Pub. L. 91-503, tit. I, sec. 102

Sec. 102. Sections 4, 5, 6,7, 8, and 8(a) of the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act of September 2, 1937 (16 U.S.C. 669c–669g–1), are, amended to read as follows: Sec. 4. (a) So much, not to exceed 8 per centum, of the revenues covered into said fund in each fiscal year as the Secretary of the Interior may estimate to be necessary for his expenses in the administration and execution of this Act and the Migratory Bird Conservation Act shall be deducted for that purpose, and such sum is authorized to be made available therefor until the expiration of the next succeeding fiscal year, and within sixty days after the close of such fiscal year the Secretary of the Interior shall apportion such part thereof as remains unexpended by him, if any, and make certificate thereof to the Secretary of the Treasury and to the State fish and game departments on the same basis and in the same manner as is provided as to other amounts authorized by this Act to be apportioned among the States for such current fiscal year. The Secretary of the Interior, after making the aforesaid deduction, shall apportion, except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, the remainder of the revenue in said fund for each fiscal year among the several States in the following manner: One-half in the ratio which the area of each State bears to the total area of all the States, and one-half in the ratio which the number of paid hunting-license holders of each State in the second fiscal year preceding the fiscal year for which such apportionment is made, as certified to said Secretary by the State fish and game departments, bears to the total number of paid hunting-license holders of all the States. Such apportionments shall be adjusted equitably so that no State shall receive less than one-half of 1 per centum nor more than 5 per centum of the total amount apportioned. The term fiscal year as used in this Act shall be a period of twelve consecutive months from July 1 through the succeeding June 30, except that the period for enumeration of paid hunting-license holders shall be a State’s fiscal or license year. “(b) One-half of the revenues accruing to the fund under this Act each fiscal year (beginning with the fiscal year 1971) from any tax imposed on pistols and revolvers shall be apportioned among the States in proportion to the ratio that the population of each State bears to the population of all the States: Provided, That each State shall be apportioned not more than 3 per centum and not less than 1 per centum of such revenues. For the purpose of this subsection, population shall be determined on the basis of the latest decennial census for which figures are available, as certified by the Secretary of Commerce. “Sec. 5. For each fiscal year, the Secretary of the Interior shall certify to the Secretary of the Treasury and to each State fish and 84 Stat. 1099game department the sum which he has estimated to be deducted for administering and executing this Act and the Migratory Bird Conservation Act and the sum which he has apportioned to each State. Any State desiring to avail itself of the benefits of this Act shall notify the Secretary of the Interior to this effect within sixty days after it has received the certification referred to in this section. The sum apportioned to any State which fails to notify the Secretary of the Interior as herein provided is authorized to be made available for expenditure by the Secretary of the Interior in carrying out the provisions of the Migratory Bird Conservation Act. “Sec. 6. (a) Any State desiring to avail itself of the benefits of this Act shall, by its State fish and game department, submit programs or projects for wildlife restoration in either of the following two ways: “(1) The State shall prepare and submit to the Secretary of the Interior a comprehensive fish and wildlife resource management plan which shall insure the perpetuation of these resources for the economic, scientific, and recreational enrichment of the people. Such plan shall be for a period of not less than five years and be based on projections of desires and needs of the people for a period of not less than fifteen years. It shall include provisions for updating at intervals of not more than three yea rs and be provided in a format as may be required by the Secretary of the Interior. If the Secretary of the Interior finds t hat such plans conform to standards established by him and approves such plans, he may finance up to 75 per centum of the cost of implementing segments of those plans meeting the purposes of this Act from funds apportioned under this Act upon his approval of an annual agreement submitted to him. “(2) A State may elect to avail itself of the benefits of this Act, by its State fish and game department submitting to the Secretary of the Interior full and detailed statements of any wildlife-rest oration project proposed for that State, If the Secretary of the Interior finds that such project meets with the standards set by him and approves said project, the State fish and game department shall furnish to him such surveys, plans, specifications, and estimates therefor as he may require. If the Secretary of the Interior approves the plans, specifications, and estimates for the project, he shall notify the State fish and game department and immediately set aside so much of said fund as represents the share of the United States payable under this Act on account of such project, which sum so set aside shall not exceed 75 per centum of the total estimated cost thereof. “The Secretary of the Interior shall approve, only such comprehensive plans or projects as may be substantial in character and design and the expenditure of funds hereby authorized shall be applied only to such approved comprehensive wildlife plans or projects and if otherwise applied they shall be replaced by the State before it may participate in any further apportionment under this Act. No payment of any money apportioned under this Act shall be made on any comprehensive wildlife plan or project until an agreement to participate, therein shall have been submitted to and approved by the Secretary of the Interior. “(b) If the State elects to avail itself of the benefits of this Act by preparing a comprehensive fish and wildlife plan under option (1) 84 Stat. 1100of subsection (a) of this section, then the term ‘project’ may be defined for the purposes of this Act as a wildlife program, all other definitions notwithstanding. “(c) Administrative costs in the form of overhead or indirect costs for services provided by State central service activities outside of the State agency having primary jurisdiction over the wildlife resources of the State which may be charged against programs or projects supported by the fund established by section 3 of this Act shall not exceed in any one fiscal year 3 per centum of the annual apportionment to the State. “Sec. 7. (a) When the Secretary of the Interior shall find that any project approved by him has been completed or, if involving research relating to wildlife, is being conducted, in compliance with said plans and specifications, he shall cause to be paid to the proper authority of said State the amount set aside for said project. The Secretary of the Interior may, in his discretion, from time to time, make payments on said project as the same progresses; but these payments, including previous payments, if any, shall not be more than the United States pro rata share of the project in conformity with said plans and specifications. If a State has elected to avail itself of the benefits of this Act by preparing a comprehensive fish and wildlife plan as provided for under option (1) of subsection (a) of section 6 of this Act, and this plan has been approved by the Secretary of the Interior, then the Secretary may, in his discretion, and under such rules and regulations as he may prescribe, advance funds to the State for financing the United States pro rata share agreed upon between the State fish and game department and the Secretary. “(b) Any construction work and labor in each State shall be performed in accordance with its laws and under the direct supervision of the State fish and game department, subject to the inspection and approval of the Secretary of the Interior and in accordance with rules and regulations made pursuant to this Act. The Secretary of the Interior and the State fish and game department of each State may jointly determine at what times and in what amounts payments shall lie made under this Act. Such payments shall be made by the Secretary of the Treasury, on warrants drawn by the Secretary of the Interior against the said fund to such official or officials, or depository, as may be designated by the State fish and game department and authorized under the laws of the State to receive public funds of the State. “Sec. 8. (a) Maintenance of wildlife-restoration projects established under the provisions of this Act shall be the duty of the States in accordance with their respective laws. Beginning July 1, 1945, the term ‘wildlife-restoration project’, as defined in section 2 of this Act, shall include maintenance of completed projects. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Act, funds apportioned to a State under this Act may be expended by the State for management (exclusive of law enforcement and public relations) of wildlife areas and resources. “(b) Each State may use the funds apportioned to it under section 4(b) of this Act to pay up to 75 per centum of the costs of a hunter safety program end the construction, operation, and maintenance of public outdoor target ranges, as a part of such program. The non-Federal share of such costs may be derived from license fees paid by hunters, but not from other Federal grant programs. The Secretary shall issue not later than the 120th day after the effective date of this subsection such regulations as he deems advisable relative to the criteria for the establishment of hunter safety programs and public outdoor target ranges under this subsection. 84 Stat. 1101 “Sec. 8A. The Secretary of the Interior is authorized to cooperate with the Secretary of Agriculture of Puerto Rico, the Governor of Guam, and the Governor of the Virgin Islands, in the conduct of wildlife-restoration projects, as defined in section 2 of this Act, upon such terms and conditions as he shall deem fair, just, ami equitable, and is authorized to apportion to Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands, out of the money available for apportionment under this Act, such sums as he shall determine, not exceeding for Puerto Rico one-half of 1 per centum, for Guam one-sixth of 1 per centum, and for the Virgin Islands one-sixth of 1 per centum of the total amount apportioned, in any one year, but the Secretary shall in no event require any of said cooperating agencies to pay an amount which will exceed 25 per centum of the cost of any project. Any unexpended or unobligated balance of any apportionment made pursuant to this section shall be available for expenditure in Puerto Rico, Guam, or the Virgin Islands, as the case may be, in the succeeding year, on any approved project, and if unexpended or unobligated at the end of such year is authorized to be made available for expenditure by the Secretary of the Interior in carrying out the provisions of the Migratory Bird Conservation Act.”