| Boating Access |
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| Arizona Boating
Access Program (ABAP) |
The program was founded
in 1984 through the Wallop-Breaux Amendment
to the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration
Act of 1950, as amended, Dingell-Johnson.
Under the Sport Fish Restoration Act, a
minimum of 15% of this
allocation is to be used to provide boating
facility improvements on public lakes and
waterways which allow for the practical
use of gasoline powered motorboats.
New! Boating Locations in Arizona
The Boater Access Program
is an outstanding example of a “user
pays—user benefits” or “user
fee” program. In this case, anglers
and boaters are the users. Anglers
and boaters
are responsible for payment of fishing
tackle excise taxes, motorboat fuel
taxes, and
import duties on tackle and boats. These
monies are collected by the sport fishing
industry, deposited in the Department of
Treasury, and are allocated the year
following
collection to state game and fish agencies
for sport fisheries and boating access
projects.
The benefits provided by these projects
to recreational boaters complete the
cycle between “user pays—user
benefits.” |
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| Background |
| The Arizona Game and
Fish Department’s Boating Access
Program began its participation in 1985.
The overall
Program objectives are geared toward meeting
statewide goals established through the
Department’s
Strategic Plan and intergovernmental planning
authorities such as the Arizona Outdoor
Recreation
Coordinating Commission. Recent participants
involved in the Program include the U.S.
Forest
Service,
National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management,
Lake Havasu City and other government
agencies
committed to improving boating access on
Arizona waterways for recreational boaters
and
sport anglers
alike. Grant funds are awarded through a
competitive application and prioritization
process. Applications
are reviewed and judged on the basis of established
priorities, project feasibility, and
overall
merit as they relate to the current needs
of the boating public. |
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| Expected Results
or Benefits |
Since the Department’s
Program began in 1985, 91
projects
have been completed, ranging from renovating
and/or building new launch ramps, boat
and
trailer parking lots, courtesy docks, restrooms,
boat-in campsites, repairing dams, and
improving
boating access for the disabled. Since the
Program began approximately $5 million
has been spent through cooperative agreements.
The biggest challenge facing Arizona waterways
today is the drought condition. The
Department’s Boating Access Program
will allow agencies that have waterway
jurisdiction
to extend existing launch ramps for current
and future drought conditions. Through
the
continued participation of federal and state
agencies, boating access will continue
to
improve in the state of Arizona.
For more information,
contact:
Ron Christofferson
Boating Facilities Program Manager
(623) 236-7481 |
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| Related
AZGFD Info |
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