FEDERAL AGENCY:

NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

AUTHORIZATION:

Marine Mammal Act of 1972, 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.; and the Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Act of 2000, 16 U.S.C. 1421f-1.

OBJECTIVES:

Non-discretionary funding under this authorization provides support to State agencies for the collection and analysis of information on marine mammals that occur in the State's waters and interact with State managed fisheries and other marine resources. Information collected is used by the State and Federal governments to conserve marine mammals, address or resolve conflicts between marine mammals, fisheries and living marine resources, and to improve their understanding of the health of individual marine mammals as well as marine mammal populations. Discretionary funds may be announced in the Federal Register under competitive programs to undertake research in subjects which are relevant to the protection and conservation of marine mammals.

TYPES OF ASSISTANCE:

Project Grants. Place Cursor Here for Definition

USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS:

Non-discretionary funds may be non-discretionary and appropriated for a particular recipient for a particular purpose such as the Marine Mammal cooperative agreements in Alaska (16 U.S.C. 1388) or allocated to State agencies for collection of information on marine mammals that occur in State waters and interact with fisheries and other marine resources. Discretionary funds announced in the Federal Register under competitive programs may restrict the use of funds or include additional program restrictions based on the appropriation language.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Applicant Eligibility:   State governments and quasi-public nonprofit institutions or organizations. U.S. Marine Mammal Stranding Network participants, including state and local governments, academia, aquaria, non profits, private individuals and organizations. Eligibility may vary under programs announced in the Federal Register.

Beneficiary Eligibility:   This program benefits the States that have marine mammals in waters under State jurisdiction and supports Federal requirements for conservation of marine mammals, and other public resources. The program also benefits the active volunteer U.S. marine mammal stranding network members throughout coastal states.

Credentials/Documentation:   Proposal from a State fishery agency or an Interstate Fisheries Commission, or an eligible stranding network member, submitted in accordance with 15 CFR Part 14; 15 CFR Part 24 and the applicable Federal Register notice.

Pre-application Coordination:   This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs". A State applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review.

Application Procedure:   Submission of application on Standard Form 424 to the appropriate Regional or Headquarters Office. The applicants are subject to the requirements 15 CFR Part 14; or 15 CFR part 24, as applicable.

Award Procedure:   Applications are evaluated by the National Marine Fisheries Service Regional or Headquarters Offices and processed by the NOAA Grants Management Division. Pursuant to Section 404 of Public Law 102- 567, financial assistance awards to a State or Interstate Fishery Commission may be provided to the State on a non- discretionary basis for projects involving the collection and analysis of information on marine mammals that occur in the State's waters and interact with State managed fisheries and other marine resources. For discretionary funds including Stranding Networks, a competitive award process is announced in the Federal Register for projects related to stranding network activities. A small percentage of discretionary funds will be available to be provided on a non-competed basis for catastrophic stranding events.

Deadlines:   According to the NOAA Grants Management Division, project applications should be submitted at least 75 days in advance of desired effective date.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:   Within 75 calendar days after a complete and acceptable application is received.

Appeals:   No formal appeal procedure.

Renewals:   For projects involving the collection and analysis of information on marine mammals that occur in the State's waters and interact with State managed fisheries and other marine resources, continuation grants can be made on an annual basis for approved multi- year projects. For projects related to stranding network activities, grants or cooperative agreements will be awarded for a maximum award period of 3 years; however the total Federal share of each award is fixed at a maximum of $100,000 regardless of the funding period requested. Future or continued funding will be at the discretion of NMFS, based on the availability of each fiscal year funding and satisfactory performance. Procedures for renewals are the same as application procedures.

ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:

Formula and Matching Requirements:   For projects involving the collection and analysis of information on marine mammals that occur in the State's waters and interact with State managed fisheries and other marine resources, the program has no statutory formula. Projects are funded at up to 100 percent Federal share. For projects related to stranding network activities the maximum Federal award for each project will be $100,000, and a minimum cost share of 25 percent of total project costs is required.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:   Grants are normally made for one year. Assistance is released via the Financial Assistance Disbursement System (FADS).

POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Reports:   Reporting requirements are outlined in the Terms and Conditions of the Financial Assistance Award. The Department of Commerce Financial Assistance Standard Terms and Conditions generally require that performance and financial reports be submitted semi-annually unless a waiver is provided by the NOAA Grants Officer.

Audits:   In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A- 133 (Revised, June 24, 1997), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Nonprofit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $300,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $300,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.

Records:   All financial and programmatic records, supporting documents, statistical reports, and other records of grantees or sub grantees are required to be maintained in accordance the terms and conditions of the Financial Assistance Award. The grantee must maintain records for 3 years from the date when the final expenditure report is submitted.

FINANCIAL INFORMATION:

Account Identification:   13-1450-0-1-306.

Obligations:   (Cooperative Agreements) Discretionary: FY 01 $20,287,238; FY 02 est $7,400,000; and FY 03 est $0. Non-discretionary FY 01 $9,173,631, FY 02 est $9,173,631; and FY 03 $0.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance:  
No Data Available.

Non-discretionary: These programs support marine mammal research and management efforts relative to developing fishery plans and determining conservation guidelines for a number of species. Several programs contribute to the United States participation in the International Whaling Commission and the fulfillment of native subsistence co-management commitments under section 119 of the Marine Mammal Protection Act. In fiscal year 2001, 37 awards were made and it is anticipated that nine awards will be made in fiscal year 2001 and nine awards in fiscal year 2003.

REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE:

15 CFR Part 14; 15 CFR Part 24; Marine Mammal Protection Act, as amended.

INFORMATION CONTACTS:

Regional or Local Office:   Discretionary: Stranding Network Contacts-Alaska Region: Kaja Brix, Alaska Region, NMFS, Federal Building, 709 West 9th Street, 14th Floor, Juneau, AK 99802-1668. Telehone: (907) 586-7824 or kaja.brix@noaa.gov. Northeast Fisheries Science Center: Dana Hartley, NMFS, 166 Water St., Woods Hole, MA 02543. Telephone: (508)495-2090 or dana.hartley@noaa.gov. Northwest Region: Brent Norberg, NMFS, Brent Norberg, 7600 Sand Point Way, N.E., Building 1, Seattle, WA 98115. Telephone: (206) 526-6733 or brent.norberg@noaa.gov; Southeast Region: Kyle Baker, NMFS, 9721 Executive Center Drive, North, St. Petersburg, FL 33702-2432. Telephone: (727) 570-5312 or Kyle.Baker@noaa.gov; Southwest Region: Joe Cordaro, Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 West Ocean Boulevard, Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA: 90802-4213. Telephone: (562) 980-4017 or joe.cordaro@noaa.gov. Nondiscretionary: Alaska Regional Office: Pete Jones, NOAA/NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668. Telephone: (907) 586-7280. Use the same number for FTS. Northwest Regional Office: Joe Scordino, NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service, Northwest Region, 7600 Sand Point Way NE., Seattle, WA 98115. Telephone: (206) 526-6150, Fax: (206) 526-6426, Email: Joe.Scordino@noaa.gov; Headquarters Office: Budget Officer, Administrative and Budget Processes Division, National Marine Fisheries Service, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Telephone: (301) 713-2245. Fax: (301) 713-2299.

Headquarters Office:   Teri Rowles, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, Teri Rowles, 1315 East West Highway, Silver Spring, MD, 20910. Telephone: 301-713-2322, ext. 178.

Web Site Address:  
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/prot_res/PR2/

EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS:

Discretionary: Such programs include the John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grant Program (16 U.S.C. 1421f-1)which make funding available to marine mammal stranding network participants for the recovery or treatment of stranded marine mammals; the collection of data from living or dead stranded marine mammals for scientific research regarding marine mammal health; and operation costs that are directly related to these activities; non-discretionary: Programs designed to carry-out research and operational support consistent with cooperative management agreements and subsistence harvest efforts. Projects provide information on abundance and distribution of marine mammals that occur in Federal and State waters and their interactions with fisheries and other resources. Examples include aerial surveys, sampling and tagging of pinnipeds; determining and monitoring the number and trend in number of pinnipeds at selected sites; assessing the health of ESA listed Steller sea lions, identifying foraging habits and habitats, and assessments of pinnipeds predation on salmonids.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS:

Non-discretionary: For projects involving the collection and analysis of information on marine mammals that occur in the State's waters and interact with State managed fisheries and other marine resources, priority consideration is given to proposals for the collection of information on marine mammals involved in interactions with fisheries and other marine resources, and on activities impacting marine mammals such as native subsistence; Discretionary: For projects involving stranding network activities, priorities are published in the Federal Register Notice soliciting applications for financial assistance. Unsolicited proposals may also be submitted outside of the competitive process for response to catastrophic stranding events.