The Mesa County Federal Mineral Lease District Board of Directors announced its awards for the Fall 2015 Grant Cycle at their monthly board meeting on October 14. The board voted to make awards totaling $638,552.

Awards in the Traditional Grant Program totaled $469,198, and were made to:

• Plateau Valley School District — $296,603 for their Heating and Cooling Project
• DeBeque Fire Protection District — $172,595 for their New Station Construction Project

Awards in the Mini Grant Program totaled $169,354 and were made to:

• Lower Valley Fire Protection District — $50,000 for their Fire Station Access Upgrade/Repair Project
• Mesa County Public Library District — $49,969 for their 970 West Studio at Mesa County Libraries Project
• Town of Palisade — $47,000 for their Voorhees Drain Improvement Project
• Grand Junction Regional Airport Authority — $15,000 for their Public Access Automated External Defibrillator Program
• Lands End Fire Protection District — $7,385 for their SCBA Bottle Repair and Replacement Project

The MCFMLD oversees the distribution of energy extraction funds to local public entities by providing financial support to serve the infrastructure, construction, and public service needs of our community. This function is accomplished through funding semiannual grant cycles: one in the spring and one in the fall. The Spring 2016 Grant Cycle will begin in February, with award announcements anticipated in April.

Funding levels are determined by the amount of Federal Mineral Lease revenue generated through natural extraction activities on our public lands within Mesa County. The MCFMLD has received $1,174,507 in revenue from the State of Colorado for 2016.

For more information on the Mesa County Federal Mineral Lease District, please visit our website at www.mesaFML.org.