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Service Seeks Proposals from States for 2007 Endangered Species Grants
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The
U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service is currently seeking
proposals from states and
U.S. territories interested
in securing Federal grant
assistance to acquire land
or plan for endangered
species conservation efforts.
For fiscal year 2007,
the President’s
budget request for the Cooperative
Endangered Species Conservation
Fund would provide approximately
$80 million in grant funding
for conservation planning
activities and habitat acquisition
for federally protected species. Proposals
must be submitted to the
appropriate Service Regional
Offices by February 7, 2007.
“Providing
grants to our state partners
is one of the most important
tools we have to conserve
imperiled species," said
Service Director H. Dale
Hall. "These
grants enable states to
build partnerships with local
communities and private landowners
to support voluntary stewardship
efforts for wildlife conservation
nationwide.”
The
Cooperative Endangered Species
Conservation Fund is authorized
under Section 6 of the Endangered
Species Act and provides
grants to states and territories
to support participation
in a wide array of voluntary
conservation projects for
species on the Federal list
of threatened and endangered
species, as well as for species
that are either candidates
or have been proposed for
listing.
The
Service is seeking proposals
under three Cooperative Endangered
Species Conservation Fund
categories:
Recovery Land Acquisition
Grants -
These grants provide
funds to states and
territories for acquisition
of threatened and
endangered species
habitat in support
of approved recovery
plans. Acquiring
habitat in order
to secure long term
protection is often
the critical element
in 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).
The purpose of an HCP
is to ensure adequate
protection for threatened
and endangered species,
while at the same time
providing for economic
growth and development.
These grants provide
support for 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.
By
law, the state or territory
must have a current cooperative
agreement with the Service
and contribute 25 percent
of the estimated program
costs of approved projects,
or 10 percent when two
or more states or territories
undertake a joint project. The
grants are expected to
be awarded during summer
2007.
For
more information about these
grants and grant application
requirements 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://www.fws.gov/endangered/grants/ .
The
Cooperative Endangered Species
Conservation Fund is identified
in the Catalog of Federal
Domestic Assistance as number
15.615.
The
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
is the principal Federal
agency responsible for conserving,
protecting and enhancing
fish, wildlife and plants
and their habitats for the
continuing benefit of the
American people. The Service
manages the 95-million- acre
National Wildlife Refuge
System, which encompasses
545 national wildlife refuges,
thousands of small wetlands
and other special management
areas. It also operates 69
national fish hatcheries,
64 fishery resources offices,
and 81 ecological services
field stations. The agency
enforces Federal wildlife
laws, administers the Endangered
Species Act, manages migratory
bird populations, restores
nationally significant fisheries,
conserves and restores wildlife
habitat such as wetlands,
and helps foreign and Native
American Tribal governments
with their conservation efforts.
It also oversees the Federal
Assistance program, which
distributes hundreds of millions
of dollars in excise taxes
on fishing and hunting equipment
to State fish and wildlife
agencies.
For more information about the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, visit our home page at http://www.fws.gov/southeast or http://www.fws.gov/. NOTE: You can view our releases or subscribe to receive them -- via e-mail -- at the Service's Southeast Regional home page at http://www.fws.gov/southeast/news. Our national home page is at: http://news.fws.gov/newsreleases/. Atlanta, GA 30345, Phone: 404/679-7289 Fax: 404/679-7286 |
