Interior announces more than $461 million in Land and Water Conservation Fund grants and new national trails

The Department of the Interior announced this week that it is distributing more than $461 million from the Land and Water Conservation Fund to states, territories and Washington, D.C. The department said the grants will support parks, playgrounds, trails and other open spaces.

The announcement, presented on the department’s "Inside Interior" program, said Secretary Bergam designated five new National Recreation Trails and one new National Water Trail, adding more than 162 miles of opportunities for hiking and paddling. The episode described the moves as part of broader efforts to strengthen communities and expand outdoor access.

The episode identified the funding source as the Land and Water Conservation Fund but did not list individual grant recipients or per-project award amounts. The presenter said the funds are being distributed to states, territories and Washington, D.C.; specific allocations and implementation timelines were not provided in the episode.

On the program, the presenter said Secretary Bergam had also been in Colorado alongside Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for an event linking outdoor recreation to health. The episode framed the funding and trail designations as complementary steps to increase public access to outdoor spaces.

The Department of the Interior’s announcement in the episode did not report a vote or legislative action; it presented the funding distribution and trail designations as administrative actions by the department. The episode did not provide a schedule for when recipients will receive funds or when designated trails will open to the public.

The department’s podcast closed by reiterating that the agency is focused on preserving heritage, improving access to the outdoors and investing in communities nationwide.