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CAPITOL FLYER
Thursday, June 1, 2006
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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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Kempthorne Approved as Interior Secretary
On May 26, the U.S. Senate approved President Bush’s nominee, Dirk Kempthorne, as Secretary of the Department of the Interior. Kempthorne was approved by voice vote after several lawmakers lifted procedural holds that allowed the vote to proceed. He replaces Gale Norton and is the 49th Interior Secretary.
Kempthorne is the current governor of Idaho. Before his gubernatorial election in 1998, he served as a U.S. Senator for the State of Idaho.
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House Approves Arctic Drilling
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a stand-alone bill to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge on May 25. This is the 12th time since 1995 that the House has voted to allow drilling in the refuge.
The vote, 225-201, is the narrowest margin yet for opening the Refuge. Many members of Congress expressed concern that the House has not voted on any energy conservation measures since gasoline prices reached $3 per gallon. According to the Federal Energy Information Agency, the impact of drilling in the Arctic Refuge would only lower gas prices by about a penny a gallon, 20 years from now. Stand-alone Arctic drilling legislation faces the threat of a filibuster in the Senate.
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Appropriations Update
On May 18, the House of Representatives passed legislation for fiscal year (FY) 2007 appropriations for the Department of the Interior, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (FWS) National Wildlife Refuge System.
The House bill funds the operations and maintenance (O&M) account for the Refuge System at $388.7 million. This funding level is approximately $6.9 million more than the administration’s request and $6.2 million more than the actual FY 2006 funding level. While the FY 2007 Refuge O&M funding level in the House bill is an improvement over the president’s request, it still falls well-short of the $415 million recommended by the National Wildlife Refuge Association (NWRA) and Cooperative Alliance for Refuge Enhancement (CARE).
Language appropriating $1 million “to continue cooperative projects with [F]riends groups on invasive species control” was once again included in the House bill. For the president’s Cooperative Conservation Initiative (CCI), the House bill includes a $4.3 million decrease in the challenge cost share program. This funding was essentially reallocated as follows: $1.5 million for Spartina grass control at Willapa NWR in Washington; the Friends invasive species control mentioned above; $1 million to restore the visitor facility enhancement program; and $1.1 million to restore the refuge law enforcement program.
The appropriation for construction is $39.756 million, an increase of $20 million above the administration’s request, but a decrease of $35.5 million below the FY 2006 level. Land acquisition is funded at $19.751 million, a decrease of $7.3 million below the administration’s request, and a decrease of $8.24 million below the FY 2006 level.
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Duck Stamp Goes On Sale
The latest Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp (Duck Stamp) is available early this year, starting Thursday, June 1. The stamp is valid from July 1, 2006, to June 30, 2007. The cost for a stamp is $15.
This year’s First Day of Sale Ceremony for the 2006-2007 Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp (and the 2006-2007 Junior Duck Stamp) will take place on June 1 at the Washington, DC, Convention Center. The event will be in conjunction with the “Washington 2006 World Philatelic Exhibition,” known as the world’s premier stamp event.
Of course, the Stamp, an institution since the 1930s, is a de-facto federal waterfowling license, as well as a valuable "pass" for any refuges that charge for entry. The proceeds from Stamp sales (today about $25 million per year) go to habitat acquisition (fee-title and easements) for the National Wildlife Refuge System.
For more background on the stamp and its relation to the Refuge System see this website: http://www.fws.gov/duckstamps/
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NWRA On the Hill
One way the National Wildlife Refuge Association works to fulfill its mission to protect, enhance and expand the National Wildlife Refuge System is by actively engaging Congress and the Administration on refuge issues. The Association maintains a reputation with decision-makers in Washington as a well-known and respected organization that effectively advocates for the Refuge System. As such, the Association has been called upon to testify before Congress on issues and legislation facing national wildlife refuges multiple times during the past year.
Recently, the Association testified at two hearings before the House Resources Subcommittee on Fisheries and Oceans on bills calling for expanding existing refuges and establishing new ones. On December 6, 2005, NWRA President Evan Hirsche testified in support of expanding the James Campbell NWR in Hawaii. Later, on May 10, 2006, NWRA Director of Government Affairs Michael Woodbridge testified in support of three refuge bills, including one to expand the Cahaba River NWR in Alabama and another authorizing a study to establish the Cherry Valley NWR in Pennsylvania.
In both cases, the Association supported expanding or creating refuges. The NWRA believes, where local support for refuges is strong, willing sellers exist, and the biological resources are unique, important and threatened or endangered, the National Wildlife Refuge System can play a key role in advancing conservation.
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House Approves Migratory Songbird Conservation Bill
On May 16, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Improvement Act. The Act reauthorizes and improves the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act of 2000, which expired last year.
First reported in the April 2006 issue of Capitol Flyer, the legislation increases funding from the previously authorized level and reduces the required ratio of matching funds that recipients must raise from 3/1 to 1/1, making the funds more accessible. The new legislation also makes Canadian-based projects eligible for funding.
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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. |
