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 Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection received a $853,248.92 Project Grant award from the National Park Service under the Outdoor Recreation Acquisition, Development and Planning program (CFDA 15.916) on October 1, 2025, with a completion date of September 30, 2028. This Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) State and Local Assistance Program award will fund park development projects at Sherwood Island State Park, selected by the state based on its outdoor recreation priorities. The LWCF provides matching grants to develop parks owned by states and local communities, with funding derived from offshore oil and gas lease revenue rather than tax dollars.

The project will deliver improvements and enhancements to Sherwood Island State Park facilities and infrastructure to benefit the general public's outdoor recreation access and experience. As the prime awardee, the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection will oversee all development activities at the state park location, leveraging the federal grant as a matching contribution to accelerate planned outdoor recreation improvements aligned with the state's comprehensive recreation planning objectives.

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 connecticut dept. Of energy environmental protection will make developments at sherwood island state park. This project will benefit the general public.