Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund (15.615)

Program

15.615 Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund

Federal Agency

Agency: Department of the Interior
Office: Fish and Wildlife Service

Authorization

Endangered Species Act of 1973, 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq., as amended; Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965, 16 U.S.C. 4601, as amended; Consolidated Appropriations Act 2008, P.L. 110-161.

Program Number

15.615

Last Known Status

Active

Objectives

To provide Federal financial assistance to any State or Territory (hereafter, "States"), through its appropriate State or territorial agency, to assist in the development of programs for the conservation of endangered and threatened species.

Types of Assistance

PROJECT GRANTS

Uses and Use Restrictions

The assistance provided to the State fish and wildlife agency can include animal, plant, and habitat surveys; research; planning; monitoring; habitat protection, restoration, management, and acquisition; and public education. Assistance is restricted to those State agencies with which the Fish and Wildlife Service has a current cooperative agreement for the species involved.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

Participation limited to State agencies that have a cooperative agreement with the Secretary of the Interior. The annual Request for Proposals announced through www.grants.gov and posted to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Web site at http://www.fws.gov/endangered/grants/section6/index.html will describe the criteria that must be satisfied for a proposal to be eligible for funding.

Beneficiary Eligibility

All States that have entered into a cooperative agreement with the Secretary of the Interior.

Credentials/Documentation

A current cooperative agreement(s) between the Secretary of the Interior and the State Conservation agency(ies) concerning endangered and threatened species is necessary. Costs will be determined in accordance with 43 CFR Part 12, Subpart C,"Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments." Section 12.62 (of the common rule), identifies Federal cost principles for determining allowable costs. Separate agreements for animals and plants are normally made with each State's responsible agency. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-87.

Application and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

The standard application forms furnished by the Federal agency and required by 43 CFR Part 12, Subpart C, "Uniform Administrative requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments," must be used for this program. This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372. An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review.

Application Procedure

OMB Circular No. A-102 applies to this program. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-110. An applicant must complete the Standard Form (SF)424, and the appropriate Budget and Assurances forms (SF 424A and SF 424B - Non Construction; or SF 424C and SF 424D - Construction). The project description section of the application should address the evaluation factors indentified in the annual request for proposals that will be posted at www.grants.gov and to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service website at http://www.fws.gov/endangered/grants/section6/index.html.

Award Procedure

Final selection is made by the Secretary of the Interior, based on recommendations by the Director or Regional Directors of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Funds are obligated by an authorized signature on an award agreement.

Deadlines

Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

Information regarding approval/disapproval time frames will be made available annually in the request for proposals posted at www.grants.gov and at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Web site at http://www.fws.gov/endangered/grants/section6/index.html.

Appeals

Decisions can be appealed to the Fish and Wildlife Service, Chief, Endangered Species Division of Consultation, Habitat Conservation Planning, Recovery, and State Grants. Final determination rests with the Secretary of the Interior.

Renewals

Renewals can be made through submission of a project proposal and approval of a grant award document.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

This program has no statutory formula.

Matching Requirements: States may receive up to 75 percent of the program costs. When two or more States have a common interest in one or more endangered or threatened species and enter into a joint agreement, the Federal share of the total project cost may be increased to 90 percent.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this program.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

So much of the annual appropriation allocated for obligation to any State for any fiscal year as remains unobligated at the close thereof is authorized to be made available to that State until the close of the succeding fiscal year. Any amount allocated to any State which is unobligated at the end of the period during which it is available for expenditure is authorized to be made available for expenditure by the Secretary for conducting programs authorized by Section 6 of the Endangered Species Act. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: Information not available.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

A performance report is required for each project segment within 90 days following the close of the segment. Cash reports are not applicable. Progress reports are not applicable. The Federal Financial Report, SF 425 is required. Performance monitoring is not applicable.

Audits

In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.

Records

Records must be maintained for 3 years following the submission of request for final reimbursement.

Program Accomplishments

Fiscal Year 2008: In fiscal year 2008, approximately $73,831,000 was available for projects and administration of the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund (CESCF) (Section 6 of the Endangered Species Act). Through the traditional Conservation Grants program, $9,845,000 was allocated regionally, based on the number of species covered by cooperative agreements within each U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service region. Habitat Conservation Planning (HCP) Land Acquisition Grant funding was used to fund 9 individual projects in 6 states out of the 19 proposals received. The Recovery Land Acquisition Grant program awarded 22 out of 30 projects located in 12 states and one territory. The Habitat Conservation Planning Assistance Grant program awarded 19 out of 20 proposals to provide project funding in 15 states. In fiscal year 2009, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service anticipates providing approximately $10,001,000 to States for traditional Conservation Grants; $7,642,000 for Habitat Conservation Planning Assistance Grants; $36,008,000 for Habitat Conservation Land Acquisition Grants; and $14,186,000 for Recovery Land Acquisition Grants. Fiscal Year 2009: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available

Financial Information

Account Identification

14-5143-0-2-302.

Obligations

(Project Grants) FY 08 $73,831,000; FY 09 est $75,501,000; FY 10 est $75,501,000

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

Information not available.

Regulations, Guidelines and Literature

Endangered Species Act of 1973, 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq., as amended; Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965, 16 U.S.C. 4601, as amended; 50 CFR 81, The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Manual Chapter 521 FW 4 (http://www.fws.gov/policy/521fw4.html); The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program Toolkit (http://wsfrprograms.fws.gov/Subpages/ToolkitFiles/toolkit.pdf); and the annual request for proposals posted at www.grants.gov and at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service web site at http://www.fws.gov/endangered/grants/section6/index.html.

Related Programs

15.605 Sport Fish Restoration Program; 15.611 Wildlife Restoration; 15.634 State Wildlife Grants

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

See Regional Agency Offices. Please visit http://www.fws.gov/endangered/grants/section6/index.html and click on the "How to contact us for information" link to access a list of regional program contacts.

Headquarters Office

Chief Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street, NW., (MS-420 ARLSQ), . Contact: Chief, Endangered Species: Division of Consultation, HCPs, Recovery and State Grants, Washington, District of Columbia 20240 Phone: (703) 358-2171

Web Site Address

Http://www.fws.gov/endangered/grants/section6/index.html .

Examples of Funded Projects

Fiscal Year 2008: A variety of projects were funded through the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund in FY 2008, including Habitat Conservation Planning Assistance grants to develop Habitat Conservation Plans (HCP) across the country in areas ranging from the bottomland forests of Arkansas to sagebrush-steppe habitat in Utah. These HCPs will benefit a wide range of plants and animals, including the endangered Butte County meadowfoam, threatened Monetary spineflower, endangered Ivory-billed woodpecker and endangered Indian bat. Most of the HCPs will address multiple species, many of them on a city, county or large watershed basis. Recovery Land Acquisition grants awarded in fiscal year 2008 will be used to acquire and protect important forest, riparian, coastal, desert, wetland, and mountain areas that represent critical portions of species' last remaining habitats. Some of these acquisitions support more than one endangered or threatened species, as well as, provide important habitat for migratory birds, other plants, and wildlife. For example, acquisition of property in northern Idaho will benefit grizzly bear, mountain caribou, bull trout, Canada lynx, and gray wolf. The acquisition of relatively pristine coastal dune, coastal prairie and riparian wetlands habitats in California will enhance recovery of three federally listed species: Western snowy plover, Howell's spineflower, and Menzie's wallflower. HCP Land Acquisitions in fiscal year 2008 will be used to help acquire vital habitat for threatened and endangered species ranging from red-cockaded woodpecker in Georgia to the Lake Erie water snake in Ohio. The land acquired under the HCP Land Acquisition program are purchased only from willing sellers, and are intended to complement but not replace the conservation responsibilities contained in the HCP. Fiscal Year 2009: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

Proposals for grant funding must be submitted by the State fish and wildlife agency. The State must have an approved cooperative agreement with the Secretary of the Interior which provides for sharing responsibilities for endangered species, prior to receiving Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund (section 6 of the Endangered Species Act) funds. Individual project proposals must compete with other State submissions for funding.