Cancellation of Federal Aid in Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Administrative Project Funding

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Cancellation of Federal Aid in Sport Fish and Wildlife

Restoration Administrative Project Funding

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Service is canceling funding for Federal Aid in Wildlife

Restoration and Sport Fish Restoration administrative projects.

Existing grants for projects approved for funding in Fiscal Year 1999,

or prior years, will not be affected by this notice.

DATES: This action takes effect July 26, 1999.

ADDRESSES: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Chief, Division of Federal

Aid.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Robert E. Lange, Jr., Chief,

Division of Federal Aid, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS 140 ARLSQ,

4401 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, Virginia, 22203: (703) 358-2156.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Administrative funds are authorized by the

Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration and Federal Aid in Sport Fish

Restoration Acts to pay expenses incurred by the Fish and Wildlife

Service in administering these programs. We may deduct up to eight

percent for the Wildlife Restoration program and up to six percent for

the Sport Fish Restoration program, with remaining funds apportioned to

State fish and wildlife agencies for fish and wildlife restoration and

management projects. We have used our discretionary authority to

disperse some of the funds deducted for administration to support

important national fish and wildlife projects, within the scope of the

Acts, that provide collective benefits for a majority of the States.

In the past, we have published an annual notice in the Federal

Register announcing a deadline for project proposals, the amount of

administrative funds available for Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration

projects, and procedures to be followed for submitting proposals.

States, local governments, charitable organizations, educational

institutions, and other authorized groups have applied for grants

according to those procedures.

On September 16, 1998, we published alternatives to Federal Aid

Administrative Grants in the Federal Register. That notice identified

five alternative procedures for administering those grants. Public

comments were invited through November 16, 1998. Twenty-two of the

twenty-five comments received identified Alternative 3 (enhance

existing program without Federal Register Notice) as the preferred

alternative. However, subsequent to the analysis of comments, we

determined that increased costs for administering the Wildlife

Restoration and Sport Fish Restoration programs precludes further

funding of administrative grants. The increased costs arise from three

pressing needs. First, the costs of automating the grants delivery

system are more than expected--much greater than two years ago when the

process began. Second, the audits of State systems by the Defense

Contract Audit Agency are a substantial cost that was not present

several years ago. Third, the cost of administering the small grants

programs, created by amendments to the Sport Fish Restoration Act

(Clean Vessel Act Pumpout Program, the Boating Infrastructure Program,

and the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Program)

must be assessed against the Sport Fish Restoration Program. One of the

actions being taken to balance the administrative expenses budget is to

cancel the Federal Aid in Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration

administrative project funding effective in Fiscal Year 2000. Projects

approved for funding in Fiscal 1999 will not be affected by this

decision.

[[Page 40387]]

Dated: July 19, 1999.

John G. Rogers,

Acting, Director.

[FR Doc. 99-19040 Filed 7-23-99; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310-55-M