Washington budget includes $70M for parks, land
Associated Press, Seattle Times, April 30, 2009
The Washington Legislature approved $70 million for a program that funds parks, trails, wildlife habitat and farmland preservation projects.
The money in the capital budget is a 30 percent cut from the $100 million approved two years ago.
But the executive director of the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program, Joanna Grist, says she's grateful to get it, in the current economy.
The money will pay for 95 projects in the state, compared to 135 in the previous budget. The program leverages money from grants and other sources to buy land or easements.
One of the projects is $2.5 million to purchase 112 acres on Harstine Island to open two miles of shoreline to the public.
