The Boating Access Subprogram is governed by 50 CFR 80 (50 CFR 80.51(b); 80.61) with the following eligible activities:
1) Acquire land for new facilities, build new facilities, or acquire, renovate, or improve existing facilities to create or improve public access to the waters of the United States or improve the suitability of these waters for recreational boating. A broad range of access facilities and associated amenities can qualify for funding, but they must provide benefits to recreational boaters. ‘‘Facilities’’ includes auxiliary structures necessary to ensure safe use of recreational boating access facilities.
(2) Conduct surveys to determine the adequacy, number, location, and quality of facilities providing access to recreational waters for all sizes of recreational boats.
States must allocate funds from each Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act annual apportionment for use in the Boating Acess subprogram in this manner:
- Over each 5-year period, the total allocation for the subprogram in each of the Service’s geographic regions must average at least 15 percent of the Sport Fish Restoration funds apportioned to the States in that Region. As long as this requirement is met, an individual State agency may allocate more or less than 15 percent of its annual apportionment in a single Federal fiscal year with the Regional Director’s approval.
- The Regional Director calculates Regional allocation averages for separate 5-year periods that coincide with Federal fiscal years 2008–2012, 2013–2017, 2018–2022, and each subsequent 5-year period.
- If the total Regional allocation for a 5-year period is less than 15 percent, the State agencies may, in a memorandum of understanding, agree among themselves which of them will make the additional allocations to eliminate the Regional shortfall.
- If State fish and wildlife agencies do not agree on which of them will make additional allocations to bring the average Regional allocation to at least 15 percent over a year period:
- The Regional Director may require States in the Region to make changes needed to achieve the minimum 15- percent Regional average before the end of the fifth year; and
- The Regional Director must not require a State to increase or decrease its allocation if the State has allocated at least 15 percent over the 5-year period.
- A Federal obligation of these allocated funds must occur by the end of the fourth consecutive Federal fiscal year after the Federal fiscal year in which the funds first became available for allocation.
- If the agency’s application to use these funds has not led to a Federal obligation by that time, these allocated funds become available for reapportionment among the State fish and wildlife agencies for the following fiscal year.
WSFR National Lead for the Boating Access subprogram:
Christy Vigfusson, Biologist (Grants)
5275 Leesburg Pike
Falls Church, VA 22041
Christy_Vigfusson@fws.gov
703.358.1748