Rule2026-00675
Implementation of the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration and Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Acts
Primary source
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Published
January 15, 2026
Effective
March 16, 2026
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentFish and Wildlife Service
Abstract
This direct final rule (DFR) rescinds portions of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's (Service) regulations containing general provisions related to requirements for programs and subprograms authorized under the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act and the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act. This DFR removes redundancies and eliminates superfluous sections. These recissions will result in regulations that better serve the American public, streamline government operations, and increase efficiencies for recipients of our financial assistance programs.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 10 (Thursday, January 15, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 10 (Thursday, January 15, 2026)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 1721-1723]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-00675]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
50 CFR Part 80
[Docket No. FWS-HQ-OCI-2025-0080; FVWF51100900000-XXX-FF09W11000;
FVWF94100900000-XXX-FF09W11000]
RIN 1018-BI83
Implementation of the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration and
Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Acts
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Direct final rule; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: This direct final rule (DFR) rescinds portions of the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service's (Service) regulations containing general
provisions related to requirements for programs and subprograms
authorized under the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act and the
Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act. This DFR removes
redundancies and eliminates superfluous sections. These recissions will
result in regulations that better serve the American public, streamline
government operations, and increase efficiencies for recipients of our
financial assistance programs.
DATES: This final rule is effective on March 16, 2026, without further
action, unless significant adverse comments are received by February
17, 2026. If significant adverse comments are received, we will publish
a notification in the Federal Register before the effective date either
withdrawing the rule or issuing a new final rule that responds to any
significant adverse comments.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by one of the following methods:
Electronically: Go to the Federal eRulemaking Portal: <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>. In the Search box, enter FWS-HQ-OCI-2025-0080,
which is the docket number for this rulemaking. Then, click the Search
button. In the Search panel on the left side of the screen, under the
Document Type heading, click on the box next to Rule to locate this
document. You may submit a comment by clicking on ``Comment.''
By hard copy: Submit by U.S. mail or hand-delivery to: Public
Comments Processing, Attn: FWS-HQ-OCI-2025-0080, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, MS: PRB (JAO/3W); 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-
3803.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Diana Swan-Pinion, Office of
Conservation Investment, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, email:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#117578707f704e6266707f3c61787f787e7f517766623f767e67"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="22464b434c437d5155434c0f524b4c4b4d4c624455510c454d54">[email protected]</span></a>, telephone: 404-821-6844. Individuals in the
United States who are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a
speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access
telecommunications relay services. Individuals outside the United
States should use the relay services offered within their country to
make international calls to the point-of-contact in the United States.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of the Interior's
(Department) regulations governing the annual apportionments to fish
and wildlife agencies of States, U.S. Territories, and the District of
Columbia authorized under the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration
Act (Wildlife Restoration Act, 50 Stat. 917, as amended; 16 U.S.C. 669
et seq.) and the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act (Sport Fish
Restoration Act, 64 Stat. 430, as amended; 16 U.S.C. 777-777m, except
777e-1 and g-1) (Acts) are contained in 50 CFR part 80. The Service
regularly reviews its regulations implementing the Acts to ensure they
are both efficient and effective. The Service has determined that
certain regulations in 50 CFR part 80 are duplicative or redundant of
the Acts or other regulations or are more appropriately located in the
annual notice of funding opportunities (NOFO) which includes the
information that is necessary for the effective communication of the
program objectives.
Accordingly, the Department will remove Sec. Sec. 80.10(a-c),
80.11, and 80.12 because they restate language that is found in the
Acts. We further revise Sec. 80.10 to only include language that is
unique to the regulation.
We also remove Sec. Sec. 80.66, 80.121, and 80.123 because these
sections restate regulations that are found in 2 CFR part 200, the
regulations for Federal financial assistance for all Federal agencies.
Finally, we will remove Sec. Sec. 80.80 and 80.90 as they restate
or explain language that is found in the annual NOFO for these grant
programs.
The Department has determined that these reasons, independently and
alone, justify revision of 50 CFR part 80. The Department has no
interest in maintaining regulations that are obsolete or unclear.
The Department is issuing this rule as a direct final rule.
Although the Administrative Procedure Act (APA; 5 U.S.C. 551-559)
generally requires
[[Page 1722]]
agencies to engage in notice and comment rulemaking, section 553 of the
APA provides an exception when the agency ``for good cause finds'' that
notice and comment are ``impracticable, unnecessary, or contrary to the
public interest.'' The Department has determined that notice and
comment are unnecessary because this rule is noncontroversial; of a
minor, technical nature; involves little agency discretion; and is
unlikely to receive any significant adverse comments. Significant
adverse comments are those that oppose the revision of the rule and
raise, alone or in combination, (1) reasons why the revision of the
rule is inappropriate, including challenges to the revision's
underlying premise; or (2) serious unintended consequences of the
revision. A comment recommending an addition to the rule will not be
considered significant and adverse unless the comment explains how this
direct final rule would be ineffective without the addition.
Required Determinations
Executive Order (E.O.) 12866--Regulatory Planning and Review, E.O.
13563--Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review, and E.O. 14192--
Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation
E.O. 12866 provides that the Office of Information and Regulatory
Affairs (OIRA) in the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) will review
all significant rules. OIRA has determined that this rule is not
significant.
E.O. 13563 reaffirms the principles of E.O. 12866, while calling
for improvements in the Nation's regulatory system to promote
predictability, reduce uncertainty, and use the best, most innovative,
and least burdensome tools for achieving regulatory ends. E.O. 13563
directs agencies to consider regulatory approaches that reduce burdens
and maintain flexibility and freedom of choice for the public where
these approaches are relevant, feasible, and consistent with regulatory
objectives. E.O. 13563 emphasizes further that agencies must base
regulations on the best available science and that the rulemaking
process must allow for public participation and an open exchange of
ideas. The Department developed this rule in a manner consistent with
these requirements. This DFR is an E.O. 14192 deregulatory action.
Regulatory Flexibility Act
The Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA; 5 U.S.C. 601-612) requires an
agency to prepare a regulatory flexibility analysis for all rules
unless the agency certifies that the rule will not have a significant
economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. The RFA
applies only to rules for which an agency is required to first publish
a proposed rule. As the Department is not required to publish a notice
of proposed rulemaking for this direct final rule, the RFA does not
apply.
Congressional Review Act
This rule is not a major rule under the Congressional Review Act, 5
U.S.C. 804(2). Specifically, the direct final rule: (a) will not have
an annual effect on the economy of $100 million or more; (b) will not
cause a major increase in costs or prices for consumers, individual
industries, Federal, State, or local government agencies, or geographic
regions; and (c) will not have significant adverse effects on
competition, employment, investment, productivity, innovation, or on
the ability of United States-based enterprises to compete with foreign-
based enterprises in domestic and export markets.
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (2 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.)
This rule does not impose an unfunded mandate on State, local, or
Tribal governments, or the private sector, of more than $100 million
per year. The rule does not have a significant or unique effect on
State, local, or Tribal governments, or the private sector. The rule
merely revises the Federal regulations to remove an obsolete provision
that is no longer used. Therefore, a statement containing the
information required by the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (2 U.S.C. 1531
et seq.) is not required.
Takings (E.O. 12630)
This rule does not result in a taking of private property or
otherwise have regulatory takings implications under E.O. 12630. The
rule rescinds an obsolete regulatory provision; therefore, the rule
will not result in private property being taken for public use without
just compensation. A takings implication assessment is therefore not
required.
Federalism (E.O. 13132)
Under the criteria of section 1 of E.O. 13132, this rule does not
have sufficient federalism implications to warrant the preparation of a
federalism summary impact statement. This rule will not have
substantial direct effects on the States, on the relationship between
the national government and the States, or on the distribution of power
and responsibilities among the various levels of government. A
federalism summary impact statement is not required.
Civil Justice Reform (E.O. 12988)
In accordance with E.O. 12988, the Office of the Solicitor has
determined that this rule will not unduly burden the judicial system
and meets the requirements of sections 3(a) and 3(b)(2) of E.O. 12988.
Government-to-Government Relationship With Tribes
In accordance with the President's memorandum of April 29, 1994,
``Government-to-Government Relations with Native American Tribal
Governments'' (59 FR 22951), E.O. 13175, and 512 DM 2, we have
evaluated potential effects on federally recognized Indian Tribes and
have determined that this rule would not interfere with Tribes'
abilities to manage themselves, their funds, or Tribal lands.
Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.)
This proposed rule does not contain any new collection of
information that requires approval by the OMB under the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). An agency may not
conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a
collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB
control number. OMB has approved the information collection
requirements associated with the Service's grants and financial
assistance activities and assigned OMB Control No. 1018-0100 (exp. 06/
30/2028).
National Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.)
This direct final rule does not constitute a major Federal action
significantly affecting the quality of the human environment. A
detailed statement under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA;
42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) is not required because this rule is covered by
a categorical exclusion applicable to regulatory functions ``that are
of an administrative, financial, legal, technical, or procedural
nature.'' 43 CFR 46.210(i). In addition, the Department has determined
that this rule does not involve any of the extraordinary circumstances
listed in 43 CFR 46.215 that would require further analysis under NEPA.
Energy Supply, Distribution or Use (E.O. 13211)
This direct final rule is not a significant energy action as
defined in
[[Page 1723]]
E.O. 13211. Therefore, a statement of energy effects is not required.
List of Subjects in 50 CFR 80
Fish, Fishing, Grant programs--natural resources, Grant programs--
recreation, Grants administration, Hunting, Licensing and Registration,
Natural resources, Rates and fares, Real property acquisition,
Recreation and recreation areas, Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements, Signs and symbols, Wildlife.
Regulation Promulgation
For the reasons stated in the preamble, we amend part 80,
subchapter F of chapter I, title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations,
as set forth below:
PART 80--ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS, PITTMAN-ROBERTSON WILDLIFE
RESTORATION AND DINGELL-JOHNSON SPORT FISH RESTORATION ACTS
0
1. The authority citation for part 80 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 669-669k and 777-777n, except 777e-1 and g-
1.
0
2. Revise Sec. 80.10 to read as follows:
Sec. 80.10 Who is eligible to receive the benefits of the Acts?
States acting through their fish and wildlife agencies are eligible
for benefits of the Acts only if they pass and maintain legislation as
described in the Acts and maintain control of revenue from hunting and
fishing licenses. This revenue is to be used for administration of the
State fish and wildlife agency, which includes the functions required
to manage the agency and the fish- and wildlife-related resources for
which the agency has authority under State law. A State becomes
ineligible to receive the benefits of the Acts if they fail materially
to comply with any law, regulation, or term of a grant as it relates to
acceptance and use of funds under the Acts.
Sec. Sec. 80.11 and 80.12 [Removed and Reserved]
0
3. Remove and reserve Sec. Sec. 80.11 and 80.12.
Subpart F--Allocation of Funds by an Agency
Sec. 80.66 [Removed and Reserved]
0
4. Remove and reserve Sec. 80.66.
Subpart G--Application for a Grant
Sec. 80.80 [Removed and Reserved]
0
5. Remove and reserve Sec. 80.80.
Subpart H--General Grant Administration
Sec. 80.90 [Removed and Reserved]
0
6. Remove and reserve Sec. 80.90.
Subpart I--Program Income
Sec. Sec. 80.121 and 80.123 [Removed and Reserved]
0
7. Remove and reserve Sec. Sec. 80.121 and 80.123.
Kevin Lilly,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks,
Exercising the Delegated Authority of the Assistant Secretary for Fish
and Wildlife and Parks.
[FR Doc. 2026-00675 Filed 1-14-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P
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