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MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING SIGNED BY AMO & NATIONAL PARTNERS BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT U.S. FOREST SERVICE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FISH AND WILDLIFE AGENCIES ARCHERY MANUFACTURERS AND MERCHANTS ORGANIZATION IZAAK WALTON LEAGUE OF AMERICA NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA NATIONAL SHOOTING SPORTS FOUNDATION SAFARI CLUB INTERNATIONAL WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE   I. AUTHORITY This Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is made and entered into between the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Forest Service (FS), International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (IAFWA), Archery Manufacturers and Merchants Association (AMO), Izaak Walton League of America (IWLA), National Rifle Association of America (NRA), National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), Safari Club International (SCI), and the Wildlife Management Institute (WMI), collectively the Public Lands Shooting Sports Roundtable. The BLM and FS are Federal land management agencies that have surface management responsibility for over 400 million acres of public land in the United States of America. Their authority stems from the Taylor Grazing Act of 1934 (43 U.S.C. 315 et. seq.), Federal Land Policy & Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et. seq.), FS Organic Administration Act of 1897 (16 U.S.C. 473-475, 477-482 & 551) and Multiple Use and Sustained Yield Act of 1960 (16 U.S.C. 528-531). The IAFWA is an association of the national and state/province/commonwealth level agencies of the western hemisphere who have management and protection responsibility for fish and wildlife resources in their respective jurisdictions. Its mission is conservation, protection and management of wildlife and related natural resources. The AMO is the archery industry trade association that supports all legal, regulated forms of hunting, fishing and trapping and encourages the continued development of recreational shooting facilities for both firearms and archery equipment, as well as the continued professional and scientific management of our fish and wildlife resources. The IWLA is a national organization promoting public education to conserve, maintain, protect and restore soil, forest, water, air and other natural resources of the U.S. and the enjoyment and wholesome utilization of those resources. The NRA is a national organization dedicated to protecting and defending the Constitutional right to own and use firearms for legitimate purposes and promoting hunting as a method of enhancing the propagation and wise use of renewable wildlife resources. The NSSF is a national organization dedicated to creating a better understanding of and promoting more active participation in the shooting sports and in practical conservation. The SCI is an international organization promoting conservation education and research and the wise use and management of renewable natural resources of the world. The WMI is an international scientific and educational organization promoting professional management of natural resources for the benefit of the resources and the people of North America. The authority of these private organizations is through their respective Boards of Directors. II. PURPOSE The purpose of this MOU is to establish a framework upon which the BLM, FS, IAFWA, AMO, IWLA, NRA, NSSF, SCI, WMI, their local offices, chapters and affiliated organizations may cooperatively plan and accomplish mutually beneficial recreational shooting sports related projects and activities. These activities and projects shall compliment the respective missions of the participating agencies and organizations. III. INTRODUCTION Whereas, the primary mission of the BLM and FS is multiple use management of public lands and resources, Whereas, the commitment of land areas for the establishment of shooting ranges and the public exercise of informal or unstructured shooting activities are legitimate uses of public land under the multiple use mandate of the BLM and FS, Whereas, there are areas and sites where the expansion of urban and suburban development is limiting existing opportunity for informal unstructured shooting activities and threatening certain existing shooting ranges, Whereas, there is an increasing public demand for both shooting ranges and safe, accessible undeveloped shooting areas, Whereas, there are public lands situated near communities throughout the Nation where local organizations, businesses and community leaders who share an interest in the shooting sports may desire to join with local chapters and affiliates of the participating organizations to provide support, assistance, leadership, funds and/or other resources for the accomplishment of mutually beneficial projects and/or activities; and, Whereas, the AMO, IAFWA, IWLA, NRA, NSSF, SCI, and WMI desire to encourage participation in the shooting sports by providing assistance with range location, construction, management and improvement projects to agencies and local organizations who wish to develop ranges and/or initiate shooting programs. Whereas, the BLM, FS, IAFWA, AMO, IWLA, NRA, NSSF, SCI, and WMI have common interests and responsibilities. These include maintaining public access to public land, increasing the opportunity for public land users to safely discharge firearms and release arrows for purposes of practicing marksmanship, safety, hunter education or other training, competition, lawful hunting, exhibition, sighting in, or recreational shooting. Therefore, in consideration of the above premises, the parties agree as follows: IV. THE BLM and FS WILL: A. Cooperate with and involve local chapters and affiliates of the cooperating private organizations and state and local agencies to assess recreational needs, including shooting sports needs and to identify potential shooting range sites, where appropriate, as a part of the land use planning process (Resource Management Plans and Forest Plans).   B. Identify sites used by shooters on public lands that are unsafe, in unsuitable locations or in need of cleanup and shooting ranges in need of maintenance, reconstruction and/or modernization and present those cases to the Public Lands Shooting Sports Round Table as potential cooperative projects with local chapters and affiliates of the cooperating private organizations.   C. Notify the Public Lands Shooting Sports Roundtable when urbanization or public pressure threatens an existing shooting range or shooting area. Work with appropriate agencies, MOU cosigners and their local chapters and affiliates to investigate and, if necessary, identify and implement solutions that are consistent with respective agency resource management objectives. D. Process land use applications for shooting sports related sites, facilities and programs in a timely manner. V. THE PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS WILL: A. Encourage local chapters and affiliated organizations to participate in agency land use planning efforts to identify suitable sites and areas for ranges and shooting sports activities. B. Encourage local chapters and affiliated organizations to provide leadership, services and/or materials, as available and appropriate, for the implementation of shooting range related projects authorized on public lands.   C. Encourage local chapters and affiliated organizations to provide leadership, services and/or materials, as available and appropriate, to promote and support shooting sports programs authorized on public lands.   D. Inform the land management agencies of any potential grant opportunities in their respective organizations that may provide a source of funding for shooting sports related projects and programs. E. Provide technology, information and skills that are at their disposal to agencies and organizations who take the initiative to build or upgrade facilities. VI. The IAFWA will provide leadership and a forum where goals and objectives for the Roundtable can be discussed, established and pursued in a coordinated effort. VII. IT IS MUTUALLY AGREED AND UNDERSTOOD BY THE SAID PARTIES THAT: A. Projects or programs that involve a transfer of money, services or property shall require the execution of a separate agreement. The type of instrument will be determined by the nature of the activity and the manner in which the agencies and private organizations propose to share resources. Any transfer shall be in compliance with applicable acquisition or grant requirements. B. The recipient agency or organization shall establish procedures to ensure that funds are properly spent. It will ensure that funds are not used for partisan or political activity purposes. C. Amendments or modifications to this MOU may be made with the written consent of all parties.   D. This MOU may be vacated by any of the parties following a 30 day notice of intent to do so. E. The parties agree to review and assess the effectiveness of the MOU annually.   IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this MOU as of the last date written below. Bureau of Land Management U.S. Forest Service Archery Manufacturers & Merchants Organization International Assn. of Fish & Wildlife Agencies Izaak Walton League of America National Rifle Association of America National Shooting Sports Foundation Safari Club International Wildlife Management Institute