Northwest Indiana Times: “The state of Indiana is preparing to spend $25 million of its federal American Rescue Plan Act funds to acquire and preserve open lands across the state for permanent conservation.”
INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Democratic Party, the organization that advocates for the future of Indiana and its families, today celebrated how President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan is delivering for Hoosier families. This time, the COVID-19 Relief funds are behind Indiana’s largest ever investment in environmental conservation in state history. The $25 million initiative will go towards securing land to build and expand Indiana’s state parks and ensuring the Hoosier state’s rivers, forests, and wetlands remain intact for future generations. There’s no doubt Indiana Democrats are creating a better future for the Hoosier State.
In contrast, not a single Republican in Indiana’s Congressional delegation supported this investment. In fact, politicians like Todd Young, Jackie Walorski, and Larry Bucshon all described this relief as “socialism”. Indiana GOP Chairman Kyle Kupfer even said this opposition was a “great campaign to run on”. This partisan opposition also follows an Indiana GOP that’s landed Indiana the most polluted waterways in the country and some of the worst air quality in the nation.
The Indiana GOP have no plans for Indiana’s future – just extreme partisanship. Here’s a look at how the American Rescue Plan continues to deliver for the Hoosier State:
Northwest Indiana Times: Indiana investing $25M in federal funds in land conservation
The state of Indiana is preparing to spend $25 million of its federal American Rescue Plan Act funds to acquire and preserve open lands across the state for permanent conservation.
According to the DNR, the $25 million initial investment in the NLCT is the largest infusion of funds for conservation purposes in state history.
The DNR is reaching out to local governments, community organizations and environmental groups to identify properties worth acquiring for new and existing state and local parks, archeological and historic sites, state forests, state and local nature preserves, state fish and wildlife areas, wetlands, local conservation areas, outdoor recreation areas and river corridors.
The program rules call for local entities to put up one-fourth of the purchase price of land selected for acquisition with the NLCT covering the remainder of the cost. The minimum project size is $133,000.
Property protected under NLCT must be open to the public. But local ownership and management of acquired properties may be maintained through a conservation easement, the rules state.
At the same time, NLCT funds cannot be used for properties acquired through eminent domain, trails, construction or removal of structures or improvements, removal or remediation of hazardous substances, wastewater treatment or for the restoration, renovation or repair of historic structures.
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