The Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund Act (Key 93) became law in July 1993 with an approval of 48-0 in the Senate and 196-3 in the House. The Keystone Fund is DCNR’s primary source of funding to support grants for recreation, park and conservation planning, acquisition, development education and technical assistance, planning for and acquisition of open space and critical habitat by land trusts, grants to nonprofit organizations and municipalities for rivers conservation and rails-to-trails planning, acquisition and development activities.
In Pennsylvania, the Recreational Trails Program is administered by the Department of Conservation & Natural Resources (DCNR), Bureau of Recreation & Conservation (BRC) in consultation with the Pennsylvania Recreational Trails Advisory Board (PARTAB), which is composed of both motorized and non-motorized recreational trail users.
Only political subdivisions (municipalities and municipal agencies) and school districts are eligible to receive LWCF funding. Annual appropriations of federal funds are made to the states to provide 50% matching grants for general public outdoor park, recreation and conservation projects.
In 1999, the Legislature approved the establishment of a new fund – the Environmental Stewardship Fund funded by a portion of municipal waste disposal fees – that provided funding to several state agencies and authorities for the purpose of clean water and sound land use, land reclamation, natural resource conservation and community recreation. DCNR’s portion of the Fund is invested in state park and forestry facilities as well as grants for recreation, park and conservation acquisition, development, education and technical assistance efforts.
for more DCNR Grant Program Enabling Legislation