16 U.S.C. § 777m — Multistate conservation grant program

1. (a)In general
   1. (1)Amount for grantsNot more than $3,000,000 shall be distributed to the Secretary of the Interior for making multistate conservation project grants in accordance with this section.
   2. (2)Period of availability; apportionment
      1. (A)Period of availabilityAmounts 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.
      2. (B)ApportionmentAt the end of the period of availability under subparagraph (A), the Secretary of the Interior shall apportion any amounts that remain available among the States in the manner specified in section 777c(c) of this title for use by the States in the same manner as funds apportioned under section 777c(c) of this title.
2. (b)Selection of projects
   1. (1)States or entities to be benefitedA project shall not be eligible for a grant under this section unless the project will benefit—
      1. (A)at least 26 States;
      2. (B)a majority of the States in a region of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service; or
      3. (C)a regional association of State fish and game departments.
   2. (2)Use of submitted priority list of projectsThe 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. (3)Priority list of projectsA 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—
      1. (A)prepares through a committee comprised of the heads of State fish and game departments (or their designees), in consultation with—
         1. (i)nongovernmental organizations that represent conservation organizations;
         2. (ii)sportsmen organizations; and
         3. (iii)industries that fund the sport fish restoration programs under this chapter;
      2. (B)approves by vote of a majority of the heads of State fish and game departments (or their designees); and
      3. (C)not later than October 1 of each fiscal year, submits to the Assistant Director for Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Programs.
   4. (4)PublicationThe Assistant Director for Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Programs shall publish in the Federal Register each priority list submitted under paragraph (3)(C).
3. (c)Eligible grantees
   1. (1)In generalThe Secretary of the Interior may make a grant under this section only to—
      1. (A)a State or group of States;
      2. (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
      3. (C)subject to paragraph (2), a nongovernmental organization.
   2. (2)Nongovernmental organizations
      1. (A)In generalAny 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—
         1. (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
         2. (ii)will use the grant funds in compliance with subsection (d).
      2. (B)Penalties for certain activitiesAny 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.
4. (d)Use of grantsA 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.
5. (e)Funding for other activitiesNot 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. (1)$200,000 shall be made available for each of—
      1. (A)the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission;
      2. (B)the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission;
      3. (C)the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission; and
      4. (D)the Great Lakes Fisheries Commission.
   2. (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. (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.
6. (f)Nonapplicability of chapter 10 of title 5Chapter 10 of title 5 shall not apply to any activity carried out under this section.