[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 26 (Monday, February 9, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5999-6000]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-2717]


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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 5, 2004, and July 30, 2004.

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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: North American Wetlands Conservation 
Council Coordinator at (703) 358-1784 or [email protected], David Buie 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 x 129 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 x 141 or [email protected].
Pacific Coast (AK, coastal areas of northern CA, HI, coastal areas of 
OR

[[Page 6000]]

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 x 252 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 United States. 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 $50,001 to 
$1,000,000 per proposal (if well justified, more funds 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 (16 U.S.C. 4401 et seq.) 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 2004 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 et seq.), the Office of Management and Budget has 
assigned clearance number 1018-0100 to this information collection. 
Collection 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 may 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 222 ARLSQ, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington, DC 
20240.
    New NAWCA Proposal Information: Six documents are available on the 
Internet at http://birdhabitat.fws.gov and are summarized below:
    1. 2004 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. 2004 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 4-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 establishment). Match must be non-Federal and at 
least equal to the grant request (referred to as a 1:1 match). Match is 
eligible up to 2 years prior to the year the proposal is submitted, and 
grant and match funds are eligible during the 2-year future Grant 
Agreement period.
    3. 2004 Proposal Instructions. Describes changes from the 2003 
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. 2004 Word Proposal Outline. A fill-in-the-blank proposal using 
the Word program.
    5. 2004 WordPerfect Proposal Outline. A fill-in-the-blank proposal 
using the WordPerfect program.
    6. 2004 Excel Budget Table. A fill-in-the-blank budget table for 
those who do not want to use the budget tables provided in the Word and 
WordPerfect files.

    Dated: December 24, 2003.
Marshall P. Jones, Jr.,
Deputy Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 04-2717 Filed 2-6-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P