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| 15.633 LANDOWNER INCENTIVE PROGRAM |
| FEDERAL AGENCY |
| FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR |
| AUTHORIZATION |
| Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2006, Public Law 109-148; Title I; Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965; 16 U.S.C. 4601-4 through 11. |
| OBJECTIVES |
| This program establishes or supplements existing landowner incentive programs that provide technical or financial assistance. This includes habitat protection and restoration, to private landowners for the protection and management of habitat to benefit Federally listed, proposed, or candidate species, or other at-risk species on private lands; and to encourage States, Commonwealths, or territories to enhance private landowner conservation by providing these benefits to private landowners in an efficient manner. |
| TYPES OF ASSISTANCE |
| Project Grants. |
| USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS |
| Tier 1 projects provide the States, Commonwealths, or territories to support development of a new program, or to enhance an existing landowner incentive program, through administration, development of plans, outreach, and other associated activities that assist in the accomplishment of projects on private lands. Tier 2 projects should place a priority on the implementation of State, Commonwealth, or territorial programs that provide technical and financial assistance to private landowners for the protection and restoration of habitats that benefit federally listed, proposed, or candidate species, or other species-at-risk. |
| Applicant Eligibility |
| Participation is limted to State, Commonwealth, or territorial agencies with lead management responsibility for fish and wildlife resources. |
| Beneficiary Eligibility |
| Private landowners and the public. (While direct participation is limited to State, Commonwealth, or territorial fish and wildlife agencies, private landowners will directly benefit from financial and technical assistance and the public will ultimately benefit from these wildlife conservation measures implemented on private lands.) |
| Credentials/Documentation |
| Only the agency that has lead management responsibility for fish and wildlife resources within the State, Commonwealth, or territory may apply for these grants. |
| Preapplication Coordination |
| None. This program is not subject to E.O. 12372. |
| Application Procedure |
| Application procedures are in the Fiscal Year 2007 Landowner Incentive Program Guidelines, (http://wsfrprograms.fws.gov. 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 or her designee approves or disapproves proposed projects. Regional offices are responsible for notification of grant approval to the grantee. |
| Deadlines |
| 60 days after the request for grant proposals is published in the Federal Register. |
| Range of Approval/Disapproval Time |
| Approximately 60 working days after due date. |
| Appeals |
| Regional Directors will consider differences of opinion concerning the eligibility of proposals. Final determination rests with the Director of the Fish and Wildlife Service. |
| Renewals |
| None. |
| Formula and Matching Requirements |
| The Federal share of project costs cannot exceed 75 percent. More detailed discussion concerning matching and cost-sharing requirements found in 43 CFR Part 12.64 and 43 CFR 12.923. |
| Length and Time Phasing of Assistance |
| Funds are available until expended. |
| Reports |
| A Performance Report and Financial Status Report are required for each grant award 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 three years after submission of the final Financial Status Report. |
| Account Identification |
| 14-5496-0-1-303. |
| Obligations |
| (Grants) FY 07 $21,301,500; FY 08 est. not available; and FY 09 est. not available. |
| Range and Average of Financial Assistance |
| In 2007, the range for Tier 2 grants was $527,000 to $849,510. The 2007 average for Tier 1 grants was $180,000. |
| PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS |
| The Fish and Wildlife Service appropriated to States, Commonwealths, and territories approximately $119.8 million since 2002, for the protection and restoration of habitats on private lands to benefit species classified as Special Concern by the State, or Federally listed, proposed, or candidate species or other species determined to be at-risk. In addition, funds have provided technical and financial assistance to private landowners for habitat protection and restoration. In FY 2007, the Fish and Wildlife Service apportioned $20.6 million. National accomplishments funded by the Landowner Incentive Program include: 576,750 acres of habitat improvement or restoration; 16,338 acres of land were acquired through easements; and 1,624 private landowners were provided assistance. |
| REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE |
| Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006, Public Law 109-148, Title I, language on Landowner Incentive Program, and 43 CFR 12. |
| Regional or Local Office |
| See Catalog Appendix IV for addresses of Regional U.S. 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. |
| Web Site Address |
| http://wsfrprograms.fws.gov |
| RELATED PROGRAMS |
| 15.605, Sport Fish Restoration Program; 15.608, Fish and Wildlife Management Assistance; 15.611, Wildlife Restoration; 15.615, Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund; and 15.634, State Wildlife Grants. |
| EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS |
| In 2007, the Fish and Wildlife Service awarded Landowner Incentive Tier 2 funding to the following State projects. The Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) received $849,510 to provide technical assistance to implement selected projects that protected, restored, or enhanced approximately 1,800 acres of upland habitat, 300 acres of wetlands, 4 miles of streams, and obtained conservation easements on 115 acres of Palouse Prairie remnants to benefit targeted at-risk species. IDFG focused their work in the Upper Henrys Fork, Bear River Basin, and Palouse Prairie Conservation Priority Areas. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (NGPC) received $765,000 to continue Natural Legacy Plan implementation in twelve Biologically Unique Landscapes to conserve and enhance 2,420 acres of at-risk species habitat through invasive tree clearing, 11,300 acres through prescribed burning, 12,600 acres through planned grazing, 1,000, acres through ecologically sensitive weed control and 100 acres through wetland restoration. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) received $849,510 to provide technical assistance to implement selected projects that restored or enhanced approximately 840 acres of sagebrush, wetland, or riparian habitat, and 9 miles of stream habitat to benefit the greater sage-grouse and coho salmon, as well as other at-risk species. ODFW focused in their eastern Oregon Ecoregions (sage-grouse) and in the Coast Range Ecoregion (coho salmon). |
| 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 and 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. |
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General Services Administration Office of Chief Acquisition Officer Regulatory and Federal Assistance Division (VIR) |
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