(a) In general
Any State may apply to the Secretary for reimbursement under this section for costs incurred by the State for the following:
(1) The development of a conservation plan.
(2) The revision of an approved conservation plan.
(3) The implementation of nongame fish and wildlife conservation actions approved under section
2904(c) and (d) of this title.
(4) The implementation of conservation actions specified in an approved conservation plan.
(5) The coordination, consolidation, or implementation of the conservation plan or conservation actions approved under this chapter with other related plans or actions developed pursuant to the Act of September 2, 1937 (16 U.S.C.
669e(a)(1)), commonly referred to as the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act [16 U.S.C.
669 et seq.] and the Act of August 9, 1950 (16 U.S.C.
777c(a)(1)), commonly referred to as the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act [16 U.S.C.
777 et seq.].
(b) Applications
Application for reimbursement under this section shall be made in such manner as the Secretary shall by regulation prescribe and shall contain such information as is necessary to enable the Secretary to determine whether the State meets the eligibility requirements set forth in subsection (c).
(c) Eligibility
No State is eligible for reimbursement under this section unless the Secretary finds that the costs, for which reimbursement is sought, have been incurred by the State as follows:
(1) If reimbursement is sought under subsection (a)(1), such costs have been incurred in developing a conservation plan that meets the requirements set forth in section
2903 of this title.
(2) If reimbursement is sought under subsection (a)(2), such costs have been incurred in revising the plan in a manner consistent with such requirements.
(3) If reimbursement is sought under subsection (a)(3), such costs have been incurred in implementing the conservation actions as approved by the Secretary.
(4) If reimbursement is sought under subsection (a)(4), such costs have been incurred in implementing conservation actions specified in, and in a manner consistent with, the approved conservation plan.
(5) If reimbursement is sought under subsection (a)(5), such costs have been incurred in consolidating, coordinating or implementing conservation plans and actions approved under this chapter with approved plans and actions under the Act of August 9, 1950 (16 U.S.C.
777c(a)(1)), commonly referred to as the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act [16 U.S.C.
777 et seq.] and the Act of September 2, 1937 (16 U.S.C.
669e(a)(1)), commonly referred to as the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act [16 U.S.C.
669 et seq.] in a manner consistent with sections
2901 and 2903 of this title.
(d) Reimbursement
Subject to the limitations in subsection (c) and the terms and conditions imposed under section
2906 of this title, and to the availability of funds appropriated under section
2910 of this title, the Secretary shall reimburse each State which the Secretary finds to be eligible therefor under subsection (c).
(e) Limitations
(1) The total amount of the reimbursement paid to any State under this section with respect to any fiscal year may not exceed the allocation available to the State under section
2907 of this title for such year.
(2) No reimbursement may be paid under this section to any State for any cost incurred by the State during any fiscal year—
(A) after September 30, 1991, in developing a conservation plan;
(B) after September 30, 1986, for costs incurred in implementing certain nongame fish and wildlife actions approved under section
2904(d) of this title;
(C) in which less than 80 percent of the costs to be reimbursed are for the principal benefit of nongame fish and wildlife or the users of nongame fish and wildlife;
(D) in implementing an approved conservation plan, unless the cost was incurred in implementing actions approved under section
2904(c) or (d) of this title;
(E) in implementing an approved conservation plan covering only nongame fish and wildlife, or any nongame fish and wildlife conservation action approved under section
2904(c) or (d) of this title, to the extent that more than 10 percent of such costs are paid for with moneys collected during such year by the State—
(i) from the sale of hunting, fishing, and trapping licenses, and
(ii) as penalties (including forfeitures) for violations of the hunting, fishing, and trapping laws of the State; or
(F) in implementing an approved conservation plan or any nongame fish and wildlife conservation action approved under section
2904(c) or (d) of this title, to the extent that—
(i) more than 10 percent of such costs are applied for purposes of conservation law enforcement under any such plan or action, and
(ii) more than 10 percent of such costs in any such year are accounted for by personal service or other inkind contributions.
(3) The amount of the reimbursement paid to any State under this section with respect to any fiscal year—
(A) may not exceed 75 percent for the development of a conservation plan except that during fiscal years 1982, 1983, and 1984 such amount shall not exceed 90 percent;
(B) for the implementation of nongame fish and wildlife conservation actions approved under section
2904(c) or (d) of this title, may not exceed 75 percent of the cost of implementing the action during such fiscal year, except that if such action is undertaken by two or more States such amount shall not exceed 90 percent;
(C) during and after the fiscal year in which the conservation plan of the State is approved under section
2904(a) of this title, may not exceed 75 percent of the cost of implementing and revising the conservation plan during such fiscal year, or if two or more States cooperate in implementing or revising such plan, such cost shall not exceed 90 percent, and
(D) after September 30, 1991, may not exceed—
(i) 50 percent of the cost of implementing and revising the plan during the fiscal year, if the approved conservation plan of the State covers only nongame fish and wildlife, or
(ii) 75 percent of the cost of implementing and revising the plan during such fiscal year, if the approved conservation plan of the State coordinates and consolidates planning for fish and wildlife.
(4)(A) In computing the costs incurred by any State during any fiscal year in developing or revising conservation plans, in implementing approved conservation plans, or in implementing nongame fish and wildlife conservation actions approved under section
2904(c) or (d) of this title, for which reimbursement may be available under this section, the Secretary shall—
(i) take into account, in addition to each outlay, the value of inkind contributions and real and personal property received and applied during such year by the State for such purposes; and
(ii) not include any other Federal moneys received by such State and applied by it, directly or indirectly, for such purposes.
(B) For purposes of subparagraph (A), inkind contributions may be in the form of, but are not limited to, personal services rendered by volunteers in carrying out surveys, censuses, and other scientific studies regarding fish and wildlife. The Secretary shall by regulation establish (i) the training, experience, and other qualifications which such volunteers must have in order for their services to be considered as inkind contributions; and (ii) the standards under which the Secretary will determine the value of inkind contributions and real and personal property for purposes of subparagraph (A).
(C) Any valuation determination made by the Secretary for purposes of this paragraph shall be final and conclusive.