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CAPITOL FLYER
Monday, April 2, 2007
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Capitol
Flyer is intended to keep you abreast of the latest developments
in Washington affecting the National Wildlife Refuge System.
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Table of Contents:
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Appropriations Update
In the time since President Bush sent his fiscal year (FY) 2008 budget request for the Department of the Interior appropriations to Congress on February 5, the National Wildlife Refuge Association (NWRA), along with the Cooperative Alliance for Refuge Enhancement (CARE), has been hard at work gathering support for funding increases to the National Wildlife Refuge System.
In the House, NWRA and other members of the CARE group worked to get 80 Representatives to add their names to a sign on letter to appropriators urging a funding level of $451.5 million for Refuge System operations and maintenance (O&M). The letter was led by the Congressional Wildlife Refuge Caucus co-chairs, which includes Reps. Ron Kind (D-WI), Jim Saxton (R-NJ), Mike Thompson (D-CA) and Michael Castle (R-DE).
In the Senate, NWRA and CARE rallied support for a similar letter. That letter, led by Sens. Russ Feingold (D-WI) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME), garnered 30 signatures. Last year, a sign on letter for FY07 appropriations had 27 signatures.
The next steps for FY08 funding in Congress will be public testimony and appropriations committee action.
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New Assistant Secretary for Fish, Wildlife and Parks Nominated
President Bush nominated the chief of Colorado's state parks system to be the Interior Department's assistant secretary for fish, wildlife and parks. If confirmed, Lyle Laverty would oversee the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service and other areas.
Laverty has served as director of Colorado's Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation since 2001. He previously served for 35 years with the Forest Service.
The nomination would fill the post left vacant since November 2005, when Judge Craig Manson resigned for a teaching post at the University of the Pacific. Matt Hogan served in an interim basis after late 2005.
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Press Event Held Regarding Jet Landing Field Near Pocosin Lakes NWR
As reported in the March 2007 issue of Capitol Flyer, the U.S. Navy is once again proposing to build a jet landing field right next to the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in North Carolina. A similar plan was proposed two years ago, but that plan was stopped in federal court due to violations of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
At a recent press conference in Washington, DC, NWRA joined other leading sporting groups and conservation organizations, including National Audubon Society, Ducks Unlimited, National Rifle Association and Defenders of Wildlife, urging the Navy to consider sites that are not as near the Pocosin Lakes NWR. The groups described the extreme risks to wildlife and jet pilots posed by the Navy's preferred site location. Recently, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Director Dale Hall publicly outlined his strong concerns about the Outlying Landing Field (OLF) location and urged the Navy to consider alternative locations.
Pocosin Lakes attracts tens of thousands of migratory waterfowl each winter, posing a severe risk of collisions between birds and aircraft for much of the year. Building an airfield adjacent to a refuge with large populations of birds creates a high risk of bird collisions.
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Michael Woodbridge Leaving the Refuge Association
Michael Woodbridge, Director of Government Affairs for the National Wildlife Refuge Association, is leaving NWRA after more than three years with the organization.
During his tenure, Michael helped establish the Congressional Wildlife Refuge Caucus, coordinate NWRA's chairmanship of the CARE group and generally increase the level of support for the National Wildlife Refuge System and wildlife conservation in Washington, DC, and across the country.
Michael will travel to Haines, AK, to spend the summer as a river guide on the Chilkat River, after which, he plans to settle back in the Rocky Mountain West.
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Take
Action!
You can make your voice heard by utilizing the Refuge Action Network (RAN), a free, fast and easy way to respond to important national wildlife refuge alerts. Using the RAN system, you can send an e-mail or fax (even if you don't own a fax machine) to your elected officials with a click or two of your mouse.
Please
visit the NWRA Web site or contact Michael Woodbridge,
Director of Government Affairs, at 202.333.9073 or mwoodbridge@refugenet.org
for more information.
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Capitol
Flyer, a monthly e-newsletter from the NWRA, is prepared by Michael
Woodbridge, NWRA's Director of Government Affairs.
For additional information, please contact mwoodbridge@refugenet.org. |
