Recreation Resources Management (15.524)

Program

15.524 Recreation Resources Management

Federal Agency

Agency: Department of the Interior
Office: Bureau of Reclamation

Authorization

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Public Law 111-5; Federal Water Projects Recreation Act of 1965, Public Law 89-72 as amended; Reclamation Recreation Act of 1992, Public Law 102-575, Title XXVIII.

Program Number

15.524

Last Known Status

Active

Objectives

To provide opportunities for public recreation at Bureau of Reclamation or other publicly-owned water projects, and to encourage State, county, and local governments to fund and manage recreation resources at these project areas.

For Recovery Act funded projects and in addition to the program objectives stated above, Section 3 of the Act states the following objectives: (1) To preserve and create jobs and promote economic recovery; (2) To assist those most impacted by the recession; (3) To provide investments needed to increase economic efficiency by spurring technological advances in science and health; (4) To invest in transportation, environmental protection and other infrastructure that will provide long-term economic benefits; and (5) 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

Cooperative Agreements

Uses and Use Restrictions

Cost sharing agreements are used to provide assistance to non-Federal managing partners for the long-term management and care of publicly-owned recreation resources, and for the planning, construction and other facets of improving recreation access and assets. Concession contracts are not authorized by the above authorities.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

State and local government entities that are willing to manage and maintain publicly-owned recreation facilities and assets.

Beneficiary Eligibility

General public.

Credentials/Documentation

Public Law 89-72 requires that State and local governments indicate their intent in writing to agree to administer project land and water. OMB Circular No. A-87 applies to this program.

Application and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

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. 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. State and local governments that have managing partner agreements with Reclamation submit proposals with detailed scopes of work and budgets for recreation as well as fish and wildlife improvement projects.

Funding opportunity announcements for this program, along with registration procedures, application packages and instructions, SF-424 forms and any other forms to be used to submit application information, points of contact, and procedures for submitting applications will be available on www.grants.gov.

Award Procedure

All applications will be initially screened by Bureau of Reclamation personnel for eligibility and compliance with the requirements stated in the program funding announcement. Applications are reviewed by the Bureau of Reclamation office having administrative jurisdiction of the land and water areas being considered for public recreation purposes. Applications will be reviewed against the proposal evaluation criteria, and any additional review factors, as stated in the funding announcement. There are no other additional requirements and the office having jurisdiction may issue a management agreement.

Deadlines

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

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

Varies depending on the type and complexity of the project. Further information will be available for each specific project at the time the funding opportunity announcement is posted on www.grants.gov/ and may be obtained by contacting the Bureau of Reclamation personnel listed as the point of contact in the funding announcement.

Appeals

Final award decisions are not subject to appeal; however, the Bureau of Reclamation will provide all applicants with information on why their proposals were not selected for award.

Renewals

If renewals or extensions are applicable to the project, this information will be included in the funding opportunity announcement. Management agreements are renewable if both the Bureau of Reclamation and the State or local partner are in mutual agreement. When renewals or extensions are applicable, continuation of funding for these activities is at the discretion of Congress and will be subject to availability of appropriated funds.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

Statutory formulas are not applicable to this program.

Matching Requirements: Funding announcements will include information on cost sharing requirements applicable to the specific project. In the case of recreation development, a minimum cost share of 50 percent would be required from a nonFederal partner. For fish and wildlife enhancement projects, the Federal share may be up to 75 percent of the project cost. (16 U.S.C. 460l-13(a)).

MOE requirements are not applicable to this program.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

Agreements are typically for one to five years depending on the type of project. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: Information not available.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

Unless otherwise stated in the agreement document, recipients shall submit the following reports on a quarterly basis Program Performance Reports. Annually, recipients shall submit an annual program performance report. Upon completion of the agreement, recipients shall submit a final Program Performance Report, and other specific reports that may be applicable to the agreement such as property inventories, and patent and invention disclosures. For Recovery Act projects, quarterly reporting is required in www.FederalReporting.gov. Cash reports are not applicable. Progress reports are not applicable. Unless otherwise stated in the agreement document, recipients shall submit on a quarterly basis the Federal Financial Report SF 425. Upon completion of the agreement, recipients shall submit a final Federal Financial Report SF 425. 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

State, local and Indian Tribal governments shall maintain project records in accordance with 43 CFR 12.82. All other recipients shall maintain project records in accordance with 43 CFR 12.953.

Program Accomplishments

Fiscal Year 2008: Cost-sharing agreements have been awarded since 1965. Numerous agreements have been awarded to State and local governmental entities for the management of recreation resources. The funds awarded through cost-sharing agreements have for the most part gone to plan, develop, operate, and maintain recreation facilities on Bureau of Reclamation land and water. Fiscal Year 2009: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available

Financial Information

Account Identification

14-0680-0-1-301; 14-0681-0-1-301 - Recovery Act.

Obligations

(Cooperative Agreements) FY 08 $7,114,000; FY 09 est $7,000,000; FY 10 est $7,000,000. (Cooperative Agreements) FY 08 $0; FY 09 est $10,000,000; FY 10 est $0

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

Range is $5,000 to $15,000,000; Average $10,371,333.

Regulations, Guidelines and Literature

43 CFR 12, http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/cfr-table-search.html#page1/; OMB Circulars, http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/grants_circulars.html/; Program information is included in the Reclamation Manual, LND PO4, available at http://www.usbr.gov/recman/lnd/lnd-p04.pdf/. These documents may also be obtained by contacting the Bureau of Reclamation Office listed below.

Related Programs

Not Applicable.

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

See Regional Agency Offices. Pacific Northwest Region: (208) 378-5312; Mid-Pacific Region: (916) 978-5558; Lower Colorado Region: (702) 293-8375; Upper Colorado Region: (801) 524-3765; Great Plains Region: (406) 247-7714.

Headquarters Office

Darrel Welch Bureau of Reclamation, P.O. Box 25007 (84-53000), Denver, Colorado 80225-0007 Email: dwelch@usbr.gov Phone: (303)445-2913 Fax: (303)445-2711

Web Site Address

http://www.usbr.gov/pmts/planning/ .

Examples of Funded Projects

Fiscal Year 2008: Management agreements with State and local governments providing for long-term management of public recreation resources at Horsetooth, Jordanelle, Cascade, Folsom, and Coachella Reservoirs; shoreline stabilization; Americans with Disabilities Act compliance projects; boat ramp replacement; and operation and maintenance of designated fish and wildlife areas and facilities. Fiscal Year 2009: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

In no priority order and at the discretion of each Reclamation office, cost-share funding will be given to proposals that will: (a) Provide for the public's health and safety; (b) Comply with Federal, State, and local laws and regulations; (c) Protect critical resources such as wetlands, critical wildlife habitat, endangered and threatened species, and cultural resources; and (d) Modernize existing facilities to meet current standards.

For Recovery Act projects: The purposes are among others, to quickly and prudently commence activities that preserve and create jobs and to promote economic recovery, and to invest in transportation, environmental protection, and other infrastructure that will provide long-term economic benefits. To meet these purposes, Reclamation will allocate funds based on the criteria set forth in the Recovery Act and the accompanying conference report, and will target activities that quickly infuse money into the economy.