16 U.S.C. § 669b — Authorization of appropriations

An amount equal to all revenues accruing each fiscal year^* (beginning with the fiscal year 1975) from any tax imposed on specified articles by sections 4161(b) and 4181 of title 26, shall, subject to the exemptions in section 4182 of such title, be covered into the Federal aid to wildlife^* restoration fund in the Treasury (hereinafter referred to as the “fund”) and is authorized to be appropriated and made available until expended to carry out the purposes of this chapter. So much of such appropriations apportioned to any State for any fiscal year as remains unexpended at the close thereof is authorized to be made available for expenditure in that State until the close of the succeeding fiscal year. Any amount apportioned to any State under the provisions of this chapter which is unexpended or unobligated at the end of the period during which it is available for expenditure on any project is authorized to be made available for expenditure by the Secretary^* of the Interior in carrying out the provisions of the Migratory Bird Conservation^* Act [16 U.S.C. 715 et seq.].

There is established in the Federal aid to wildlife restoration fund a subaccount to be known as the “Wildlife Conservation and Restoration Account”. There are authorized to be appropriated for the purposes of the Wildlife Conservation and Restoration Account $50,000,000 in fiscal year 2001 for apportionment in accordance with this chapter to carry out State wildlife conservation and restoration programs. Further, interest on amounts transferred shall be treated in a manner consistent with 16 U.S.C. 669(b)(1)).1

The Secretary of the Treasury shall invest in interest-bearing obligations of the United States such portion of the fund as is not, in his judgment, required for meeting a current year’s withdrawals. For purposes of such investment, the Secretary of the Treasury may—

The interest on obligations held in the fund—

Amounts transferred to the Wildlife Conservation and Restoration Account shall supplement, but not replace, existing funds available to the States from the sport fish restoration account and wildlife restoration account and shall be used for the development, revision, and implementation of wildlife conservation and restoration programs and should be used to address the unmet needs for a diverse array of wildlife and associated habitats, including species that are not hunted or fished, for wildlife conservation, wildlife conservation education^*, and wildlife-associated recreation^* projects. Such funds may be used for new programs and projects as well as to enhance existing programs and projects.

Funds may be used by a State or an Indian tribe for the planning and implementation of its wildlife conservation and restoration program^* and wildlife conservation strategy, as provided in sections 669c(d) and (e) of this title, including wildlife conservation, wildlife conservation education, and wildlife-associated recreation projects. Such funds may be used for new programs and projects as well as to enhance existing programs and projects.

Priority for funding from the Wildlife Conservation and Restoration Account shall be for those species with the greatest conservation need as defined by the State wildlife conservation and restoration program.