Fish, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Resource Management (15.231)

Program

15.231 Fish, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Resource Management

Federal Agency

Agency: Department of the Interior
Office: Bureau of Land Management

Authorization

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Public Law 111-5.

Program Number

15.231

Last Known Status

Active

Objectives

To manage fish, wildlife and plant conservation resources on the public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management. This will help restore and protect lands containing noteworthy resource values for regionally significant species of management concern or wetland and riparian areas; restore and protect crucial habitat through vegetation treatments, installation of wildlife friendly fences, and creating fish passages or barriers to protect aquatic species. Restoration of wildlife habitat to restore and protect sage grouse, desert tortoise, and other upland habitats for special species as well as riparian habitat for endangered or special status fish and aquatic species. For Recovery Act funded projects, in addition to the program objectives above, section 3 of the Act states the following objectives: to preserve and create jobs and promote economic recovery; to assist those most impacted by the recession; to provide investments needed to increase economic efficiency by spurring technological advances in science and health; to invest in transportation, environmental protection, and other infrastructure that will provide long-term economic benefits; and to stabilize State and local governments budgets, in order to minimize and avoid reductions in essential services and counterproductive state and local tax increases.

Types of Assistance

ADVISORY SERVICES AND COUNSELING; DISSEMINATION OF TECHNICAL INFORMATION; PROJECT GRANTS; PROVISION OF SPECIALIZED SERVICES; TRAINING; USE OF PROPERTY, FACILITIES, OR EQUIPMENT

Uses and Use Restrictions

Projects are primarily conducted on lands administered by the BLM but may also be conducted on other public or private lands. Most of these lands are located in the Western United States and Alaska. Assistance can be used to help protect, restore, and enhance fish, wildlife, and plant conservation resources and to provide related public contact/education opportunities. No regular discretionary fund is available. Funding is highly variable each fiscal year.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

Anyone/general public.

Beneficiary Eligibility

All Public Land users.

Credentials/Documentation

For grants awarded, cost will be determined in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-87 for State and Local Governments; OMB Circular No. A-21 for educational institutions; OMB Circular No. A-122 for nonprofit organizations; and Federal Acquisition Regulation Subpart 31.2 for private foundations, firms, individuals, and other nonprofits excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-122. OMB Circular No. A-87 applies to this program.

Application and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

For more information and local requirements, cooperative project proposals should be coordinated with the Bureau of Land Management local State or District/Field Offices. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure

OMB Circular No. A-102 applies to this program. OMB Circular No. A-110 applies to this program. Standard Form 424, Application for Federal Assistance, Standard Form 424A, Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs, Standard Form 424B, Assurances for Non-Construction Programs, and a written proposal should be submitted through Grants.gov and must include: the title, objectives, timeframes, and a budget breakdown as specified in the funding opportunity announcement. State plan is not required with this application.

Award Procedure

Projects are reviewed at State level and funding recommendations are made through each State's annual work plan. Final budget approvals rest with the State Director or District/Field Office Manager.

Deadlines

Not Applicable.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

Award time varies depending on the type and complexity of the project. Most awards are anticipated within 90 days or less after the announcement closes. Further information will be available for each project at the time the funding announcement is posted on www.grants.gov and may be obtained by contacting the point of contacts listed in the funding opportunity announcement.

Appeals

Final award decisions are not subject to appeal; however, the Bureau of Land Management will provide all applicants with information on why their proposal was not selected for award.

Renewals

Not Applicable.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

Statutory formulas are not applicable to this program.

Matching Requirements: This program has no statutory formula requirements. However, matching funds by the applicants are encouraged and those projects are more likely to be funded.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this program.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

No specific restrictions for most projects, however, most projects are funded on a year-by- year basis and funds are expended during a particular fiscal year. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: quarterly.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

Program reports are not applicable. Cash reports are not applicable. Funding recipients are required to submit quarterly, semi-annual, or annual performance reports 30 days after the end of the reporting period. Final reports are due 120 days after the end of the grant performance period. Projects funded under the Recovery Act will have additional reporting requirements as described in the announcement packages at www.grants.gov. Funding recipients are required to submit quarterly financial status reports using Standard Form 425, Federal Financial Report, 30 days after the end of the reporting period. Final financial status reports are due 120 days after the end of the grant period. 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. Projects will be audited at least once during life cycle. Grants awarded to educational institutions and nonprofit organizations are subject to the audit requirements of 43 CFR Part 12, Subpart F, "Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Agreements With Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other Nonprofit Organizations". 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 relating to work performed and costs are kept by the Bureau. There is no fixed records schedule. Records for grants awarded to State and Local Governments will be maintained in accordance with the provisions of 43 CFR Part 12, Subpart C, "Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments." Records for grants awarded to institutions of higher education and other nonprofit organizations will be maintained in accordance with the provisions of 43 CFR Part 12, Subpart F, "Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Agreements With Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other Nonprofit Organizations".

Program Accomplishments

Fiscal Year 2008: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2009: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available

Financial Information

Account Identification

14-1108-0-1-302 - 14-09/10; 14-1109-0-1-302.

Obligations

(Cooperative Agreements) FY 08 $0; FY 09 est $9,600,000; FY 10 est $14,400,000. (Cooperative Agreements) FY 08 $25,753,000; FY 09 est $26,090,000; FY 10 est $26,427,000

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

Past partnership projects have ranged from $5,000 to $2,000,000. Average amounts approximately $50,000 or less.

Regulations, Guidelines and Literature

BLM's fish, wildlife and botany program is generally guided by provisions in 43 CFR Part 6000. A variety of public interest publications on these programs are available free of charge by contacting the appropriate State Office. Manuals providing basic program operational guidance for recreation (BLM Manual 6500) and may be obtained by contacting the Washington Office.

Related Programs

Not Applicable.

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

See Regional Agency Offices. See Catalog Appendix IV for addresses.

Headquarters Office

Group Manager Fish, Wildlife and Botany Group, Bureau of Land Management (WO 230), 1849 C St, N.W., LSB 204, Washington, District of Columbia 20240-9998 Phone: 2024525133

Web Site Address

http://www.blm.gov/nhp/index.htm

Examples of Funded Projects

Fiscal Year 2008: Projects funded include vegetation, rare and threatened and endangered plants and botanical surveys, fish and wildlife survey and monitoring, habitat use and condition surveys; habitat improvement or projection projects. Wildlife habitat restoration projects have provided increased protection of local communities by reducing threats from fire and invasive species through habitat improvement projects. Fiscal Year 2009: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

Criteria used to select assistance proposals are based on their direct relationship to public lands management and a balanced review including relevance to program objectives, merit and cost effectiveness. In addition, for Recovery Act funded projects, the evaluation criteria must also address how the applicant's project will boost the economy, create or save jobs, and address long neglected challenges for the management, protection and development of federal lands and a balanced review including relevance to program objectives, merit and cost effectiveness.