April 5, 2007                                       

Contact: Nicholas Throckmorton, 202/208-5636
              Barb Perkins, 303/236-4588 

U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE AWARDS GRANTS TO STATES
TO CONSERVE IMPERILED WILDLIFE 

Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne announced today that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will award state and territorial wildlife agencies more than $60 million to help prevent imperiled wildlife from suffering further decline. The State Wildlife Grant program is designed to provide annual funding to all state and territorial fish and wildlife agencies that have established comprehensive conservation plans, also known as wildlife action plans.   

"States know the most about conservation issues within their borders,” said Secretary Kempthorne. “Taken together, all 56 state and territorial wildlife action plans represent the most comprehensive national assessment of the health of fish and wildlife resources, and steps needed to ensure healthy populations.  The State Wildlife Grant programs demonstrate our support of conservation partnerships with state, tribal and territorial wildlife agencies as well as private partners." 

All 56 state agencies have approved plans that collectively provide a nationwide blueprint of actions to conserve imperiled species and prevent them from becoming threatened or endangered. The plans were created in a collaborative effort that included biologists, conservationists, landowners, sportsmen and the general public. The plans were reviewed by a national team that included the Fish and Wildlife Service and directors from state wildlife agencies.   

"The bottom line is that we use a strong pro-active approach in constructing our state wildlife action plans to ensure the health and survival of all wildlife," said Ed Parker, president of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and Chief of the Bureau of Natural Resources for the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection. "It has resulted in closer working relationships with other conservation agencies and organization within our states." 

"The plans describe what species and habitats are declining but not yet necessarily endangered," continued Kempthorne. "By using this information, we can act now before it's too late. The Administration is excited about this historic milestone because it represents our best chance for large scale cost-effective conservation. This sentiment is shared widely by others in the conservation community." 

A state may receive no more than 5 percent or no less than 1 percent of the available funds. The District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico each receive 0.5 percent and Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands each receive 0.25 percent.  The apportionment is based on a formula that uses the state's land area and population.            

Under legislation signed by President Bush in 2001, states and territories so far have received a total of $367 million in grants for conservation efforts. The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number for the State Wildlife Grants is 15.634. To learn more about a particular state's plan, please see <http://www.teaming.com/wildlife_state.htm>.   

State Wildlife Grants Apportionment

FY 2007

Alabama ............................. $943,908
Alaska............................. $3,037,742
American Samoa................ $151,887
Arizona ........................... $1,438,901
Arkansas ........................... $709,703
California......................... $3,037,742
Colorado ....................... $1,261,171
Connecticut........................ $607,549
Delaware ........................... $607,549
District of Columbia ............ $303,774
Florida.............................. $2,573,362
Georgia ........................... $1,504,219
Guam .................................. $151,887
Hawaii ................................ $607,549
Idaho .................................. $715,817
Illinois ............................... $2,069,216
Indiana ............................. $1,068,451
Iowa................................... $764,369
Kansas .............................. $899,104
Kentucky............................ $815,521
Louisiana ............................ $921,265
Maine.................................. $607,549
Maryland ............................ $795,081
Massachusetts................... $925,613
Michigan.......................... $1,741,693
Minnesota ........................ $1,219,285
Mississippi.......................... $697,916
Missouri ........................... $1,217,576
Montana........................ $1,070,615
N. Mariana Islands.............. $151,887
Nebraska .......................... $733,134
Nevada ............................... $986,354
New Hampshire................. $607,549
New Jersey .................... $1,206,498
New Mexico .................... $1,032,733
New York........................ $2,923,676
North Carolina ................. $1,445,132
North Dakota .................... $607,549
Ohio................................. $1,826,065
Oklahoma ........................... $924,146
Oregon............................ $1,094,903
Pennsylvania.................... $1,979,191
Puerto Rico ......................... $303,774
Rhode Island...................... $607,549
South Carolina.................... $751,611
South Dakota ................... $607,549
Tennessee ...................... $1,053,066
Texas.............................. $3,037,742
Utah ................................... $853,423
Vermont ............................. $607,549
Virgin Islands ..................... $151,887
Virginia............................. $1,234,024
Washington..................... $1,248,303
West Virginia...................... $607,549
Wisconsin....................... $1,098,437
Wyoming.......................... $607,549
Total ............................. $60,754,843