Boating Infrastructure Grant Program Tier I

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The Sportfishing and Boating Safety Act of 1998 (Public Law 105-178) established BIG to provide funding to States, the District of Columbia, Commonwealths, and territories for the development and maintenance of facilities for transient nontrailerable recreational vessels. Nontrailerable recreational vessels are defined in the law as recreational vessels 26 feet in length or longer operated primarily for pleasure; or leased, rented, or chartered to another for the latter’s pleasure. The Act amended the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act (Wallop-Breaux Act; 16 U.S.C. 777). Subsequent reauthorizations of the Act have allowed for the continuation of BIG. BIG Tier I ensures a broad geographic distribution of funds by annually making up to $100,000 available to each State which submits an eligible proposal. In FY 2009, approximately $2.9 million was awarded for Tier I grants to 40 States, Commonwealths, and territories that participated in the program for boating infrastructure projects. We anticipate awarding approximately $3 million in BIG Tier I funding for FY 2010. The final rule establishing the requirements for participation in BIG was published in the Federal Register on January 18, 2001 (66 FR 5282). Additional information about the Boating Infrastructure Grant program is on the web at http://wsfrprograms.fws.gov/Subpages/GrantPrograms/BIG/BIG.htm. There is a separate Notice of Availability of Grants and Request for Applications for BIG Tier II (Funding Opportunity Number: FWS-BIG-10). Applicants may choose to apply for one or both tiers. If applicants choose to apply for both tiers, separate applications are required for each tier.

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