Director's Order No.: 228
Subject: Assistant Director for the Office of Conservation Investment - Renaming Title
Sec. 1 What is the purpose of this Order? This Order:
a. Establishes the title within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) of “Assistant Director - Office of Conservation Investment (CI),” replacing the title “Assistant Director - Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program (WSFR).”
b. Provides that the Assistant Director - CI continues to be responsible for the duties and activities in 16 U.S.C. 742b-1.
Sec. 2 Why is the new title for the Assistant Director - CI needed?
a. The Service chose a more inclusive organizational name for this office to represent the expanded role that it plays in Federal financial assistance administration, oversight, and services. This role extends to multiple entities and expanded partnerships that support and deliver the mission of the Service.
b. In addition to the Wildlife Restoration Act of 1937, the Sport Fish Restoration Act of 1950, and the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Programs Improvement Act of 2000, Congress has authorized many other grant programs that CI administers.
c. Service activities for Federal financial assistance have been expanded and redefined, and funding levels and grant management complexities have increased. It is an efficient and effective use of resources to have all Service financial assistance responsibilities under a single Assistant Director and for the title to reflect the scope of those responsibilities.
d. This office name has changed over recent decades from “Federal Aid,” to “Federal Assistance Program for State Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration” (2003), to “Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration” (2004), to “Office of Conservation Investment” (2024). The office now directly manages over 60 grant programs with a wide range of services and eligible activities offered to recipients beyond State fish and wildlife agencies. The financial assistance support that CI provides is conserving more species, funding new types of activities, and improving and expanding technical and fiscal services.
Sec. 3 Does the change in the title alter the responsibilities of the position? No.
a. The Assistant Director - CI continues, as the Service’s Head of Financial Assistance Authority, to be responsible for providing administration, management, and oversight of the Service’s Federal financial assistance programs.
b. The responsibilities include those programs under the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act and the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act, and all associated responsibilities codified at 16 U.S.C. 742b-1.
c. In addition, responsibilities were expanded in 2019 to include operational support for Servicewide financial assistance programs.
Sec. 4 Does this Order conflict with existing law that describes the position? No. This Order does not conflict with 16 U.S.C. 742b-1, which was codified based on Pub. L. 106-408, Subtitle C, Sec. 132. The law established a position and described the responsibilities. The objective was to ensure appropriate administration of the Acts we describe in this Order, address management, and ensure internal controls. The law amended the Acts by adding 16 U.S.C. 669h and 16 U.S.C. 777h on “Requirements and restrictions concerning use of amounts for expenses for administration.” The title of “Assistant Director - CI” includes all requirements Congress included that were codified at 16 U.S.C. 742b-1.
Sec. 5 When is this Order effective? This Order is effective immediately. It remains in effect until we amend, extend, supersede, or revoke it.
/sgd/ Martha Williams
DIRECTOR
Date: July 3, 2024