|
CAPITOL FLYER
Thursday, July 12, 2007
***************
Capitol
Flyer is intended to keep you abreast of the latest developments
in Washington affecting the National Wildlife Refuge System.
***************
Table of Contents:
***************
House passes Interior Appropriations bill, Senate to follow in July
The House of Representatives passed their Interior Appropriations bill on June 27th(H.R. 2643). It included the largest proposed budget for the National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS) in history, $451 million. This is the amount appropriated in FY04, adjusted for inflation, and would be a $56 million increase over the FY07 budget for refuges.
Also included within the bill were allocations for specific land acquisitions, listed below:
Upper Klamath Lake NWR, CA $4.5 million
Key Deer NWR, FL $1.044 million
Red River NWR, LA $500,000
Silvio O. Conte NFWR, MA $1.5 million
Great Swamp NWR, NJ $750,000
Highlands Conservation Act
(CT, NJ, NY, PA) $2 million
Cape May NWR, NJ $750,000
Balcones Canyonlands NWR, TX $300,000
Rappahannock River Valley NWR, VA $500,000
Back Bay NWR, VA $500,000
Canaan Valley NWR, WV $1 million
The Senate Appropriations Committee passed their version of the Interior Appropriations bill on June 21st (S. 1696). Unfortunately, while they did propose an increase to the National Wildlife Refuge System, it did not match the House's substantial increase. The Senate Appropriations Committee recommended funding the NWRS at $414 million, just a $19 million increase over FY07. The NWRS needs at least a $15 million increase annually just to stay even, this amount would not allow the NWRS to address critical shortages in staffing, visitor services and habitat management. The full Senate is expected to vote on the Interior Appropriations bill later in July. After that, action will move to a Conference Committee where members from both the House and Senate will meet to hammer out the differences between the two bills.
NWRA and Friends nationwide will be working diligently with members of the Conference Committee to make certain the final number is closer to the House recommendation of $451 million and to ensure all proposed land acquisition funding proceeds.
(return
to table of contents)
Road To Nowhere - Izembek NWR, AK
June 20th, Representative Don Young (R-AK) introduced legislation (H.R. 2801) that would authorize a land exchange, paving the way for the construction of a multi-million dollar gravel road, connecting the villages of King Cove (pop 750) and Cold Bay (pop 80), carved through the heart of the Izembek NWR in Alaska. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)followed by introducing a mirror bill on June 21st(S. 1680). If constructed, this road would significantly harm global populations of migratory bird species and other wildlife at taxpayer expense.
Established in 1960 to protect habitat for the Pacific black brant, the 417,000-acre Izembek NWR is located on the Alaskan peninsula - with 95% designated as wilderness. Wildlife here is abundant, from brown bears, caribou and wolves to seals, seal lions and sea otters. At the heart of the refuge lies the 150 square mile Izembek lagoon, containing some of the largest eelgrass beds in the world, which the Pacific brant and other avian species depend upon for survival.
Citing concerns for public safety, the residents of King Cove argue that this road is necessary for access to the airport located in the community of Cold Bay in case of medical emergencies. However, in 1998 Congress denied road proponents a road through the Izembek NWR due to significant anticipated repercussions as noted in an Environmental Impact Statement. Instead, legislators appropriated $37.5 million to fund a road-hovercraft link between the villages and improvements to the King Cove airstrip and clinic
On paper, the land exchange proposed in the legislation sounds good - the FWS would add over 61,000 acres to the Izembek NWR and nearby Alaska Peninsula NWR with over 45,000 of those designated as wilderness. In exchange, the state of Alaska would receive 206 acres to build the road. However, these 206 acres are the biological heart of the refuge and its destruction would have a severe impact on the birds and wildlife that depend on the refuge. More than 98% of the world's Pacific brant population fuel up on the eelgrass in the lagoon prior to their nonstop, 3000-mile trip to Mexico! And the nearby wetlands offer nesting sites for thousands of birds. A road through these sensitive lands will have profound impacts on wildlife and the proposed exchange lands would not provide comparable habitat value to compensate for this irreversible impact to fish, wildlife, and wetlands. It's not about quantity - it's about quality.
The NWRA, the Friends of Alaska NWRs and other conservation partners are working to educate decision makers that this is a problem that has already been solved by Congress in 1998 - to the tune of $37.5 million of U.S. taxpayer dollars.
(return
to table of contents)
REPAIR Act Re-Introduced - Upper Miss Friend Testifies before Congress
The Refuge Ecology Protection, Assistance & Immediate Response (REPAIR) Act was reintroduced earlier this year to a new Congress on January 31st by Representative Ron Kind (D-WI), long time supporter of our nation's Refuge System and one of four co-chairs of the Congressional Wildlife Refuge Caucus. As reported in previous issues of the Capitol Flyer, this legislation was first introduced in October 2006 and was the first bill to be introduced by the newly formed Wildlife Refuge Caucus. H.R. 767 seeks to effectively combat invasive species on national wildlife refuges. Invasives are non-native plants and animals that have been introduced to an area, and in many cases, wrecking havoc on native wildlife and alerting the ecosystem.
On June 21st, the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, and Oceans held a hearing on the REPAIR act at the request of Congressman Kind, a member of the subcommittee. Asked to speak about the damages invasives have caused on national wildlife refuges, the subcommittee heard from Ken Visger, an active angler and member of the Friends of the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge. Ken used personal stories of his time on the river to illustrate the damages invasives have caused to one of America's icons, the mightly Mississippi River. The members of the subcommittee in attendance were amused, informed and immediately able to grasp the enormity of the damage invasives have caused by listening to Ken's testimony. Further, they were able to learn firsthand how dedicated volunteers can help stop the spread of invasives, a key component of the REPAIR Act.
The REPAIR Act would set in law a program successfully promoted by the NWRA with Congress over the past 4 years that provides grants to facilitate the involvement of volunteers and outside organizations such as Friends groups in battling invasive species. In 2002, NWRA's Silent Invasion report (visit www.refugenet.org to download) sounded the clarion call for countering invasives on refuges and recommended mobilizing the tens of thousands of refuge volunteers across the country to assist with control and monitoring. To date, Congress has allocated $3 million for volunteer invasives programs and an addition $1 million is included in FY08 House Interior Appropriations bill.
NWRA is strongly supportive of the legislation and will work with Friends nationwide and members of the Congressional Wildlife Refuge Caucus to ensure it moves through the legislative process.
(return
to table of contents)
Bill to fund National Wildlife Refuge System
On June 14th, Representative Don Young (R-AK) introduced legislation outlining a proposal to increase funding for the National Wildlife Refuge System by asking the public to shoulder the cost. While the idea to assist the NWRS is indeed a noble one, the bill has faults and we cannot endorse it.
H.R. 2735, the "National Wildlife Refuge System Operations Enhancement Act of 2007," has three main components. First, it would increase the cost of a Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, also known as the "Duck Stamp" from its current price of $15 to $25 by 2010. The money generated for each stamp sold over $15 would be used to help fund operations and maintenance of the NWRS. The $15 on each stamp sold would be used as it is currently, to fund land acquisitions for the refuge system. Second, the bill would authorize a special postage stamp, issued for at least 3 years, to be sold by the U.S. Postal Service with proceeds going directly to the NWRS. And third, the bill would authorize a "check-off" of $1 on federal tax returns that would designate contributions to the NWRS.
We applaud Representative Young for sincere interest in helping the Refuge System counter massive funding shortfalls, but are concerned that programs such as those proposed in this legislation will take the onus off appropriators to meet their obligation to the System. We believe it is fundamentally the responsibility of the federal government to adequately fund our public lands through the existing tax base.
(return
to table of contents)
Proposal to Protect Border Refuges
On June 6th, Representative Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) introduced legislation aimed at securing our borders while conserving the diverse wildlife and natural resources found there. As reported in the June 2007 issue of Capitol Flyer, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) must build 700 miles of physical fencing, as part of the "Secure Fence Act", along the U.S./Mexico border by the end of 2008. This fence could affect six refuges on the borders of Texas, Arizona and California and harm numerous species that would be devastated by a wall. The "Borderlands Conservation and Security Act of 2007" seeks to give the Border Patrol and DHS the tools they need to combat illegal immigration with the flexibility to determine exactly the best way to do so in specific locations.
Currently, the Secure Fence Act requires the fencing to be a double-layer, reinforced wall along sections of the southern border stretching from outside San Diego, CA to Brownsville, TX. Local communities, state and local decision makers and even some Border Patrol officials have expressed concern that the Secure Fence Act may not afford them the flexibility they need to work in the most efficient and successful manner. The Borderlands Conservation and Security Act would allow DHS and Border Patrol officials the ability to choose the most appropriate form of security at specific locations. In many cases, virtual fencing, comprised of cameras, motion detectors and vehicle barriers, may be the most viable option giving Border Patrol agents more time to react while also having a smaller impact on delicate ecosystems. Further, the bill would require DHS to consult with federal land managers and local decision makers to ensure whatever security measures are enacted best protects the local economy, environment and culture. Finally, the bill would require DHS to comply with important laws that protect people's health, the environment and worker safety. Currently, the DHS is able to waive any federal, state or local laws to construct such walls.
The NWRA and our conservation partners are working to ensure this important bill is brought before the Congress.
(return
to table of contents)
Take our Refuge Habitat Conservation Survey!
Test your knowledge - your participation would be part of a national survey research project designed to inform the NWRA about how best to pursue habitat conservation on refuges. The survey found at the link below is a 5-minute, 23-question survey designed to help the National Wildlife Refuge Association better serve and understand their members. Your participation in this survey is voluntary, and you are free to refuse to take part. You may discontinue the survey at any time. You may also choose not to answer specific questions on the survey. All responses are confidential and your anonymity is always maintained. The survey does NOT record any personal identifying information, such as name, address, phone number, email address, or Social Security number. All of the information that you provide will be kept strictly confidential.
Take the Survey!
http://www.surveymonkey.com/
(return
to table of contents)
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. Just visit refugenet.e-actionmax.com to get started.
Please
visit the NWRA Web site, at www.refugenet.org, and click on "Take Action"
for more information.
(return to table of contents)
***************
Capitol
Flyer, a monthly e-newsletter from the NWRA, is prepared by Desiree Sorenson-Groves, NWRA's Vice-President of Government Affairs. For additional information, please contact dgroves@refugenet.org. |
