(a) The cost of programs established under this part shall be borne by the general fund or other sources. The federal cost share of approved programs pursuant to P.L. 93-205, 87 Stat. 889, § 6(d)(2)(i) and (ii) (16 U.S.C. § 1535(d)(2)(i) and (ii)), for endangered species shall not exceed sixty-six and two thirds percent (662/3%) of the costs stated in the cooperative agreement. The federal share may be increased to seventy-five percent (75%) whenever two (2) or more states having a common interest in one (1) or more endangered or threatened species, the conservation of which may be enhanced by cooperation of such states, enter jointly into an agreement with the executive director.
Terms Used In Tennessee Code 70-8-110
Donor: The person who makes a gift.
Endangered species: means :(A) Any species or subspecies of wildlife whose prospects of survival or recruitment within the state are in jeopardy or are likely within the foreseeable future to become so due to any of the following factors:(i) The destruction, drastic modification, or severe curtailment of its habitat. See Tennessee Code 70-8-103
Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
Executive director: means the director of the state agency that has statutory authority to manage wildlife populations. See Tennessee Code 70-8-103
State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
Threatened: means any species or subspecies of wildlife that is likely to become an endangered species within the foreseeable future. See Tennessee Code 70-8-103
Watchable wildlife: is a ny species or subspecies that is defined in this section as nongame, endangered, threatened or wildlife in need of management. See Tennessee Code 70-8-103
Wildlife: means wild vertebrates, mollusks, crustaceans, and fish. See Tennessee Code 70-1-101
(b) The executive director is specifically authorized to accept from interested persons, firms, and corporations cash donations or donations of property to be converted to cash pursuant to the terms of the donor to be designated for the nongame and endangered species programs or to be designated for any other programs intended to effectuate the purposes of this part. At the discretion of the donor, cash donations or donations of property to be converted to cash pursuant to the terms of the donor may be made to the watchable wildlife fund. Evidence of the donations shall be by the issuance by the executive director of nongame certificates to the donors.(c)Watchable wildlife endowment fund.(1) Recognizing the growing number of nonconsumptive users of wildlife along with their interest and willingness to make donations in support of such programs, there is hereby created a fund called the “watchable wildlife endowment fund” to aid in the future funding of programs designed to perpetually benefit watchable wildlife and to aid in their nonconsumptive use by the public.(2) Moneys shall be deposited to the fund as provided in this section and shall be invested for the benefit of the fund pursuant to § 9-4-603, § 9-4-608, or § 9-4-612. Moneys in the fund shall not revert to the general fund of the state, but shall remain available and appropriated exclusively for the purposes set forth in this section.(3) This fund may be funded by donations as provided for in this section.(4) No expenditure shall be made from the principal of the fund. No expenditures shall be made from the interest earned until the combination of principal and interest reaches five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000). Thereafter, interest earned shall be available for expenditures to aid in carrying out the purposes of this fund.(5) This fund is not intended to be the exclusive fund for holding donations authorized in this section and is not intended to affect any presently existing or future funds or means of holding and distributing moneys received through cash donations or through cash received from property donated and converted to cash pursuant to the terms of the donor. It is intended to provide the donor with an additional means of directing the use of the donor’s donations.
