A preliminary distribution of $12,600,000 of Federal-aid funds will be made available to the States July 1,1963 for fish and wildlife restoration projects, Secretary of the Interior Stewart L. Udall announced today. The similar division a year ago was $12,350,000.
The balance of the Federal-aid funds will be apportioned during the fall of 1963, but the Department did not indicate the possible total. For the past five years wildlife restoration funds have averaged $14,8 million annually and fish restoration funds approximately %5.3 million each year.
Of the $12,600,000 just allocated, $10,200,000 is wildlife restoration and $2,400,000 for fish projects.
Secretary Udall said that early distribution is being made again this year to help the States better program their Federal-aid activities.
“Early distribution is of special importance to those States operating on a revolving fund basis,” the Department explained.
Under the Federal aid programs for restoring fish and wildlife, States spend their own funds on approved projects and are then reimbursed up to 75 percent of the cost. Many States have exhausted or soon will exhaust their Federal-aid funds for programming their projects for the next fiscal year, which begins July 1.
Federal-aid funds come from and excise tax on sporting arms and ammunition and on fishing rods, reels, creels and artificial lures. Distribution of the two funs is made on formulas based upon the number of paid license holder in a State and on the State area, as spelled out by law.
Laws establishing the Federal aid to fish and wildlife restoration programs also provides $10,000 each for such projects on Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. The total funds these territories are entitled to for the fiscal year 1964 is included in the preliminary apportionment made today. The Federal aid acts are administered by the Fish and Wildlife Service’s Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife.
The attached table shows the preliminary distribution of funds to each States July 1, 1963.
Preliminary Apportionment for Federal Aid in Fish and Wildlife Restoration Fiscal Year 1964
State Fish Wildlife
Alabama $41,614.44 $191,322.72
Alaska 118,500.00 508,500.00
Arizona 45,480.74 230,150.11
Arkansas 44,720.69 175,199.40
California 118,500.00 476,509.42
*Colorado 56,039.05 *171,828.77
Connecticut 23,700.00 50,850.00
Delaware 23,700.00 50,850.00
Florida 51,141.80 154,928.85
Georgia 49,488.61 179,763.90
Hawaii 23,700.00 50,850.00
Idaho 38.863.00 196,474.12
Illinois 62,097.59 253,922.34
Iowa 42,809.36 198,611.45
Kansas 40,611.61 206,301.72
Kentucky 31,910.64 145,187.35
Louisiana 28,910.49 165,611.68
Maine 24,811.09 115,119.59
Maryland 23,700.00 71,899.27
Massachusetts 23,700.00 53,440.02
Michigan 87,776.57 376,932.16
Minnesota 108,557.80 301,140.22
Mississippi 32,131.40 146,627.13
Missouri 64,714.50 229,256.86
Montana 56,218.31 312,203.96
Nebraska 35,925,65 193,486.54
Nevada 34,740.91 197,390.29
New Hampshire 23,700.00 50,850.00
New Jersey 23,700.00 79,483.03
New Mexico 43,018.74 238,799.16
New York 62,929.07 317,028.94
North Carolina 23,700.00 144,265.97
North Dakota 23,700.00 144,265.97
Ohio 66,373.61 282,844.42
Oklahoma 49.771.45 188,081.23
Oregon 55,791.63 266,649.28
Pennsylvania 52,350.81 411,814.61
Rhode Island 23,700.00 50,850.00
South Carolina 27,119.91 110,251.48
South Dakota 31,082.83 198,839.74
Tennessee 54,410.81 217,719.25
Utah 34,859.52 201,048.48
Vermont 23,700.00 52.217.30
Washington 44,449.03 215,839.02
West Virginia 23,700.00 111,272.55
Wyoming 35,787.80 200,094.87
*Apportionment based on land area
