The Service is seeking proposals for the following grant programs:

Landowner Incentive Program (LIP)

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is seeking proposals from States and territories for funding under the Bush Administration’s innovative Landowner Incentive Program (LIP).

The Landowner Incentive Program, a $19 million competitive grant program for State and territorial fish and wildlife agencies, supports collaborative efforts with private landowners interested in conserving natural habitat while they continue to engage in traditional land-use practices. It establishes or supplements existing landowner incentive programs that provide technical or financial assistance to private landowners for the protection, restoration, and management of habitat to benefit species at-risk, including Federally-listed endangered or threatened species as well as proposed or candidate species on private land.

Landowners interested in participating in the LIP should contact their State fish and wildlife agency. The deadline for States to submit proposals to the Service is (this date will be 60 days after the Fed Reg Notice is published).

For more information on this grant program and on how and where to submit proposals, please visit the Service’s website at http://federalaid.fws.gov/lip/lipguidelines.html. You may also contact: Landowner Incentive Program, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Federal Assistance, 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, MS-FA4020, Arlington, VA 22203, or by calling (703) 358-2156.

Recovery Land Acquisition Grants

These grants provide funds to states and territories for acquisition of habitat for endangered and threatened species in support of approved recovery plans. Acquisition of habitat to secure long term protection is often an essential element of a comprehensive recovery effort for a listed species.

Habitat Conservation Planning Assistance Grants

These grants provide funds to states and territories to support the development of Habitat Conservation Plans (HCPs), through the support of baseline surveys and inventories, document preparation, outreach, and similar planning activities.

HCP Land Acquisition Grants

These grants provide funds to states and territories to acquire land associated with approved HCPs. Grants do not fund the mitigation required of an HCP permittee; instead, they support acquisitions by the State or local governments that complement actions associated with the HCP.

For more information about these endangered species grants contact: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Consultation, Habitat Conservation Planning, Recovery and State Grants, 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Room 420, Arlington, VA 22203, 703-358-2106.

Information also can be accessed at http://endangered.fws.gov/grants/.