[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 7 (Tuesday, January 12, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1651-1653]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-355]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R1-ES-2009-N232; 91400-5110-0000-7B; 91400-9410-0000-7B]


Multistate Conservation Grant Program; Priority List for 
Conservation Projects

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of receipt of priority list.

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[[Page 1652]]

SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), announce the FY 
2010 priority list of wildlife and sport fish conservation projects 
from the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA). As required 
by the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Programs Improvement Act of 
2000, AFWA submits a list of projects to us each year to consider for 
funding under the Multistate Conservation Grant program. We then review 
and award grants from this list.

ADDRESSES: John C. Stremple, Multistate Conservation Grants Program 
Coordinator, Division of Federal Assistance, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, 4401 North Fairfax Drive, Mail Stop MBSP-4020, Arlington, 
Virginia 22203.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John C. Stremple, (703) 358-2156 
(phone) or [email protected] (e-mail).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration 
Programs Improvement Act of 2000 (Improvement Act, Pub. L. 106-408) 
amended the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 669 
et seq.) and the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 
777 et seq.) and established the Multistate Conservation Grant Program. 
The Improvement Act authorizes us to award grants of up to $3 million 
annually from funds available under each of the Restoration Acts, for a 
total of up to $6 million annually. We may award grants from a list of 
priority projects recommended to us by AFWA. The FWS Director, 
exercising the authority of the Secretary of the Interior, need not 
fund all projects on the list, but all projects funded must be on the 
list.
    Grantees under this program may use funds for sport fisheries and 
wildlife management and research projects, boating access development, 
hunter safety and education, aquatic education, fish and wildlife 
habitat improvements, and other purposes consistent with the enabling 
legislation.
    To be eligible for funding, a project must benefit fish and/or 
wildlife conservation in at least 26 States, or in a majority of the 
States in any one FWS Region, or it must benefit a regional association 
of State fish and wildlife agencies. We may award grants to a State, a 
group of States, or one or more nongovernmental organizations. For the 
purpose of carrying out the National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and 
Wildlife-Associated Recreation, we may award grants to the FWS, if 
requested by AFWA, or to a State or a group of States. Also, AFWA 
requires all project proposals to address its National Conservation 
Needs, which are announced annually by AFWA at the same time as its 
request for proposals. Further, applicants must provide certification 
that no activities conducted under a Multistate Conservation grant will 
promote or encourage opposition to regulated hunting or trapping of 
wildlife or to regulated angling or taking of fish.
    Eligible project proposals are reviewed and ranked by AFWA 
Committees and interested nongovernmental organizations that represent 
conservation organizations, sportsmen's organizations, and industries 
that support or promote fishing, hunting, trapping, recreational 
shooting, bowhunting, or archery. AFWA's Committee on National Grants 
recommends a final list of priority projects to the directors of State 
fish and wildlife agencies for their approval by majority vote. By 
statute, AFWA then must transmit the final approved list to the FWS for 
funding under the Multistate Conservation Grant program by October 1.
    This year, we received a list of 13 recommended projects. We 
recommend them for funding in 2010. AFWA's recommended list follows:

                                      MSCGP 2010 Cycle Recommended Projects
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                                                                                                    Total 2009
        ID                    Title                Submitter        WR request      SFR request    grant request
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10-007...........  State Fish and Wildlife     AFWA.............      $82,500.00      $82,500.00     $165,000.00
                    Agency Director Travel
                    Administration and
                    Coordination.
10-008...........  State Fish and Wildlife     AFWA.............      318,920.71      318,920.71      637,841.42
                    Agency Coordination and
                    Administration.
10-009...........  Why Do Some Anglers Not     AFWA.............            0.00      289,536.00      289,536.00
                    Fish Every Year, and
                    Others Do?.
10-011...........  Protect State Wildlife      AFWA.............       70,125.00       70,125.00      140,250.00
                    Agencies Authority to
                    Sustainably Manage
                    Wildlife Resources in
                    Concert with Federal
                    Actions Required by
                    International Treaties
                    and Conventions.
10-014...........  Identifying and             AFWA.............       60,000.00       60,000.00      120,000.00
                    Implementing Climate
                    Change Adaptation
                    Strategies for Natural
                    Resources: A Series of
                    Regional Climate Change
                    Workshops for State Fish
                    and Wildlife Agencies.
10-016...........  Establishment of a          University of          405,000.00            0.00      337,500.00
                    National United States      Tennessee and
                    Department of Agriculture   WMI.
                    Farm Service Agency
                    Liaison Biologist
                    Position.
10-026...........  Implementation of the       WMI..............      296,560.00            0.00      296,560.00
                    Hunting Heritage Action
                    Plan.
10-027...........  Midwest Fish Habitat        MAFWA............            0.00      398,000.00      398,000.00
                    Partnerships: Meeting
                    National Fish Habitat
                    Action Plan Goals through
                    Development of a
                    Coordinated Scientific
                    Network.
10-025...........  Explore Bowhunting          ATA..............      266,217.30            0.00      266,217.30
                    Education Program.
10-032...........  Coordination of the         AFWA.............       90,600.00       90,600.00      181,200.00
                    Industry and Federal and
                    State Agency Coalition.
10-055...........  Formulating a Vision for    MSU..............            0.00      480,932.00      480,932.00
                    Fish Health Management in
                    Fishery Conservation:
                    Bridging Knowledge Gaps.
10-057...........  Hunting Heritage            NWTF.............      173,300.00            0.00      173,300.00
                    Conservation Challenge
                    Badge Initiative.

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10-063...........  Coordination 10-063 of      AFWA.............       79,320.00       79,320.00      158,640.00
                    Farm Bill Program
                    Implementation to
                    Optimize Fish and
                    Wildlife Benefits to the
                    States.
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  Total..........  ..........................  .................    1,870,433.71    1,816,825.71    3,645,476.72
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    Dated: November 17, 2009.
Daniel M. Ashe,
Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-355 Filed 1-11-10; 8:45 am]
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