99-4803. North American Wetlands Conservation Council; Availability of Grant Application Instructions

[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 38 (Friday, February 26, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9522-9523]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-4803]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


North American Wetlands Conservation Council; Availability of 
Grant Application Instructions

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The U.S. North American Wetlands Conservation Act Standard 
Grant Application Instructions booklet and computer disk are now 
available. In addition, both will be available via the Internet in 
early 1999.

DATES: Proposals may be submitted at any time. To ensure adequate 
review time prior to North American Wetlands Conservation Council 
meetings, due dates continue to be the first Friday in April (April 2, 
1999) and August (August 6, 1999).

ADDRESSES: For a copy of the booklet and/or disk, contact the Fish and 
Wildlife Service Publications Unit, c/o National Conservation Training 
Center Support Services, Route 1, Box 166, Shepherd Grade Road, 
Shepherdstown, WV 25443 in writing or by phone [phone] during 
normal business hours.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: North American Wetlands Conservation 
Council Coordinator at [phone], [email protected] or 
WWW.FWS.GOV/R9NAWWO/NAWCAHP.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Council has two U.S. conservation grants 
programs for acquisition, restoration, and enhancement of wetlands. Any 
individual or organization who has a long-term, partner-based project 
with matching funds can apply. The focus of this notice is the larger 
(up to $1,000,000) grants program (a separate notice is issued for 
``Small Grants''). The booklet provides the schedule, review criteria, 
definitions, information required in the proposal, and a format for 
proposals. The disk contains a proposal outline, budget table and 
Technical Assessment Questions (including species lists) in Word 
Perfect and Word word-processing programs.
    Major changes and clarifications since last year are:
    (1) Proposals must be unbound.
    (2) We require a Cover Page.
    (3) We require Standard Form 424 and attachments submitted with the 
proposal, rather than later.
    (4) We wrote instructions in plain language (active voice, more 
headers, more use of lists, and Table of Contents in question format).
    (5) We included Office of Management and Budget Information 
Collection Statement.
    (6) We replaced the term ``overhead'' with clearer statements.
    (7) We disallow the short-hand method for reporting numbers in the 
Budget Table.
    (8) Technical Assessment Question 2 non-waterfowl migratory birds 
lists are organized by Partners in Flight physical geographic areas.
    (9) We gave more information about what to expect after the 
proposal is approved for funding.
    (10) We require appraisals for grant and match tracts acquired and 
donated in fee or easement.
    (11) We must receive proposals by the first Friday in April and 
August (versus postmarked by).
    (12) Part 1 font size = 11 and suggested font face = Times New 
Roman.
    (13) We gave a Technical Assessment Questions Contacts table.
    (14) We listed more Internet web sites in the Directory.
    We prepared the booklet and disk to assist partners in developing 
proposals that comply with the ``North American Wetlands Conservation 
Act.'' The Act established a North American Wetlands Conservation 
Council, a Federal-State-Private body, that recommends projects to the 
Migratory Bird Conservation Commission for final approval. The Council 
requires that proposals contain a minimum of 50 percent non-Federal 
matching funds and follow a prescribed format.
    We have submitted information collection requirements to the OMB 
for review and approval under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Pub. 
Law 104-13. On August 24, 1998, OMB gave an emergency approval for this 
information collection requirement and assigned it approval number 
1018-0100. Our request for continued approval has been submitted to 
OMB. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is

[[Page 9523]]

not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it 
displays a currently valid OMB control number. The information 
collection solicited: is necessary to gain a benefit in the form of a 
grant, as determined by the Council and the Migratory Bird Conservation 
Commission; is necessary to determine the eligibility and relative 
value of wetland projects; results in an approximate paperwork burden 
of 400 hours per application; and does not carry a premise of 
confidentiality. The information collections in this program will not 
be part of a system of records covered by the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 
552(a)).

    Dated: February 19, 1999.
Jamie Rappaport Clark,
Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 99-4803 Filed 2-25-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P