Recreation Resource Management (15.225)

Program

15.225 Recreation 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; Federal Land Policy and Management Act, Public Law 94-579.

Program Number

15.225

Last Known Status

Active

Objectives

To manage recreational resource values on the public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management and to increase public awareness and appreciation of these values. For Recovery and Reinvestment Act funded projects, in addition to the program objectives above: 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 government 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

All projects are restricted to lands administered by the BLM. Most of these lands are located in the Western United States and Alaska. Assistance can be used for helping the BLM manage and/or upgrade recreational resources and related facilities, and in providing 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 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

This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-102. 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 for this application.

Award Procedure

Projects are reviewed at the Bureau of Land Management State and District Office level and funding recommendations are made through the State's annual work plan. Final budget approvals rest with the State Director.

Deadlines

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

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

From 90 to 120 days. Projects are approved through the Bureau budget cycle that normally requires at least one year to receive funding.

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

This program has no statutory formula.

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, however, most projects are funded on a year to 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. Recipients of funding are required to submit performance reports 30 days following the end of the reporting period. Final performance reports are due 120 days after the end of grant performance. Projects funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 will additional reporting requirements as described in the announcement packages at www.grants.gov. Recipients of funding are required to submit quarterly financial status reports 30 days following the end of the reporting period. Final financial status reports are due 120 days after the end of grant performance. Performance monitoring is not applicable.

Audits

Not Applicable.

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: BLM continues to maintain and expand partnerships in the Tread Lightly, Leave No Trace, Interpretive programming, Recreational Fishing, Corridor Management (rivers and trails), and numerous travel and tourism activities. BLM uses challenge cost share and cooperative conservation initiative grants whenever possible on projects of mutual benefit to rural communities, counties, and cities in the western United States for management of public lands. 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 ARRA Fund Code; 14-1109-0-1-302.

Obligations

(Cooperative Agreements) FY 08 $5,100,000; FY 09 est $2,000,000; FY 10 est $2,000,000. (Cooperative Agreements) FY 08 $0; FY 09 est $400,000; FY 10 est $400,000

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

Past partnership projects have ranged from $5000 to $133,000. Average amounts approximately $25,000 or less.

Regulations, Guidelines and Literature

BLM's recreation program is generally guided by provisions in 43 CFR Part 8000. 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 8300 and 8400) 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

Chief Bureau of Land Management (WO 250), 1849 C Street, NW, 302 LS, Washington, District of Columbia 20240-9998 Phone: 2024525041

Web Site Address

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

Examples of Funded Projects

Fiscal Year 2008: Development of recreation facilities on BLM managed lands; cooperative visitor services to the general public using BLM managed lands; agreements to manage public land resources cooperatively; and assistance agreement to promote more effective management of caves on public lands. 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 BLM land 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 jumpstart the economy, create or save jobs, and place a down payment on addressing 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.