Thanks to a new Wildlife Conservation and Restoration Program, State and Territorial fish and wildlife agencies will share $50 million in new funds. These funds are targeted at wildlife species deemed most in need of additional conservation efforts, acting U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Acting Director Marshall Jones announced today.
According to Jones, the law authorizing the new program directs States to provide priority funding for species with the greatest conservation need. AInitially, we=re asking each State to describe how it will determine which species are in the most need of assistance, and how they anticipate these species will benefit from this new program," Jones said.
The agencies may use the money from the new program for wildlife conservation through land acquisition, habitat improvement, research, education, and other areas. A percentage of the funds may also help pay for wildlife-related recreation projects, such as the construction or improvement of wildlife viewing areas, observation platforms, and land and water trails.
As provided by law, no State may receive more than 5 percent or less than 1 percent of the available funds. The District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico will receive one-half of 1 percent and Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands will receive one-fourth of 1 percent. A copy of the preliminary apportionments table is available at http://fa.r9.fws.gov">.
The new program was created by Congress last year during passage of the Commerce, Justice, State Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2001. Like the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Program which it expands, the program pays for up to 75 percent of the cost of each project while the States contribute at least 25 percent of the cost. These funds are meant to supplement, but not replace, existing funds available from the Federal Aid in Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Programs for new projects and activities as well as to enhance ongoing ones.
The popular user-pays, user-benefits Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Program and the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Program are financed by excise taxes on sporting arms, fishing and boating gear, and motorboat fuels. Collectively, these programs have raised more than $5.2 billion to assist States in the conservation and restoration of sport fish and wildlife species. While these programs are funded by permanent appropriation, the new Wildlife Conservation and Restoration Program requires Congressional approval of funding on an annual basis to continue.
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 93-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System which encompasses more than 530 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 66 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resource offices and 78 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 governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Aid program that distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and Hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.
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