,000 4,200,000
Funds: Firearms Range Account - State 4,200,000

2023-25 Youth Athletics Facilities

40000058

This program provides grants for projects that improve or renovate community athletic facilities and get people to participate in outdoor athletics. Outdoor recreation participation surveys show increasing demand for these facilities, and they tie directly to other public policy efforts to reduce childhood obesity and increase fitness. This program fills a niche not served by other board programs because it continues or expands the competitive playing capacity of existing facilities rather than funding construction of new ones.

Prior Biennium Current Biennium Reappropriations Appropriations Future Cost Total Costs
0 0 0 10,788,000 40,000,000 50,788,000
Funds: State Building Construction Account - State 50,788,000

2023-25 Aquatic Lands Enhancement Account

40000059

The Aquatic Lands Enhancement Account provides grants for projects involving or adjacent to state-owned aquatic lands throughout Washington. The program targets re-establishing the natural, self-sustaining ecological functions of the waterfront, providing or restoring public access to the water, and increasing public awareness of aquatic lands as a finite natural resource and irreplaceable public heritage.

Prior Biennium Current Biennium Reappropriations Appropriations Future Cost Total Costs
0 0 0 5,716,000 30,000,000 35,716,000
Funds: Aquatic Lands Enhancement Account - State 23,500,000
Funds: State Building Construction Account - State 12,216,000

2023-25 Community Forest Grant Program

40000060

Community forests provide many public benefits including timber and non-timber forest products, forest management and forest products manufacturing jobs, revenue to fund public services, clean air, water and other environmental services, carbon sequestration, climate resiliency, and opportunities for recreation, education and cultural enrichment. As the state's population and urban footprint continue to grow, the program provides communities with a valuable tool for preserving forested lands for the benefit of current and future generations.

Prior Biennium Current Biennium Reappropriations Appropriations Future Cost Total Costs
0 0 0 7,794,000 32,000,000 39,794,000
Funds: State Building Construction Account - State 39,794,000

2023-25 Puget Sound Acquisition and Restoration

40000061

The Puget Sound Acquisition and Restoration Funds program provides grants for projects that protect or restore salmon habitat, and for other salmon recovery programs and activities within the Puget Sound basin. These projects protect and restore habitat necessary for Chinook salmon, which provide one of the most critical food sources for Southern resident killer whales. All projects must be identified as high priority in the Puget Sound salmon recovery plan. Projects are evaluated, locally and regionally, to assess whether they will implement the priorities addressed in the adopted salmon recovery plans.

Prior Biennium Current Biennium Reappropriations Appropriations Future Cost Total Costs
0 0 0 50,000,000 200,000,000 250,000,000
Funds: State Building Construction Account - State 250,000,000

2023-25 Estuary and Salmon Restoration Program

40000062

Funding is provided for the Estuary and Salmon Restoration Program to enhance protection and restoration specifically of the Puget Sound near-shore, a uniquely critical area for salmon recovery. Local communities throughout Puget Sound and recreational and commercial fishers are impacted by these restoration efforts. Tribes working to maintain federally-protected tribal treaty rights benefit from the program's nearshore project implementation.

Prior Biennium Current Biennium Reappropriations Appropriations Future Cost Total Costs
0 0 0 25,492,000 80,000,000 105,492,000
Funds: State Building Construction Account - State 105,492,000

2023-25 Washington Coastal Restoration and Resiliency Initiative

40000063

Funds restoration of aquatic and terrestrial habitat on the Washington coast, which serves to protect the existing strong-hold of salmon populations and provide jobs for local communities. Projects within the package will bring improvements to the communities through job creation, more work options for local contractors, flood control, access improvement, climate resiliency and more.

Prior Biennium Current Biennium Reappropriations Appropriations Future Cost Total Costs
0 0 0 17,563,000 70,000,000 87,563,000
Funds: State Building Construction Account - State 87,563,000

2023-25 Brian Abbott Fish Barrier Removal Board

40000064

Awarded through a competitive grant process, funding is provided for the engineering design of projects to fix fish passage barriers. The completion of these projects will restore access to salmon habitat. This approach helps rebuild whole salmon populations by opening entire watersheds and coordinating with other fish passage investments to maximize benefits.

Prior Biennium Current Biennium Reappropriations Appropriations Future Cost Total Costs
0 0 0 48,146,000 0 48,146,000
Funds: State Building Construction Account - State 27,297,000
Funds: Natural Climate Solutions Account - State 20,849,000

2023-25 Recreational Trails Program

40000065

Funding is provided for the Recreational Trails Program (RTP) to develop or maintain recreational trails, and trailside or trailhead facilities.

Prior Biennium Current Biennium Reappropriations Appropriations Future Cost Total Costs
0 0 0 5,000,000 20,000,000 25,000,000
Funds: General Fund - State 25,000,000

2023-25 Boating Infrastructure Grants

40000066

Funding is provided for the federal Boating Infrastructure Grants program for facilities that house recreational motorboats 26 feet and longer. Such facilities include transient moorage floats, docks and buoys.

Prior Biennium Current Biennium Reappropriations Appropriations Future Cost Total Costs
0 0 0 5,000,000 20,000,000 25,000,000
Funds: General Fund - Federal 25,000,000

2023-25 Land and Water Conservation Fund

40000067

Funding is provided for grants to assist in preserving and developing access to outdoor recreation resources, including access to parks, trails, wildlife lands, and other lands and facilities desirable for outdoor recreation.

Prior Biennium Current Biennium Reappropriations Appropriations Future Cost Total Costs
0 0 0 20,000,000 80,000,000 100,000,000
Funds: General Fund - Federal 100,000,000

2023-25 Family Forest Fish Passage Program

40000068

Funds grants to assist small, family forest landowners to continue the replacement or removal of forest road stream crossing structures, primarily culverts that are barriers to fish passage.

Prior Biennium Current Biennium Reappropriations Appropriations Future Cost Total Costs
0 0 0 10,870,000 20,000,000 30,870,000
Funds: Natural Climate Solutions Account - State 30,870,000

Planning for Recreation Access Grants

40000503

Funding is provided for additional support to organizations seeking funding for their projects. A recent public stakeholder process identified targeted strategies to improve equity and support organizations that might otherwise not participate in the board's grant programs.

Prior Biennium Current Biennium Reappropriations Appropriations Future Cost Total Costs
0 0 0 5,000,000 0 5,000,000
Funds: State Building Construction Account - State 5,000,000

Upper Quinault River Restoration Project

91000958

Funds restoration work managed by the Quinault Indian Nation on the upper Quinault River. Funding is also reappropriated from previous biennia.

Prior Biennium Current Biennium Reappropriations Appropriations Future Cost Total Costs
641,000 1,085,000 2,274,000 2,000,000 0 6,000,000
Funds: State Building Construction Account - State 6,000,000

Springwood Ranch in Kittitas County

91001663

Funding is provided for a grant to the nonprofit Trust for Public Land to purchase the Springwood Ranch Property.

Prior Biennium Current Biennium Reappropriations Appropriations Future Cost Total Costs
0 0 10,000,000 14,000,000 0 24,000,000
Funds: State Building Construction Account - State 24,000,000