About NDOW
How
We Are Funded
Federal Grants
The Nevada Department of Wildlife is primarily a user-funded agency,
that is, those who purchase licenses, register boats, or pay tag
or user fees, support the activities of the Wildlife Department.
License, predator and tag application fees make up more than 1/3
of the agency’s funding.
In addition, federal grants funds from the Wildlife Restoration
Act (Pittman-Robertson), the Sport Fish Restoration Act of 1950
(Dingell-Johnson), State Wildlife Grants (nongame and sensitive
species), Coast Guard, and Hunter Safety Aid, provide about ½
of the agency’s funding. Federal grants vary in time from
one to three, or even five years.
Gifts, grants, and donations make up the remainder of the agency
funding. Most recently, the Question 5 and Question 1 bond initiatives,
as supported by public support in the voting booth, have provided
substantive public funding for acquisition and restoration of wildlife
habitat and support of wildlife related recreation facilities. These
bond initiatives are vitally important to wildlife, recreational
users, access, and restoration processes.
NDOW’s Budget is divided into four main sections: The
Wildlife Account, 4452, The Trout Stamp Account,
4454, The Boat Account 4456, and the Obligated
Reserve Account 4458. Each Account provides funding for a program
area, i.e., Wildlife for wildlife programs, Trout Stamp for hatcheries
programs, Boating Account for boating education and boating facilities.
The Obligated Reserve Account funds numerous special projects that
are identified in state law. A few of those include the state waterfowl
stamp, the upland game stamp, and mining fees. Those fees are obligated
to be expended for specific uses, as defined in Nevada Revised Statutes.
In general, NDOW funds its annual work with the prior year federal
funding. That way, the agency can plan its annual work program with
known revenues.
The license dollars that come in each year are used as match to
the federal funds. For instance, most federal dollars require a
3-1 state match; for every $3 of a project we do using federal funds,
we must add $1 of state dollars, or volunteer hours, or in-kind
match (donations). In addition to license dollars a variety of other
sources are also used as match, for instance nonprofit grants and
Question 1 bond dollars can also be used for state match, as well
as volunteer hours and in-kind match (donations of equipment.)
Hunting and fishing license sales are cyclical; precipitation,
temperature, gas prices, the economy, fire and other resource impacts
all affect whether a sportsman or sportswoman purchases a license
or permit in any one year. Generally, NDOW applies very conservative
regression analysis to past years of license data to forecast our
best bet for the upcoming biennial budget. That “unknown”
factor is what makes budgeting at Wildlife the interesting and challenging
exercise that it is.
At certain times of the year, (November-March) incoming revenues
are quite low. To prepare for that, the agency must reserve a quantity
of funding to allow for late winter and early spring costs. Those
funds must be “reserved” out of the annual budget for
use later in the year.
Federal grants in aid are primarily available through the Federal
Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act of 1937 (Pittman-Robertson), the
Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act of 1950 (Dingell-Johnson),
State Wildlife Grants and the U.S. Coast Guard. The 1983 Wallop-Breaux
amendment to the Dingell-Johnson Act provided additional funds for
fisheries and boating programs. Federal Aid from these sources provide
for more than half of the Department of Wildlife’s annual
revenue.
Budget Account Program Description
4452 Wildlife - Administration
This is the agency’s principal operating account. Various
license fees, Federal Aid, balance forward, gifts, general funds,
and miscellaneous income such as Treasurer’s interest, penalties,
and excess property sales are used to fund wildlife preservation,
protection, management, and restoration programs.
Prerequisite requirements to be eligible for Pittman-Robertson
and Dingell-Johnson funds, States must assent to provisions of the
acts and shall have passed laws for the conservation of wildlife
which shall include a prohibition against the diversion of license
fees paid by hunters and fishermen for any other purpose than the
administration of said State fish and game department. This requirement
was met with NRS 501.115 and 501.117.
4454 Wildlife - Trout Stamp Program
The Department of Wildlife collects trout stamp fees from anglers
pursuing trout and deposits these fees in the Trout Stamp Account
(NRS 502.324 and 502.237). The Department may use money in this
account only for the protection, propagation and management of trout
in the State and for any bonded indebtedness incurred therefore.
Proceeds from this account are used in conjunction with Federal
Sport Fish Restoration Grant funds to repay bonded indebtedness
associated with the Department’s Hatchery Refurbishment Project,
which was completed in 2008 and minor maintenance projects at the
various hatcheries.
4456 Wildlife - Boating Program
The Department of Wildlife is responsible for the administration
of the Nevada Boat Act, relating to operation of recreational watercraft
on all waters of the state. Elements of the program include boat
registration and titling, boating safety law enforcement, boater
education, navigational aids, and boating facilities. The desired
outcome of this program is knowledgeable boaters engaged in safe
and enjoyable recreation on Nevada’s waters. Statutory authority
is from NRS Chapters 488 and 501.
4458 Wildlife - Obligated Reserve
The Wildlife Obligated Reserve account was created by the 1995
Legislature to distinguish restricted program funding sources and
expenditures. Funds placed in the account include: duck stamp, elk
damage compensation, mining assessments, gifts and donations, and
Operation Game Thief. The 2003 Legislature added the upland game
stamp and the habitat conservation fee programs to the budget account.
Expenditures are for wetlands projects, elk damage payments and
prevention, the operation game thief programs, habitat restoration,
wildfire rehabilitation and game water development (guzzler) projects.
The following categories make up the Obligated Reserve Account:
Duck Stamp Program (Category 13)
NRS 502.300 authorizes the sale of and requires the possession of
a duck stamp for hunting migratory game birds. Revenues from the
sale of this stamp are required (NRS 502.322) to be “used
for projects approved by the Commission for the protection and propagation
of migratory game birds, and for the acquisition, development and
preservation of wetlands in Nevada.” Projects have been primarily
used in the management of Nevada’s Wildlife Management Areas
for the enhancement of migratory game bird habitat and focused on
providing hunting opportunities.
Operation Game Thief (Category 31)
Operation Game Thief is a program established by the 1981 legislature
(NRS 501.395). This program is similar to secret witness whereby
the public can report wildlife crimes, remain anonymous and collect
rewards. The program is primarily funded by donations and civil
penalties (NRS 501.3857).
Elk Damage Mitigation Program (Category 33)
During the 65th Session, a bill was enacted that mandates
the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) to maintain a fund for
the prevention and mitigation of damage caused by elk or game animals
not native to Nevada (NRS 504.155, 504.165). The Nevada Board of
Wildlife Commissioners (Commission) further adopted NAC 504.350
through 504.440 to enable NDOW to administer an Elk Damage Mitigation
Program. The Board further amended NAC 502.331 to charge an additional
$5 application fee to all elk tag applicants to be used exclusively
for the mitigation of elk damage.
In addition to the damage compensation program, the Nevada State
Legislature established an Elk Incentive Tag Program (NRS 502.142).
The Commission adopted NAC 502.42253 – 502.42283, defining
the Elk Incentive Tag Program in 1997. NDOW developed procedures
to implement both the damage compensation and elk incentive tag
programs. These procedures direct NDOW personnel field investigations.
Carson Lake Operation and Maintenance Program (Category
36)
Funds from this category are used to pay the operation and maintenance
costs assessed by the Truckee – Carson Irrigation District
for delivery of drain, return and prime water to the Carson Lake
and Pasture area. The water deliveries help sustain between 1,500
and 10,000 acres of wetland habitat depending on the level of water
deliveries for a given year and the time of the year. Total wetland
acreages reach low levels during the late summer and maximum levels
in late spring.
Wetland Improvement Program, Mason Valley Wildlife Management
Area (Category 46)
The funding from this Bureau of Reclamation grant is being used
to complete water conservation projects at the Mason Valley Wildlife
Management Area. In exchange for the grant funding, NDOW has agreed
to make efforts to decrease usage of Walker River irrigation water
with the saved water eventually being transported to Walker Lake
in an effort to improve water quality in that ecosystem.
Water Development Atlas (Category 52)
The Nevada Water Development Atlas (Guzzler Book) is a 68-page ring
bound atlas of the 1,500 water developments in the state. This book
is available for purchase by the public and is a valuable tool for
hunting and wildlife viewing. The maps in the Atlas denote locations
of water developments, which support a variety of wildlife species.
Water developments, often called guzzlers, collect natural precipitation
into catchment basins, and hold the water until wildlife arrives
to seek water at the drinkers. All revenue from the sales of the
Atlas is used only to print additional books. The Atlas was first
printed in 1999, revised and reprinted in October 2005 and reprinted
again in October 2008. Due to the increase in guzzlers built, maps
will be updated in FY09-10 and reprinted when current inventory
is depleted.
Habitat Conservation Fee (Category 71)
NRS 502.242,(1) authorizes a $3.00 habitat conservation fee be paid
for each trapping, hunting and fishing or combined hunting and fishing
licenses. NRS 502.242 (2) requires habitat conservation fee revenue
be used for habitat rehabilitation and restoration.
Upland Game Bird Stamp Program (Category 72)
NRS 502.292 authorizes the sale of and requires the possession of
an upland game bird stamp for hunting upland game birds. Revenues
from the sale of this stamp are required (NRS 502.296) to be “used
for projects approved by the Commission for the protection and propagation
of upland game birds, and for the acquisition, development and preservation
of the habitats of upland game birds in this State.”
Wildlife Water Development (Category 73)
Funding for this program comes from a federal aid grant and is 75%
federal (Pittman-Robertson) and 25% state (in-kind services). This
program funds new large capacity wildlife water developments (primarily
guzzlers), project condition inventories and required maintenance.
Projects are planned and designed primarily to resolve resource
conflict and/or mitigate for impacted habitats.
Mining Program (Category 74)
NRS 502.390 (1) requires a permit issued by the Department of Wildlife
for the development and/or maintenance of an artificial or man-made
body of water, other than a body of water maintained for agricultural
or recreational use, containing chemicals or substances in quantities
which, with the normal use of the body of water, causes or will
cause the death of any wildlife, or a body of water containing chemicals
used in the processing of ore. NRS 502.390 (4) provides for the
person holding a permit to pay to the Department an assessment fee
pursuant to regulation adopted by the Wildlife Commission. The funding
provided through this program is used to provide state 25% match
to the FW3T grant for salaries (transferred to 4452) of regional
mining biologists to work together with mines within their regions
to reduce mining related wildlife mortalities and to work with mines
in planning and development projects. Funds remaining are utilized
in coordination with the Nevada Mining Association to fund habitat
enhancement projects and develop mine related wildlife data bases.
|
