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CAPITOL FLYER
Friday, November 8, 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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Special Election Day Issue!
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Table of Contents:
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Elections!
Yesterday's elections produced big changes in Congress. Democrats captured the majority in the House, defeating Republican incumbents in every region of the country, and were close to gaining control of the Senate. Issues dominating the elections were the war in Iraq, scandals and corruption, and President Bush's leadership.
As of this morning, Democrats had picked up 27 Republican-held House seats without losing any of their own. In the battle for control of the Senate, Democrats won seats in Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Montana and Rhode Island. Virginia remains undecided, but with the Democrat leading in that race, the outcome will determine a Democratic majority in the Senate.
Democrats also won many gubernatorial races, picking up at least seven states to claim a majority nationally. The changes in the Congress signaled a dramatic shift in Washington, DC, that will alter the final two years of Bush's presidency, with Democrats expected to challenge the Administration on domestic priorities and the Iraq war.
It remains to be seen how the political changes will impact wildlife conservation and the National Wildlife Refuge System, though it's likely that Congress will be more accepting of proposals to acquire land for refuge habitat. Changes in committee chairmanships and budget priorities most likely won't be known until December or January. As for the Congressional Wildlife Refuge Caucus, some Caucus members either left Congress or lost reelection. However, with 13 House races still undecided at this time, a complete analysis of how members faired is unavailable. All four members of the Refuge Caucus leadership (Reps. Kind (D-WI), Saxton (R-NJ), Castle (R-DE) and Thompson (D-CA) were reelected and will continue to serve.
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Southeast FWS Region Releases Downsizing Plan
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's (FWS) Region 4, which includes the Southeast region of the United States, issued the "Southeast Region Workforce Management Plan" the week of October 23. The document, a strategic downsizing plan, calls for reducing staff in the regional office by 8.5 positions (10%) and reducing field staff by 79 positions (12%) over the next three years. This effort follows the opportunistic abolishment of 68 full-time staff between 2004 and 2006. Overall, Region 4 will see a 20% reduction in FWS employees.
The downsizing plan is a strategic effort by Region 4 to manage the region's national wildlife refuges (NWR) with flat and declining Refuge System budgets. Refuges in the region were divided into three tiers: Focus Refuges; Targeted Reduction Refuges; and Unstaffed Satellite Refuges. Of the 128 refuges in the Southeast, 24 were identified as Focus Refuges, 61 as Targeted Reduction Refuges, and 43 as Unstaffed Satellite Refuges.
Sadly, more than one-third of the region's 128 refuges have no full-time staff and one-half have three or fewer full-time staff. According to the plan, while no refuges are identified for closure in the plan, any additional staff cuts will result in the closure of refuges. The plan also states that wildlife-dependent recreational activities on refuges (i.e., hunting, fishing, wildlife viewing and photography, and environmental education and interpretation) will be further limited, as will partnerships and "beyond the boundaries" work.
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Conservation Bills Signed into Law
Before leaving Capitol Hill a month ago to campaign for yesterday's elections, Congress approved several bills related to wildlife conservation. In October, President Bush signed those bills into law.
One of the bills, the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Act, authorizes the Partners for Fish and Wildlife program, a successful private lands conservation program within the FWS. The Partners program provides technical and financial assistance to private landowners to enhance wildlife habitat on their lands. The program has grown over the years, with current appropriations exceeding $50 million. The law provides official endorsement of the existing program, which will celebrate its 20th anniversary next year.
Another bill signed by the president is the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) Reauthorization. The new law reaffirms a popular program that funds wetlands conservation across North America, including Canada and Mexico. The program receives appropriations exceeding $40 million per year that are matched by at least 1:1. NAWCA was reauthorized at a funding level of $75 million through fiscal year 2011.
Three other bills recently signed by the president were commented on by the National Wildlife Refuge Association (NWRA). The Refuge Association testified before the House Resources Subcommittee on Fisheries and Oceans this year in favor of: the Cherry Valley National Wildlife Refuge Study Act; Cahaba National Wildlife Refuge Expansion Act; and Lake Mattamuskeet Lodge Preservation Act.
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Duck Stamp Contest Winner Announced
Richard Clifton of Milford, Delaware, won the 2006 Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest in Memphis, Tennessee, with his depiction of a pair of swimming ring-necked ducks. Clifton is an avid supporter of the Prime Hook NWR in Delaware and a member of the refuge Friends group.
Clifton's painting, chosen from among 297 entries from artists representing 49 states, will be on the 2007-2008 Federal Migratory Bird Conservation and Hunting Stamp, which goes on sale in late June 2007. The sale of the Federal Duck Stamps raises approximately $25 million each year to fund wetland habitat acquisition for the National Wildlife Refuge System. The Duck Stamp Contest is sponsored annually by the FWS.
All waterfowl hunters age 16 and older are required to purchase and carry the current Migratory Bird Conservation and Hunting Stamp, but conservationists, stamp collectors and others also purchase the stamp in support of habitat conservation. Ninety-eight percent of the proceeds from the $15 Duck Stamp go into the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund, which purchases wetlands for the Refuge System. Further, a current Duck Stamp can be used for free admission to any refuge open to the public. Duck Stamp dollars have been used to acquire land at hundreds of refuges in nearly every state in the nation.
Duck Stamps are available at post offices, national wildlife refuges, some national retail chain stores, and various sporting-goods stores nationwide. Because of the important role stamp proceeds play in conserving vital refuge wildlife habitat, the NWRA strongly encourages all refuge enthusiasts - hunters or otherwise - to buy the stamp!
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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. |
