News Release - 06/08/07



Senator Crapo Awarded for Efforts to Help Conserve Wildlife

Washington (June 8, 2007) - Today, Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID) was presented with an award for his leadership in championing federal funding for state-based wildlife conservation under the State Wildlife Grants Program. The award recognizes his participation with the program, which remains our nation's core program for preventing wildlife from becoming endangered in every state. The award was presented by Teaming with Wildlife, a national coalition of 5,000 conservation-minded organizations and businesses working to prevent wildlife from becoming endangered.

“We cannot have success in conserving our country's wildlife without people who dedicate their lives to make sure that we get the most bang for our buck for these State Wildlife Grants and other programs,” said Senator Crapo. “The emphasis must be pro-active and should be on conserving the species before they reach the point where they may need to be listed as threatened or endangered. This type of collaboration and cooperation is exactly what we should focus on if we want to make significant progress in species recovery.”

The U.S. House of Representatives Interior Appropriations Subcommittee recently allocated $85 million for State Wildlife Grants in the 2008 Fiscal Year, an increase from last year’s allocation of $68.5 million.  The $85 million figure was advanced earlier this year in letters signed by 60 Senator and 162 Representatives to the House and Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittees, showing a strong bi-partisan support for the program. The Senate is expected to put forward an initial appropriation for State Wildlife Grants in the next several weeks.    
 “State agencies leverage State Wildlife Grants funding to help restore habitat, reintroduce wildlife, and work with private landowners to help keep wildlife from declining,” said Naomi Edelson, Teaming with Wildlife Director for the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure is the perfect adage for this program. This is a wise use of taxpayer dollars that delivers on-the-ground results for wildlife.”

The State Wildlife Grants Program provides federal money to every state and territory for cost-effective conservation aimed at preventing wildlife from becoming endangered. This program continues the long history of cooperation between the federal government and the states for managing and conserving wildlife. Funds appropriated under the State Wildlife Grants Program are allocated to every state according to a formula based on each state’s size and population.

Senator Crapo, who is the co-chair of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus, was honored for his “exceptional leadership in advocating state wildlife conservation funding” and “commitment to America’s wildlife (that) will leave a lasting legacy for generations to come.” The Teaming with Wildlife Coalition is comprised of over 5,000 organizations, including over 60 organizations from Idaho, that include wildlife biologists, hunters & anglers, birdwatchers, hikers, nature-based businesses and other conservationists. The coalition advocates for new and greater to prevent wildlife from becoming endangered.
"Sportsmen have always been leaders in conserving wildlife in America," says Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation President, Jeff Crane. "Working with our allies in the Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus, we are proud of the funding that the State Wildlife Grants Program has received, and I hope that this year, the program expands to do even more good for wildlife conservation."  

Despite historical successes in bringing many wildlife species back from the brink of extinction, other species have continued to decline as evidenced by the staggering numbers listed under the federal Endangered Species Act.  State hunting and fishing license dollars, federal excise taxes on hunting and fishing gear, and motorboat fuel taxes have provided the backbone for funding the nation’s state wildlife conservation programs over the past century.  However, there has always been a gap in funding for species that are not hunted or fished.  State Wildlife Grants has provided state fish and wildlife agencies with the resources they critically need to fill that gap.
           
To lean more about the Teaming with Wildlife Coalition, visit www.teaming.com and www.wildlifeactionplans.org.



Representatives of the Teaming with Wildlife Coalition present Senator Mike Crapo (R- ID) with and award for his  “exceptional leadership in advocating state wildlife conservation funding” and “commitment to America’s wildlife that will leave a lasting legacy for generations to come.”

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The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies—the organization that represents all of North America’s fish and wildlife agencies—promotes sound management and conservation, and speaks with a unified voice on important fish and wildlife issues. Found on the web at www.fishwildlife.org.

us , Public Affairs
Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies
202/624-7890
rbrittin@fishwildilfe.org