US Fish & Wildlife Service Press Release: Service Seeks Proposals from States for 2007 Endangered Species Grants

   The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is currently seeking proposals
from states and U.S. territories interested in securing Federal grant
assistance to acquire land or plan for endangered species conservation
efforts. For fiscal year 2007, the President’s budget request for the
Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund would provide
approximately $80 million in grant funding for conservation planning
activities and habitat acquisition for federally protected species.
Proposals must be submitted to the appropriate Service Regional Offices by
February 7, 2007.

      “Providing grants to our state partners is one of the most important
tools we have to conserve imperiled species," said Service Director H. Dale
Hall. "These grants enable states to build partnerships with local
communities and private landowners to support voluntary stewardship efforts
for wildlife conservation nationwide.”

      The Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund is authorized
under Section 6 of the Endangered Species Act and provides grants to states
and territories to support participation in a wide array of voluntary
conservation projects for species on the Federal list of threatened and
endangered species, as well as for species that are either candidates or
have been proposed for listing.

      The Service is seeking proposals under three Cooperative Endangered
Species Conservation Fund categories:

      Recovery Land Acquisition Grants - These grants provide funds to
states and territories for acquisition of threatened and endangered species
habitat in support of approved recovery plans. Acquiring habitat in order
to secure long term protection is often the critical element in a
comprehensive recovery effort for a listed species.

      Habitat Conservation Planning Assistance Grants - These grants
provide funds to states and territories to support the development of
Habitat Conservation Plans (HCPs). The purpose of an HCP is to ensure
adequate protection for threatened and endangered species, while at the
same time providing for economic growth and development. These grants
provide support for baseline surveys and inventories, document preparation,
outreach, and similar planning activities.

      HCP Land Acquisition Grants - These grants provide funds to states
and territories to acquire land associated with approved HCPs. Grants do
not fund the mitigation required of an HCP permittee; instead, they support
acquisitions by the State or local governments that complement actions
associated with the HCP.

      By law, the state or territory must have a current cooperative
agreement with the Service and contribute 25 percent of the estimated
program costs of approved projects, or 10 percent when two or more states
or territories undertake a joint project. The grants are expected to be
awarded during summer 2007.

      For more information about these grants and grant application
requirements contact: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of
Consultation, Habitat Conservation Planning, Recovery and State Grants,
4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Room 420, Arlington, VA 22203, 703-358-2106.
Information also can be accessed at http://www.fws.gov/endangered/grants/ .

      The Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund is identified in
the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance as number 15.615.

                                                  - FWS -

    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 95-million- acre National Wildlife Refuge
System, which encompasses 545 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small
wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national
fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resources offices, and 81 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 and Native American Tribal governments
with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Assistance
program, which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes
on fishing and hunting equipment to State fish and wildlife agencies.