[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 41 (Monday, March 3, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10027-10028]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-4878]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


North American Wetlands Conservation Council; Standard Grant 
Application Instructions

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: This notice notifies the public that updated instructions for 
applying for standard grants (see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION) under the 
U.S. North American Wetlands Conservation Act are available on the 
Internet at http://birdhabitat.fws.gov.

DATES: Proposals may be submitted at any time. To ensure adequate 
review time prior to upcoming North American Wetlands Conservation 
Council (Council) meetings, the Council Coordinator must receive 
proposals by March 7, 2003, and July 25, 2003.

ADDRESSES: For detailed application instructions, sample proposal 
information, and eligibility criteria visit the North American Wetlands 
Conservation Act (NAWCA) Web site at http://birdhabitat.fws.gov. If you 
cannot access the Web site, contact the Council Coordinator at U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Bird Habitat Conservation, 4401 
North Fairfax Drive, MBSP 4075, Arlington, VA 22203, or by phone at 
703-358-1784, or by fax at 703-358-2282, or by e-mail at [email protected]. 
Send proposals to the Council Coordinator at the above address by mail 
(faxed proposals are not accepted). Send one original and two copies by 
regular mail and send one copy by electronic mail to the Council 
Coordinator. Send a copy of the proposal to your U.S. North American 
Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP) Joint Venture Coordinator (see next 
section for JV Coordinators) and all partners in the proposal.

[[Page 10028]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: North American Wetlands Conservation 
Council Coordinator at (703) 358-1784 or [email protected], Bettina Sparrowe 
at (703) 358-1784 or [email protected], or a JV Coordinator at 
the number given below. JV Coordinators can give you advice about 
developing a proposal, about proposal ranking, and additional 
information that may be required for compliance requirements for the 
National Environmental Policy Act, Endangered Species Act, National 
Historic Preservation Act, and contaminant surveys.

Atlantic Coast (CT, DE, FL, GA, MA, MD, ME, NC, NH, NJ, NY, PA, Puerto 
Rico, RI, SC, VA, VT, WV) 413-253-8269 or [email protected].
Central Valley (Central Valley of CA) 916-414-6459 or [email protected].
Gulf Coast (coastal areas of AL, LA, MS, TX) 505-248-6876 or [email protected].
Intermountain West (AZ, eastern CA, western CO and ID, southwest MT, 
western NM, NV, eastern OR, UT, eastern WA, WY) 801-975-3330 x129 or 
[email protected].
Lower Mississippi Valley (AR; eastern KY; northern LA; eastern MS, OK, 
and TN; northeastern TX) 601-629-6600 or [email protected].
Northern Great Plains 701-250-4463 x141 or [email protected].
Pacific Coast (AK, coastal areas of northern CA, HI, coastal areas of 
OR and WA) 360-696-7630 or [email protected].
Playa Lakes (southeastern CO, southwestern KS, eastern NM, western OK, 
TX panhandle) 303-926-0777 or [email protected].
Prairie Pothole (northwestern IA, western, MN, northern MT, northern 
and southeastern ND, eastern SD) 303-236-8155 x252 or [email protected].
Rainwater Basin (17 counties in southeastern NE) 308-382-8112 or 
[email protected].
San Francisco Bay (San Francisco Bay in CA) 415-883-3854 or 
[email protected].
Upper Mississippi River-Great Lakes (Eastern IA and counties bordering 
the Missouri River, IL, IN, KS counties bordering the Missouri River, 
MI, MO, eastern MN, NE counties bordering the Missouri River, OH, WI) 
612-713-5433 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Council has two U.S. conservation grants 
programs for acquisition, restoration, and enhancement of wetlands in 
the U.S. Any individual or organization who has a long-term, partner-
based project with matching funds can apply. The focus of this notice 
is standard grant proposals for requests from $51,000 to $1,000,000 per 
proposal (if well justified, more may be requested). A separate notice 
will be issued later this year for small grant proposals for requests 
up to $50,000 per proposal.
    The NAWCA established the Council, a Federal-State-private body 
that recommends projects to the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission 
(MBCC) for final approval and requires that proposals contain a minimum 
1:1 ratio of non-Federal matching funds to grant funds. ``Match'' (as 
referred to throughout this document) can be cash, in-kind services, or 
land acquired/title donated for wetlands conservation purposes.
    This notice provides a summary of the 2003 proposal instructions 
and eligibility criteria available on the internet to develop a NAWCA 
standard grant proposal. In order to complete a proposal correctly, 
consult the Web site at http://birdhabitat.fws.gov for detailed 
instructions. If you cannot access the Web site, contact the Council 
Coordinator.
    Paperwork Reduction Act: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act (44 U.S.C. 3501), the Office of Management and Budget has assigned 
clearance number 1018-0100 to this information collection authorized by 
the North American Wetlands Conservation Act of 1989, as amended (16 
U.S.C. 4401 et seq.). The information collection solicited is necessary 
to gain a benefit in the form of a grant, as determined by the Council 
and MBCC, 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. 
Your response is voluntary. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a 
person is not required to respond to, a collection of information 
unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The public is 
invited to submit comments on the accuracy of the estimated average 
burden hours for application preparation and to suggest ways in which 
the burden may be reduced. Comments may be submitted to: Information 
Collection Clearance Officer, Mail Stop 224 ARLSQ, U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service, Washington, DC 20240 and/or Desk Officer for Interior 
Department (1018-0100), Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, 
Office of Management and Budget, New Executive Office Building, 
Washington, DC 20503.
    New NAWCA Proposal Information: Six documents are available on the 
Internet at http://birdhabitat.fws.gov and are summarized below:
    1. 2003 Grant Administration Policies and Assistance Award. 
Describes policies and procedures that NAWCA projects must comply with 
and shows the one-page grant agreement that will be completed if the 
proposal is funded.
    2. 2003 Eligibility Criteria & Processes. Describes eligible 
activities and costs for NAWCA projects, gives links to cost principles 
that apply to all Federal grant programs, and describes steps in the 
proposal funding process. A standard grant proposal is a four-year plan 
of action supported by a NAWCA grant and partner funds to conserve 
wetlands and wetlands-associated fish and wildlife through acquisition 
(including easements and land title donations), restoration, and/or 
enhancement (including creation). Match must be non-Federal and at 
least equal the grant request (referred to as a 1:1 match). Match is 
eligible up to two years prior to the year the proposal is submitted 
and grant and match funds are eligible during the two-year future Grant 
Agreement period.
    3. 2003 Proposal Instructions. Describes changes from the 2002 
instructions, gives required information for a proposal and provides 
examples. A proposal has the following sections: Project Officer's 
Page; Summary; Purpose and Scope; Budget and Work Plan; Technical 
Assessment Questions; Attachments (budget table, tract table, partner 
contribution statements, optional matching contributions plan, Standard 
Form 424, optional aerial photographs, maps); and Easements, Leases, 
and Indirect Cost Rate Agreement.
    4. 2003 Word Proposal Outline. A fill-in-the-blank proposal using 
the Word program.
    5. 2003 WordPerfect Proposal Outline. A fill-in-the-blank proposal 
using the WordPerfect program.
    6. 2003 Excel Budget Table. A fill-in-the-blank budget table in 
case you do not want to use the budget tables provided in the Word and 
WordPerfect files.

    Dated: February 4, 2003.
Marshall P. Jones, Jr.,
Acting Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 03-4878 Filed 2-28-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P