U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Wildlife & Sport Fish Restoration Program

Boating Infrastructure Grant Program - History

The Boating Infrastructure Grant Program was authorized by the Sportfishing and Boating Safety Act of 1998 (Public Law 105-178) which amended the Sport Fish Restoration Act (SFR), commonly referred to as the Dingell-Johnson (DJ) Act. The original SFR Act was passed on August 9, 1950.

The 1998 amendment to the SFR Act provided $8 million annually out of the Aquatic Resources Trust Fund for the BIG Program. The revenues in the Aquatic Resources Trust Fund were derived from manufacturers’ excise taxes on sport fishing equipment and a portion of the gasoline fuel tax attributable to small engines and motorboats.

In 2005 the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act (SAFETEA) was signed into law and provided for the reauthorization of Sport Fish Restoration Act including the BIG Program through 2009. In addition to the excise taxes on sport fishing equipment, the 2005 amendment captured an additional 4.8 cents per gallon of fuel tax attributable to small engines and motorboats beginning in FY 05-06. The amendment eliminated the Aquatic Resources Trust Fund and established the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund. It also changed the annual distribution to the BIG Program to 2% of the funds in the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund after deducting amounts for WSFR administration, the Multistate Conservation Grant Program, the Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council and fisheries commissions.