FEDERAL AGENCY:

FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

AUTHORIZATION:

Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act of 1937, 50 Stat. 917 as amended; 16 U.S.C. 669-669b, 669-669k.

OBJECTIVES:

To support projects to restore or manage wildlife populations and the provision of public use of these resources; and to provide facilities and services for conducting a hunter safety program.

TYPES OF ASSISTANCE:

Formula Grants. Place Cursor Here for Definition

USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS:

Approved activities include land acquisition, development, research, and coordination. Prohibited activities are law enforcement and public relations.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Applicant Eligibility:   Participation limited to State fish and wildlife agencies. States must have passed laws for the conservation of wildlife which include a prohibition against diversion of license fees paid by hunters for purposes other than the administration of the State fish and wildlife agency. Also eligible are Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands.

Beneficiary Eligibility:   State fish and wildlife agencies.

Credentials/Documentation:   Notification of desire to participate must be made annually to the Secretary. The State fish and wildlife director must furnish a certification of the number of 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." Section 12.62 (of the common rule) identifies Federal cost principles for determining allowable costs.

Pre-application 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. Environmental assessment is required to determine environmental impacts. 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:   Grantee may document initial program by submission of satisfactory wildlife conservation plan. Grantee has the option of submitting a project application. The form used is furnished by the Service. Documentation required is covered in detail in the "Federal Aid Handbook." This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-110.

Award Procedure:   The Regional Director of the Fish and Wildlife Service approves or disapproves proposed projects. Regional offices are responsible for notification of grant approval to the grantee by return of a completed agreement.

Deadlines:   None.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:   Average 8 days.

Appeals:   Differences of opinion about the substantiality of proposed projects are considered by qualified representatives of the Service and the State. In the event of continued disagreement, final determination rests with the Secretary of the Interior.

Renewals:   Projects are renewed on an annual basis through approval of a project agreement.

ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:

Formula and Matching Requirements:   Fifty percent on the basis of land area of the States and 50 percent on the basis of paid hunting- license holders. No State may receive more than 5 percent or less than one-half of 1 percent of the total apportioned. Puerto Rico is apportioned up to one-half of 1 percent; Guam, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands are each apportioned up to one-sixth of 1 percent of the total apportioned. Hunter safety funds are apportioned on the basis of population of the States. No State may receive more than 3 percent or less than 1 percent of the total hunter safety funds apportioned. States may be reimbursed up to 75 percent of the total project cost. Statistical factors used for fund allocation are (1) State's percentage share of land area from the 1990 Census of Population (PC 80-1-A); (2) State's percentage share of number of paid hunting license holders, from the source annually certified by each State's fish and wildlife agency; (3) State's percentage share of population (hunter education) from the source 1990 Census of Population. Statistical factors used for eligibility do not apply for this program.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:   Apportioned funds are available for obligation for a period of 2 years (1 year for Sec 10 Hunter Ed funds). Balances remaining unobligated after the period of availability are returned to the Service.

POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Reports:   A Performance Report is required for each annual segment within 90 days after the end of the segment.

Audits:   In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 24, 1997), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that receive financial assistance of $300,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $300,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.

Records:   States must maintain cost records separately for each project. Records, accounts, and supporting documents must be retained for 3 years after submission of final request for reimbursement.

FINANCIAL INFORMATION:

Account Identification:   14-5029-0-2-303.

Obligations:   (Grants) FY 01 $196,684,371; FY 02 est $178,986,000; and FY 03 est $187,788,000.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance:   $268,000 to $7,187,000; Average: $2,750,000.

The Service awarded grants to the States and territories for projects relating to the conservation and management of wild birds and mammals, including research in the area of game management and population of habitat areas, and the purchase of quality wetland areas to benefit waterfowl.

REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE:

50 CFR 80; Fish and Wildlife Service Manual.

INFORMATION CONTACTS:

Regional or Local Office:  

See Regional Agency Offices. See Regional Agency Offices.

Wildlife Restoration

Region 1, Pacific Region (Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Hawaii, Pacific Islands) Heather Hollis, 503-231-6233 .

Region 2, Southwest Region (Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas) Nicole Jimenez, 505-248-7466.

Region 3, Midwest Region (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Wisconsin) Jessica Piispanen, 612-713-5145.

Region 4, Southeast Region (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, U.S. Virgin Islands) Diana Swan, 404-679-7058.

Region 5, Northeast Region (Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia) Tom Decker, 413-253-8502.

Region 6, Mountain-Prairie Region (Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming) Otto Jose, 303-236-8156.

Region 7, Alaska Region (Alaska) Doug McBride, 907-786-3631.

Region 8, Pacific Southeast Region (California, Nevada) Justin Cutler, 916-414-6457.

Basic Hunter Education

Region 1, Pacific Region (Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Hawaii, Pacific Islands) Barb Behan, 503-231-2066.

Region 2, Southwest Region (Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas) Susan MacMullin, 505-248-7476.

Region 3, Midwest Region (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Wisconsin) Fabian Romero, 612-713-5145.

Region 4, Southeast Region (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, U.S. Virgin Islands) Diana Swan, 404-679-7058.

Region 5, Northeast Region (Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia) Richard Zane, 413-253-8506.

Region 6, Mountain-Prairie Region (Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming) Otto Jose, 303-236-8156.

Region 7, Alaska Region (Alaska) Doug McBride, 907-786-3631.

Region 8, Pacific Southeast Region (California, Nevada) Justin Cutler, 916-414-6457.

Headquarters Office:  
Policy and Programs, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Headquarters, Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program, Policy and Programs Division, 5275 Leesburg Pike, MS: WSFR, , Falls Church, Virginia 22041-3803 Phone: (703) 358-2156.

Web Site Address:  
http://wsfrprograms.fws.gov/

EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS:

Wildlife habitat improvement, research on wildlife problems, surveys and inventories of wildlife populations and habitats, provision for public use of wildlife resources, hunter education programs.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS:

Projects must be submitted by the State agency having responsibility for management of the State's wildlife resources. The State agency selects those projects that are submitted for funding under the program. Projects are approved if they meet the basic criteria contained in the regulations and the Handbook.