[Federal Register: February 26, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 38)] [Notices] [Page 9522-9523] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr26fe99-87] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service North American Wetlands Conservation Council; Availability of Grant Application Instructions AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of availability. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The U.S. North American Wetlands Conservation Act Standard Grant Application Instructions booklet and computer disk are now available. In addition, both will be available via the Internet in early 1999. DATES: Proposals may be submitted at any time. To ensure adequate review time prior to North American Wetlands Conservation Council meetings, due dates continue to be the first Friday in April (April 2, 1999) and August (August 6, 1999). ADDRESSES: For a copy of the booklet and/or disk, contact the Fish and Wildlife Service Publications Unit, c/o National Conservation Training Center Support Services, Route 1, Box 166, Shepherd Grade Road, Shepherdstown, WV 25443 in writing or by phone (304) 876-7203 during normal business hours. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: North American Wetlands Conservation Council Coordinator at (703)358-1784, R9ARW__NAWWO@MAIL.FWS.GOV or WWW.FWS.GOV/R9NAWWO/NAWCAHP. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Council has two U.S. conservation grants programs for acquisition, restoration, and enhancement of wetlands. Any individual or organization who has a long-term, partner-based project with matching funds can apply. The focus of this notice is the larger (up to $1,000,000) grants program (a separate notice is issued for ``Small Grants''). The booklet provides the schedule, review criteria, definitions, information required in the proposal, and a format for proposals. The disk contains a proposal outline, budget table and Technical Assessment Questions (including species lists) in Word Perfect and Word word-processing programs. Major changes and clarifications since last year are: (1) Proposals must be unbound. (2) We require a Cover Page. (3) We require Standard Form 424 and attachments submitted with the proposal, rather than later. (4) We wrote instructions in plain language (active voice, more headers, more use of lists, and Table of Contents in question format). (5) We included Office of Management and Budget Information Collection Statement. (6) We replaced the term ``overhead'' with clearer statements. (7) We disallow the short-hand method for reporting numbers in the Budget Table. (8) Technical Assessment Question 2 non-waterfowl migratory birds lists are organized by Partners in Flight physical geographic areas. (9) We gave more information about what to expect after the proposal is approved for funding. (10) We require appraisals for grant and match tracts acquired and donated in fee or easement. (11) We must receive proposals by the first Friday in April and August (versus postmarked by). (12) Part 1 font size = 11 and suggested font face = Times New Roman. (13) We gave a Technical Assessment Questions Contacts table. (14) We listed more Internet web sites in the Directory. We prepared the booklet and disk to assist partners in developing proposals that comply with the ``North American Wetlands Conservation Act.'' The Act established a North American Wetlands Conservation Council, a Federal-State-Private body, that recommends projects to the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission for final approval. The Council requires that proposals contain a minimum of 50 percent non-Federal matching funds and follow a prescribed format. We have submitted information collection requirements to the OMB for review and approval under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Pub. Law 104-13. On August 24, 1998, OMB gave an emergency approval for this information collection requirement and assigned it approval number 1018-0100. Our request for continued approval has been submitted to OMB. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is [[Page 9523]] not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The information collection solicited: is necessary to gain a benefit in the form of a grant, as determined by the Council and the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission; 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. The information collections in this program will not be part of a system of records covered by the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552(a)). Dated: February 19, 1999. Jamie Rappaport Clark, Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. [FR Doc. 99-4803 Filed 2-25-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-55-P