The Secretary shall provide the amounts available in the Fund to designated State agencies on a matching basis to assist in carrying out wildlife conservation and appreciation projects that are eligible under subsection (b) of this section.
The following wildlife conservation and appreciation projects shall be eligible for matching funds from the Fund:
The Secretary shall not provide funding to carry out an eligible wildlife conservation and appreciation project unless the Secretary determines that such a project-
The amount of appropriated Federal funds provided from the Fund by the Secretary to any designated State Agency with respect to any fiscal year to carry out an eligible wildlife conservation and appreciation project under this section-
Of the total cost each fiscal year of each project carried out with amounts provided by the Secretary under subsection (a), at least 1/3 shall be paid with amounts from State, non-Federal sources, except that if designated State agencies from 2 or more States cooperate in implementing such a project at least 30 percent shall be paid with amounts from such State, non-Federal sources. Payments required by this paragraph may not be in the form of an in-kind contribution.
Of the total cost each fiscal year of each project carried out with amounts provided by the Secretary under subsection (a), at least 1/3 shall be paid with amounts from voluntary contributions by private entities or persons, except that if designated State agencies from 2 or more States cooperate in implementing such a project, at least 30 percent shall be paid from such sources. Subject to the approval of the Secretary, such contributions for a project may be in the form of, but are not required to be limited to, private cash donations, and the contribution of materials, equipment, or services necessary for the project.
No designated State agency shall be eligible to receive matching funds from the Wildlife Conservation and Appreciation Fund if revenue derived from activities regulated by such an agency is diverted for any purpose other than the management and conservation of fish and wildlife. Such revenue shall include, but not be limited to, all income from the sale of hunting, fishing and trapping licenses; all income from nongame checkoff systems; all income from the sale of waterfowl, habitat conservation, and other stamps that are requisite for engaging in certain activities regulated by the designated State agency; all income from the sale of any commodities and products by the designated State agency from lands and waters administered by the State for fish and wildlife purposes; and all funds apportioned to the designated State agency under the Federal Aid in Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Programs.
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Fund and to the Secretary not to exceed $6,250,000 for each of fiscal years 1999 through 2003.
16 U.S.C. § 3744
EDITORIAL NOTES
AMENDMENTS1998-Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 105-312 substituted "not to exceed $6,250,000 for each of fiscal years 1999 through 2003." for "for each of fiscal years 1992 through 1998 not to exceed $6,250,000." 1994-Subsec. (d)(5). Pub. L. 103-375, §6(4), struck out par. (5) which read as follows: "may not exceed the State share of the cost of implementing such a project."Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 103-375, §6(5), amended heading and text of subsec. (e) generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: "The share of the cost of carrying out eligible projects under this section shall be from a non-Federal source and shall not be in the form of an in-kind contribution."Subsec. (g)(2). Pub. L. 103-375, §6(6)(A), amended par. (2) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (2) read as follows: "The Secretary shall deposit into the Fund- "(A) amounts appropriated to the Secretary for deposit to the Fund, of which not more than 4 percent shall be available to the Secretary and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to defray the costs of administering this chapter and evaluating wildlife conservation and appreciation projects; and "(B) amounts received as donations from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation or other private entities or persons for deposit to the Fund."Subsec. (g)(3), (4). Pub. L. 103-375, §6(6)(B), struck out pars. (3) and (4) which read as follows:"(3) The Secretary may accept and use donations from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and other private entities or persons for purposes of assisting States under this section."(4) Of the total amount provided from the Fund to assist a State in carrying out a wildlife conservation and appreciation project under subsection (a) of this section, at least 50 percent shall have been donated to the Fund by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation."Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 103-375, §6(7), substituted "1998" for "1995" and struck out before period at end "to match the amount of contributions made to the Fund by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation".
- Fund
- The term "Fund" means the Wildlife Conservation and Appreciation Fund established under section 3744(g) of this title.
- National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
- The term "National Fish and Wildlife Foundation" means the charitable and nonprofit corporation established under section 3701 of this title.
- Secretary
- The term "Secretary" means the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
- State
- The term "State" means any of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, the United States Virgin Islands, or American Samoa.
- designated State agency
- The term "designated State agency" means the government agency, department, or division of any State that is empowered under the laws of the State to exercise the functions ordinarily exercised by a State fish and wildlife agency.
- fish and wildlife
- The term "fish and wildlife" means wild members of the animal kingdom that are in an unconfined state.
- nonconsumptive activities
- The term "nonconsumptive activities" means fish and wildlife associated activities other than harvesting of fish and wildlife and includes, but is not limited to, photographing, observing, learning about, or associating with, fish and wildlife.
- conservation
- The terms "conserve" and "conservation" mean to use, and the use of, such methods and procedures which are necessary to ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, the well being and enhancement of fish and wildlife and their habitats for the educational, aesthetic, cultural, recreational, scientific, and ecological enrichment of the public. Such methods and procedures may include, but are not limited to, any activity associated with scientific resources management, such as research, census, law enforcement, habitat acquisition, maintenance, development, information, education, population manipulation, propagation, technical assistance to private landowners, live trapping, and transplantation.
- conserve
- The terms "conserve" and "conservation" mean to use, and the use of, such methods and procedures which are necessary to ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, the well being and enhancement of fish and wildlife and their habitats for the educational, aesthetic, cultural, recreational, scientific, and ecological enrichment of the public. Such methods and procedures may include, but are not limited to, any activity associated with scientific resources management, such as research, census, law enforcement, habitat acquisition, maintenance, development, information, education, population manipulation, propagation, technical assistance to private landowners, live trapping, and transplantation.