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News Release 08/03/06

STATE WILDLIFE AGENCIES APPLAUD SENATORS FOR FILING LONG-TERM WILDLIFE FUNDING AMENDMENT

Washington, D.C. (August 2, 2006) - Today, all 50 state fish and wildlife agencies applauded the efforts of Senators Tim Johnson (D-SD), Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), and Jim Talent (R-MO) for the introduction of an important amendment to the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 (S.3711) in the U.S. Senate. Their Amendment to S.3711 would dedicate a percentage of federal outer continental oil and gas revenues to states for fish and wildlife programs. Although no amendments were allowed to the bill, and did not pass along with the bill this week, this marks an important step forward for future of wildlife conservation.

"For years now we have stood by and watched as wild places and threatened species disappear," says Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD), one of the amendment's sponsors. "The time has come to take action. While we cannot replenish the global oil supply, we can reinvest in our natural resources by using this revenue to fund wildlife conservation. We'll just keep trying to establish the funds needed to keep our wildlife and natural areas healthy."

The amendment proposed to dedicate a percentage of off-shore oil revenues, starting in 2016, to the Wildlife Conservation and Restoration Program sub account, which Congress has never been able provide dedicated money for since its authorization in 2000. Funds from the account would be split among all 50 state fish and wildlife agencies to help conserve wildlife populations and their habitats and to provide more opportunities for wildlife education and recreation. Through the Wildlife Conservation and Restoration sub account, funds would help support the State Wildlife Grants Program and the State Wildlife Action Plans, which need more funding to be properly implemented.

"This was an excellent opportunity to elevate the issue of dedicated funding for wildlife, and point out the need to fund proactive wildlife conservation," said John Cooper, Director of the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Commission and President of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. "It represents the right step forward for conservation, and for preventing more species from being listed on the Endangered Species List in the future."

In recent years, many of the nation's leading conservation organizations have joined together to form the Teaming with Wildlife Coalition in an effort to gain new and greater funding for wildlife conservation. More than 3,500 organizations and businesses support the grassroots effort across the country. The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, which leads the coalition, recently polled more than 6,000 wildlife advocates about wildlife funding. The results showed that 87 percent strongly supported setting aside a portion of existing fees on oil and gas drilling for wildlife conservation.

"It makes sense to use this money to do what is right for the land and wildlife," says Naomi Edelson, Teaming with Wildlife Director for the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. "This amendment is the first step in the right direction. The coalition applauds the efforts of Senators Johnson, Lincoln and Talent for leading the charge to find dedicated funding to help conserve wildlife for future generations."

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