The land and water conservation fund (LWCF) state and local assistance program provides matching grants to develop parks owned by states and local communities

The National Park Service awarded $5.2 million through the Outdoor Recreation Acquisition, Development and Planning program (CFDA 15.916) to the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources on June 17, 2025, for park development improvements. Under this Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) grant, which is funded by offshore oil and gas lease revenues rather than tax dollars, DCNR will serve as the fiscal administrator and subaward the funding to Hempfield Township for capital developments and improvements at Weatherwood Community Park. The project will be completed by June 30, 2028, and is designed to benefit the general public through enhanced outdoor recreation infrastructure and facilities.

The LWCF State and Local Assistance Program operates as a matching grant mechanism that enables states to direct federal funding to locally owned parks selected based on statewide outdoor recreation priorities. The Weatherwood Community Park project represents one such community-selected initiative, with DCNR functioning as the grant administrator and fiscal conduit while Hempfield Township serves as the implementing subawardee responsible for executing the park development activities on the ground.

Based on its outdoor recreation priorities, the state has selected grant projects to receive LWCF funding. LWCF grants are made pursuant to 54 U.S.C. 2003 and are funded by offshore oil and gas lease revenue, not tax dollars. In this project, the pennsylvania dept. Of conservation and natural resources will make a subaward to the hempfield township for developments at weatherwood community park. This project will benefit the general public.