Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2021 - 57

CURRENTS
Deadline Approaching for Boating Facility Grant Program
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC)
reminds potential applicants for the Boating Facility Grant
Program that the deadline to apply is December 30, 2020.
This program is open to townships, boroughs,
municipal and county governments as well as nonprofit
groups (501c3) including land trusts, conservancies,
and watershed associations that are interested in the
planning, acquisition, development, expansion, or
rehabilitation of public boating access areas.
Local governments and eligible nonprofit groups
may use funds awarded through the program to provide
or improve public recreational boat access facilities in
communities that are open and available for general
public use.
Applicants can seek grants for site acquisition,
project design and engineering, development,
expansion, removal of aquatic invasive species,
and major rehabilitation of recreational boat access
facilities. Activities must benefit and directly support
public recreational boating. Eligible projects must be
constructed on lands owned in " fee simple " by the project
sponsor or, where ownership is less than fee simple
interest, ownership rights must provide for permanent
control of the property commensurate with the proposed
development. Eligible construction projects include, but
are not limited to, boat ramps, courtesy floats, restrooms,
access roads, parking areas, landscaping in direct
relation to access development, transient tie-up floats,
and signs. Grant funds can be used only for major site
improvements and not for any routine maintenance or
operation activities.
For the 2021 round of grants, the PFBC will accept
applications from anywhere in the Commonwealth. Thanks
to the availability of additional federal funding through the
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the PFBC will give
special consideration to projects that provide public boating
access in the Delaware River Watershed.

Successful applicants must agree to provide a 50% grant
match and be willing to enter into a long-term agreement
to keep the facility open to free public use for its useful
life. The PFBC will give priority funding consideration
to applicants who provide more than the required 50%
match, thereby reducing the total amount of grant funds
required to complete the project.
The Boating Facility Grant Program is a reimbursable
grant program. Grant funds will be disbursed to the
applicant/recipient only after completion of the project
occurs and agency staff has verified that the work has
been completed.
Program grant funds are available in each annual state
fiscal period as authorized and allocated by the PFBC. All
work funded for this round of grants should be completed
by December 30, 2022. The Commission may adjust the
amount of funds available, application, and consideration
dates to meet existing needs or opportunities that may occur.
Large projects may be phased in over several fiscal years to
maximize leverage, distribution, and availability of funds.
The PFBC gives highest priority to the rehabilitation
of existing facilities, followed by expansion of existing
facilities, and then acquisition and development of new
boating facilities. The Commission will rank projects
based on local, regional, and statewide needs such as boat
use and number of boaters served, relationship to adjacent
or nearby public and private boating facilities (ramps
and/or marinas), and needs based on strategic statewide,
regional, or local plans.
Boating Facility Grant Program funds are derived from
boat registration fees, launch use permits for unpowered
boats, state fuel taxes collected on fuel used in motorboats,
and taxes on fishing equipment and motorboat fuel from
the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Program.
For more information about the Boating Facility Grant
Program and for application forms, visit the PFBC's
website at www.fishandboat.com.

PALS Scheduled to be Upgraded in January
Fishing licenses and permits are sold by the
Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and license
issuing agents through an electronic point-of-sale system.
The Pennsylvania Automated Licensing Service (PALS),
also known as The Outdoor Shop, brings increased
efficiency, more options, and easier upgrades for anglers
and boaters. As of January 11, 2021 at 11:59 PM, the color
of all fishing licenses and permits printed on durable
paper stock will be changed from yellow to green, and
the system will now be known as HuntFishPA moving
forward. The Commission and issuing agents will be
www.fishandboat.com 		

unable to sell licenses
and permits of any kind
during the transition
period of January 12
through January 18,
2021. While fishing
licenses will be unavailable for sale
during this transition period, valid fishing licenses are
required to fish and enforcement will be in full effect.
Please plan accordingly to ensure that you can legally fish.
Thanks in advance for your understanding.

Pennsylvania Angler & Boater * January/February 2021

57
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2021

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