§941c Identification, Review, and Implementation of Proposals and Regional Projects

Summary

The Director must encourage and, when money is available, carry out fish and wildlife restoration proposals and regional projects for the Great Lakes Basin. Each year the Director asks State Directors and Indian Tribes, working with partners, to send in proposals in the form the Director requires. Proposals must follow several Great Lakes and wildlife plans and agreements (like water quality, fisheries, invasive species control, waterfowl plans, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, and each State wildlife action plan). The Great Lakes Fishery Commission keeps responsibility for controlling sea lamprey. A review committee under the Fish and Wildlife Service will review the proposals. Each State Director and Tribe sends two people: one who sits on the Council of Lake Committees and one wildlife expert. The Service is an observer. Committee members must step aside if their own group sent the proposal. The Committee meets at least once a year, reviews proposals, and tells the Director which to fund. The Director then picks projects to fund, if money is available, and must consider the Committee’s advice and the goals in section 941d. Non‑Federal partners must pay at least 25% of project costs (except sea lamprey barriers). That match can be given during the two years before January 1 of the year the Director gets the application. The value of land or conservation easements and costs to secure or restore them can count toward the 25% if they meet appraisal and holding rules (appraisal within 1 year after the easement price was set, follow USPAP, and done by a Federal- or State‑certified appraiser). Regional projects may be exempt from the match if no law requires it. Federal money cannot be counted as non‑Federal matching funds. Nothing here changes tribal cost‑share rules under the Indian Self‑Determination and Education Assistance Act.