04-3241. Multistate Conservation Grant Program; Priority List for Conservation Projects

AGENCY:

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior.

ACTION:

Notice of receipt of priority list.

SUMMARY:

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is publishing in the Federal Register the priority list of 18 wildlife and sport fish conservation projects submitted by the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies for funding under the Multistate Conservation Grant Program. This notice is required by the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Programs Improvement Act of 2000 (Pub. L. 106-408). FY 2004 grants may be made from this priority list.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Pam Matthes, Multistate Conservation Grants Program Coordinator, Division of Federal Assistance, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4401 North Fairfax Drive, Mail Stop MBSP-4020, Arlington, Virginia 22203; phone [phone]; or e-mail [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Programs Improvement Act of 2000 (Improvement Act) amended the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 669 et seq.) and the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 777 et seq.) and established the Multistate Conservation Grant Program. The Improvement Act authorizes grants of up to $3 million annually from funds available under each of the Restoration Acts, for a total of up to $6 million annually. Grants may be made from a priority list of projects submitted by the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (IAFWA), which represent the State fish and wildlife agencies. The Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, exercising the authority of the Secretary of the Interior, need not fund all recommended projects, but may not fund projects that are not recommended.

To be eligible for consideration by the IAFWA, a project must benefit fish and/or wildlife conservation in at least 26 States, a majority of the States in a region of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, or a regional association of State fish and wildlife agencies. Grants may be made to a State or group of States, to non-governmental organizations, and to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or a State or group of States for the purpose of carrying out the National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation. IAFWA requires proposals to address its National Conservation Needs, which are announced annually at the same time as the request for proposals.

The IAFWA prepares the priority list through a committee comprising the heads of State fish and game departments (or their designees) in consultation with non-governmental organizations that represent conservation organizations, sportsmen organizations, and industries that support or promote hunting, trapping, recreational shooting, bow hunting, or archery. The priority list must be approved by majority vote of the heads of State fish and game departments (or their designees).

The priority list of projects submitted by the IAFWA follows:

IAFWA's Priority List of Projects for the 2004 Multistate Conservation Grant Program

Proposal ID	Title of proposal	Submitted by	Funds requested										Totals
			FY 2004		FY 2005		FY 2006		FY 2007		FY 2008
			PR	WB	PR	WB	PR	WB	PR	WB	PR	WB
04-002*	Propagated Fish in Resource Management symposium & workshpp	American Fisheries Society		$118,209									$118,209
04-003*	Factors that Drive Sportfishing License Sales	American Sportfishing Association		$124,554									$124,554
04-005*	Becoming an Outdoors Woman: Educating Women in Farmland Stewardship & Fish and Wildlife-Based Recreation	Becoming an Outdoors-Woman Program; University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point	$178,321		192,543								$370,.864
04-007*	Multistate Conservation Grant Program Coordination	IAFWA-Executive Committee	$48,490	48,490	50,350	50,350							$197,680
04-009*	Coordination of the Farm Bill Conservation Program Implementation	IAFWA-Agricultural Conservation Task Force	$117,000		123,300								$240,000
04-010*	Coordination of Revisions of the NRCS National Handbook of Conservation Practices	IAFWA-Agricultural Conservation Task Force	$75,000										$75,000
04-012	Trailblazer Adventure Program	US Sportsmen's Alliance	$80,000	80,000	80,000	80,000							$320,000
04-013	Step Outside	National Shooting Sports Foundation	$78,800	78,800									$157,600
04-014	National Archery in the School Program	National Alliance for the Development of Archery	$77,000		54,000		54,000						$185,000
04-016*	The Cost of Not Hunting and Trapping	IAWFA-Animal Use Issues Committee & Education, Outreach & Diversity Committee	$67,860										$67,860
04-027	Public Opinion on and Attitudes toward Fish and Wildlife Management in the 16 SEAFWA States	SEAFWA, Contractor: Responsive Management	$172,723	172,723									$345,445
04-041*	State Wildlife Grant Plan Development: National Coordinated Assistance for all 50 States	IAFWA-Teaming With Wildlife Committee	$74,000	24,800	74,400	24,800							$198,400
04-043*	The Conservation Communication Team	IAFWA-Education, Outreach & Diversity Committee and the Animal Use Issues Committee	$30,000	30,000									$60,000
04-046*	Furbearer Management and Regulated Trapping Professional Development Workshops & Communication Planning Sessions for Fish & Wildlife Professionals	IAFWA-Furbearer Resources Task Force and the Education, Outreach, & Diversity Committee	$187,897										$187,897
04-048	Developing State Aquatic Nuisance Species Management Plans & Strategies for the Southeastern United States	Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency		$77,500		77,500		77,500					$232,500
04-055*	Facilitation & Continuation of the Partnership between the Foundation & our State Partners for the Planning & Implementing of the Hooked On Fishing—Not on Drugs Program	Future Fisherman Foundation		$128,000		172,500		197,000					$497,500
04-035	Project Coordinator for the 2006 National Survey-State-level Data	USFWS	$190,452	190,452	172,190	172,190							725,284
04-040a	2006 National Survey-Option 6	USFWS	$1,357,387	1,357,387	1,357,387	1,357,387	1,357,387	1,357,387	1,357,387	1,357,387	110,454	110,454	$11,080,004
Totals			$2,735,330	2,430,915	2,103,870	1,934,727	1,411,387	1,631,887	1,357,387	1,357,387	110,454	110,454	$15,183,797
PR=Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act.
WB=Wallop Breaux (Dingell-Johnson) Sport Fish Restoration Act.
*Denotes proposal reviewed by more than one IAFWA committee.

Dated: February 4, 2004.

Steve Williams,

Director, Fish and Wildlife Service.