COLUMBUS, OH -- More than $5 million in grants went to local communities, law enforcement agencies and others in 2003 to support recreational boating in Ohio, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).
Programs administered by the ODNR Division of Watercraft provide funding for boating safety education, local marine patrols, boating access facility construction and maintenance, dredging, and construction of marine pumpout disposal facilities.
The grants are provided through the state's Waterways Safety Fund, which receives a portion of the state gasoline tax, watercraft registration and titling fees and a grant from the U.S. Coast Guard.
"Boaters pay for these grant programs and receive an equitable return on their dollars in the form of the various local projects and programs," said Ken Alvey, chief of the Division of Watercraft. "Grant recipients such as marine patrols and local boating organizations are our valued partners in promoting safe recreational boating statewide."
In August, the Division of Watercraft announced $3,363,835 in boating access facilities grants to communities in 10 counties on 12 Ohio waterways. This figure represented the division's largest grant allocation of the year. In May, the Division of Watercraft announced $550,000 in grant awards to 30 Ohio local law enforcement agencies in support of their boating safety education and enforcement efforts.
In February, a total of $353,000 was awarded to 34 organizations statewide to conduct safe boating education programs. In May, $480,484 in grants went to support dredging projects in Ashtabula, Lake, Lorain and Ottawa counties through the Recreation Harbor Evaluation Program.
Additional grant monies were provided for construction of marine disposal pumpout facilities in the Lake Erie region and for acquisition and placement of navigational signs and markers on Ohio waterways. The Division of Watercraft also utilizes approximately $200,000 annually for its marine patrol equipment loan program.
Additional information on the Cooperative Boating Access Facilities, Marine Patrol, Boating Education, Recreation Harbor Evaluation, Clean Vessel Act and other ODNR grant programs can be obtained from the ODNR web page at ohiodnr.com .