16 U.S.C. § 777M
Section 777m · Multistate conservation grant program
Current version, with additions and removals from the November 1, 2000 version.
(1) Amount for grants
(1) Amount for grants
(2) Period of availability; apportionment
(2) Period of availability; apportionment
(A) Period of availability
(A) Period of availability
Amounts made available under paragraph (1) shall remain available for making grants only for the first fiscal year for which the amount is made available and the following fiscal year.
Amounts made available under paragraph (1) shall remain available for making grants only for the first fiscal year for which the amount is made available and the following fiscal year.
(B) Apportionment
(B) Apportionment
(1) States or entities to be benefited
(1) States or entities to be benefited
A project shall not be eligible for a grant under this section unless the project will benefit—
A project shall not be eligible for a grant under this section unless the project will benefit—
(A) at least 26 States;
(A) at least 26 States;
(B) a majority of the States in a region of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service; or
(B) a majority of the States in a region of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service; or
(C) a regional association of State fish and game departments.
(C) a regional association of State fish and game departments.
(2) Use of submitted priority list of projects
(2) Use of submitted priority list of projects
The Secretary of the Interior may make grants under this section only for projects identified on a priority list of sport fish restoration projects described in paragraph (3).
The Secretary of the Interior may make grants under this section only for projects identified on a priority list of sport fish restoration projects described in paragraph (3).
(3) Priority list of projects
(3) Priority list of projects
A priority list referred to in paragraph (2) is a priority list of sport fish restoration projects that the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies—
A priority list referred to in paragraph (2) is a priority list of sport fish restoration projects that the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies—
(A) prepares through a committee comprised of the heads of State fish and game departments (or their designees), in consultation with—
(A) prepares through a committee comprised of the heads of State fish and game departments (or their designees), in consultation with—
(i) nongovernmental organizations that represent conservation organizations;
(i) nongovernmental organizations that represent conservation organizations;
(ii) sportsmen organizations; and
(ii) sportsmen organizations; and
(iii) industries that fund the sport fish restoration programs under this chapter;
(iii) industries that fund the sport fish restoration programs under this chapter;
(B) approves by vote of a majority of the heads of State fish and game departments (or their designees); and
(B) approves by vote of a majority of the heads of State fish and game departments (or their designees); and
(C) not later than October 1 of each fiscal year, submits to the Assistant Director for Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Programs.
(C) not later than October 1 of each fiscal year, submits to the Assistant Director for Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Programs.
(4) Publication
(4) Publication
The Assistant Director for Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Programs shall publish in the Federal Register each priority list submitted under paragraph (3)(C).
The Assistant Director for Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Programs shall publish in the Federal Register each priority list submitted under paragraph (3)(C).
(1) In general
(1) In general
The Secretary of the Interior may make a grant under this section only to—
The Secretary of the Interior may make a grant under this section only to—
(A) a State or group of States;
(A) a State or group of States;
(B) the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, or a State or group of States, for the purpose of carrying out the National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation; and
(B) the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, or a State or group of States, for the purpose of carrying out the National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation; and
(C) subject to paragraph (2), a nongovernmental organization.
(C) subject to paragraph (2), a nongovernmental organization.
(2) Nongovernmental organizations
(2) Nongovernmental organizations
(A) In general
(A) In general
Any nongovernmental organization that applies for a grant under this section shall submit with the application to the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies a certification that the organization—
Any nongovernmental organization that applies for a grant under this section shall submit with the application to the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies a certification that the organization—
(i) will not use the grant funds to fund, in whole or in part, any activity of the organization that promotes or encourages opposition to the regulated taking of fish; and
(i) will not use the grant funds to fund, in whole or in part, any activity of the organization that promotes or encourages opposition to the regulated taking of fish; and
(B) Penalties for certain activities
(B) Penalties for certain activities
Any nongovernmental organization that is found to use grant funds in violation of subparagraph (A) shall return all funds received under this section and be subject to any other applicable penalties under law.
Any nongovernmental organization that is found to use grant funds in violation of subparagraph (A) shall return all funds received under this section and be subject to any other applicable penalties under law.
A grant under this section shall not be used, in whole or in part, for an activity, project, or program that promotes or encourages opposition to the regulated taking of fish.
A grant under this section shall not be used, in whole or in part, for an activity, project, or program that promotes or encourages opposition to the regulated taking of fish.
Of the balance of each annual appropriation made under section 777b of this title remaining after the distribution and use under subsections (a), (b), and (c) of section 777c of this title for each fiscal year and after deducting amounts used for grants under subsection (a) of this section—
Not more than $1,200,000 of each annual appropriation made in accordance with the provisions of section 777b of this title shall be distributed to the Secretary of the Interior for use as follows:
(1) $200,000 shall be made available for each of—
(1) $200,000 shall be made available for each of—
(A) the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission;
(A) the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission;
(B) the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission;
(B) the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission;
(C) the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission; and
(C) the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission; and
(2) $400,000 shall be made available for the Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council established by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
(2) $400,000 shall be made available for the Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council established by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
(3) A portion, as determined by the Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council, of funds disbursed for the purposes described in paragraph (2) but remaining unobligated as of October 1, 2021, shall be used to study the impact of derelict vessels and identify recyclable solutions for recreational vessels.