Federal funds totaling $50 million have been allocated for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service infrastructure in 28 states, including $5.9 million for projects in four national wildlife refuges in Alaska.
The announcement on June 7 from Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke earmarked $4 million for the 1002 area oil exploration readiness project in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Also included was $1.5 million for facilities in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, $200,000 for Kodiak National wildlife Refuge, and $127,000 for Togiak National Wildlife Refuge.
Zinke said these projects were a step toward eliminating the $1.4 billion in maintenance facing the nation’s refuges and hatcheries, and prioritizing infrastructure as an investment to bolster local economies.
The total national $50 million list includes other projects in Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Vermont and Washington.
