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Increased Priority on Urban Trail Funding
Governor Granholm recently signed Senate Bill 978 into law. This bill adds the following directive for the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund:
The board shall give particular consideration to the acquisition of land and rights in land for
recreational trails that intersect the downtown areas of cities and villages.
Trails in urban areas have often been at a disadvantage when applying for Trust Fund grants. They often don’t offer pristine natural resources yet they cost more than land located in more rural parts of Michigan. To offset this disparity, the Trust Fund scoring system did provide extra points for regional trails.
It’s not clear how much of a change this will have in the grant process, but it should make trails in Southeast Michigan a bit more attractive.
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Tags: Funding, Governor Granholm, Natural Resources Trust Fund, Trails