Sport Fish Restoration funds support activities designed to restore, conserve, manage, or enhance sport fish populations and the public use and benefits from these resources; and to support activities that provide boating access to public waters.

Sport fisheries research and management activities,

credit:

boating access development and maintenance, aquatic resource education projects, lake construction and maintenance, land acquisition, technical assistance, planning, habitat enhancement, administration, coordination, and hatchery construction are eligible under the Act.

Law enforcement and public relations are not eligible under the Act.

The Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act grant programs contribute significantly to the nation's acquatic recreation and fisheries conservation efforts. Already successful, the programs' accomplishments will continue to increase in the coming years because of the increased funding that is resulting from the SAFETEA-LU (Public Law 109-059) legislation. Some examples of activities planned by State, Commonwealth, and territorial fish and wildflife agencies in FY 2008 include: Acquire 494 acres of tidal marshes, 81 acres of tide flats, and 49 acres of uplands habitat in Oregan that is critical to Federal and State listed species, migratory shorebirds, and waterfowl. In addition, this will provide opportunities for a variety of public educational and recreational uses in Oregon; Replace the boat ramp and boat dock at Placid Lake State Park and pave the boating ramp access road and parking lot at Salmon Lake State Park in Montana; Conduct restoration and enhancement projects on American shad and hickory populations in three tributary rivers to the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland; and Operate and maintain 23 public lakes that will supply approximately 240,000 angler trips per year in 20 Alabama Counties.

Uses and Use Restrictions

Approvable activities include land acquisition, development (including boating access sites), research, operations and maintenance, sport fish population management and program coordination.

Prohibited activities are law enforcement and public relations.

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Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

Participation is limited to State, Commonwealth, or territorial agencies with lead management responsibility for fish and wildlife resources.

States, Commonwealths, and territories must pass laws (assent legislation) for the conservation of fish, which includes a prohibition against diversion of license fees paid by anglers for purposes other than the administration of the State, Commonwealth, or territorial fish and wildlife agency.

Beneficiary Eligibility

General Public (While direct participation is limited to fish and wildlife agencies, the public will ultimately benefit from these fishery 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 of paid angler 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."

Aplication 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, Commonwealth, or territory for more information on the process required by the State, Commonwealth, or territory when applying for assistance, if the State, Commonwealth, or territory selected a program for review.

Application Procedures

Grantee may document initial program by submission of a satisfactory fish conservation plan. Grantees will submit grant proposals that include 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 Procedures

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

Deadlines

None.

Authorization

Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act of 1950, 64 Stat. 430, as amended 16 U.S.C. 777-777n.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

Approximately 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 justified and if funds are available.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

Formula-based apportionment; 40 percent based on land and water area of the State and 60 percent based on licensed anglers; no State receives more than 5 percent or less than one-third of 1 percent of the total funds apportioned to the program; the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is apportioned 1 percent; and Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, and the District of Columbia are each apportioned up to one-third of 1 percent of the total apportioned. States may be reimbursed up to 75 percent of the total project cost. Commonwealths of Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands, and the territories of Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and American Samoa must not exceed 25 percent and may be waived at the discretion of the Regional Director. The non-Federal share could 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.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

Sport Fish Restoration funds are available for a period of two years. Any funds not obligated within two years by a State, Commonwealth, or territorial fish and wildlife agency will revert to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and placed back into the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund for obligation to States, Commonwealths, or territories in the following year's apportionment.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

A Performance Report and Financial Status Report are required for each grant or grant segment annually within 90 days after the anniversary date and/or end of the grant.

Audits

In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Nonprofit Organizations," nonfederal entities that receive 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 3 years after submission of the final Financial Status Report.

Financial Information

Account Identification

14-8151-0-7-303.

Obigations

(Grants) FY 07 $349,089,063; FY 08 $398,337,729; and FY 09 est $410,000,000.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

$900,000 to $14,700,000; $5,200,000.

Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature

50 CFR 80; Acquatic Resource Education Guide; and 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.

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

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

Headquarters Office

Fish and Wildlife Service, Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Programs - Policy and Programs, 4401 North Fairfax Drive, FA-4020, Arlington, VA 22203. Contact: Policy and Programs, Telephone: (703) 358-2156.

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

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