Wildlife Restoration (15.611)

Program

15.611 Wildlife Restoration

Federal Agency

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

Authorization

Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration and Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Acts, Title 50, Part 80; Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act of 1937, 50 Stat. 917 as amended; 16 U.S.C. 669-669k.

Program Number

15.611

Last Known Status

Active

Objectives

The Act provides grants to State, Commonwealth, and territorial fish and wildlife agencies for projects to restore, conserve, manage, and enhance wild birds and mammals and their habitat. Projects also include providing public use and access to wildlife resources; hunter education and safety; and the development and management of shooting ranges.

Types of Assistance

FORMULA GRANTS

Uses and Use Restrictions

Approved activities include selection, restoration, rehabilitation, and improvement of wildlife habitat; wildlife management research; wildlife population surveys and inventories; land acquisition; coordination; development of facilities; facilities and services for conducting hunter safety. Law enforcement and public relations are not eligible under the Act.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

Agencies from the 50 States, the Commonwealths of Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands, and the territories of Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and American Samoa with primary responsibility for fish and wildlife conservation may submit grant proposals to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. To be eligible, they must pass assent legislation to the provisions of the Act for conservation of wildlife that includes a prohibition against the diversion of license fees paid by hunters for any other purpose than the administration of the fish and wildlife agency.

Beneficiary Eligibility

General Public (While direct participation is limited to fish and wildlife agencies, the general public will ultimately benefit from these wildlife conservation measures.).

Credentials/Documentation

States, Commonwealths, or territories must notify the Secretary of the desire to participate annually. The State, Commonwealth, or territorial fish and wildlife Director must furnish a certification of the number paid hunting-license holders. Allowable costs are determined in accordance with 43 CFR Part 12, Subpart C, "Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments.". OMB Circular No. A-87 applies to this program.

Application and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State, the District of Columbia, Commonwealth, or territory for more information on this process when applying for assistance. An environmental impact statement is required for this program. An environmental impact assessment is 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. Grantees submit a grant proposal that includes a narrative statement describing the need, objectives, benefits, approach, and estimated cost for the proposed grant along with 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" and Fish and Wildlife Service Manual. For further instructions and forms go to http://wsfrprograms.fws.gov/subpages/toolkitfiles/toolkit.pdf or www.grants.gov.

Award Procedure

The Regional Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or his designee approves or disapproves proposed grants. Regional Offices are responsible for notification of grant approval to the grantee.

Deadlines

Not Applicable.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

Average 30 days.

Appeals

Regional Directors will consider differences of opinion concerning the eligibility of proposals. Final determination rests with the Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Renewals

Grantees may renew projects on an annual basis if justifiable and if funds are available.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

Statutory Formula: Public Law 16 USC 669b. The program is funded by a permanent appropriation from revenues collected from taxes on bows, arrows, archery equipment, sporting firearm, ammunition, handguns, pistols, and revolvers. The revenues are deposited in the Federal Aid to Wildlife Restoration fund in the U.S. Treasury.

These funds are annually apportioned according to the formula prescribed by the Act: 50 percent based on land area of the State, Commonwealth, or territory and 50 percent based on paid hunting license holders; no State may receive more than 5 percent or less than one-half of 1 percent of the total apportionment; the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is apportioned up to one-half of 1 percent; and Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and Commonwealth of Norther Mariana Islands each receive up to one-sixth of 1 percent of the total apportionment. Section 4(c) Hunter Education and Safety Program Funds are formula-based apportionment based on the population of the States. No State may receive more than 3 percent or less than 1 percent of the total Hunter Education funds apportioned. Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands receive up to one-sixth of 1 percent of the total apportionment.

Matching Requirements: States may be reimbursed up to 75 percent of the total project cost. The Commonwealths of Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands, and the territories of Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa may not exceed 25 percent and may be waived at the discretion of the Regional Director. The non-Federal share should come from license fees paid by hunters. Matching and cost sharing requirements are discussed in 50 CFR 80.12, 43 CFR 12.64 and 43 CFR 12.923.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this program.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

Apportioned funds are available for obligation for a period of two years. Balances remaining unobligated after the period of availability revert to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Any funds not obligated within two years by a State, Commonwealth, or territorial fish and wildlife agency revert to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and will be spent under the provision of the Migratory Bird Conservation Act. Also, under the provisions of the Wildlife Restoration Act, the interest accumulated by Wildlife Restoration account is available to the North American Wetland Conservation program. 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 grant award annually within 90 days after the anniversary date or end of the grant. Cash reports are not applicable. Progress reports are not applicable. A Federal Financial Report SF 425 is required for each grant award annually within 90 days after the anniversary date and/or end of the grant. 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

Cost records must be maintained separately for each grant. Records, accounts, and supporting documents must be retained for three years after submission of the final Financial Status Report.

Program Accomplishments

Fiscal Year 2008: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service awarded grants to the fish and wildlife agencies for projects relating to the conservation and management of wild birds and mammals. This included game management and population research and the purchase of wetland areas to benefit waterfowl. Fiscal Year 2009: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available

Financial Information

Account Identification

14-5029-0-2-303.

Obligations

(Formula Grants) FY 08 $309,686,579; FY 09 est $366,474,545; FY 10 est $363,800,000

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

Range is $268,000 to $7,187,000; Average $2,750,000.

Regulations, Guidelines and Literature

50 CFR 80, Fish and Wildlife Service Manual, Matching and cost-sharing requirements are discussed in 50 CFR 80.12, 43 CFR 12.64, and 43 CFR 12.923. Applicants can visit these regulations and guidelines at http://wsfrprograms.fws.gov/subpages/toolkitfiles/toolkit.pdf.

Related Programs

15.605 Sport Fish Restoration Program; 15.615 Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund; 15.626 Hunter Education and Safety Program

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

See Regional Agency Offices. See Catalog Appendix IV for addresses of Regional U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Offices.

Headquarters Office

Policy and Programs U.S. Fish and Wildife Service, Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program, 4402 North Fairfax Drive, WSFR-4020, Arlington, Virginia 22203 Phone: (703)358-2156

Web Site Address

http://wsfrprograms.fws.gov/.

Examples of Funded Projects

Fiscal Year 2008: Wildlife habitat improvement; wildlife research; surveys; and inventories of wildlife populations and habitats; provision for public use of wildlife resources; hunter education and safety programs; and development of shooting ranges. Fiscal Year 2009: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

The State, Commonwealt, or territorial agency having lead responsibility for the management of their wildlife resources must submit the projects. The State, Commonwealth, or territorial agency selects those projects submitted for funding under the program. If approved, projects must meet the basic criteria outlined in the regulations and the Fish and Wildlife Service Manual.