Copyright 2000 eMediaMillWorks, Inc.
(f/k/a Federal
Document Clearing House, Inc.)
Federal Document Clearing House
Congressional Testimony
May 24, 2000, Wednesday
SECTION: CAPITOL HILL HEARING TESTIMONY
LENGTH: 1694 words
HEADLINE:
TESTIMONY May 24, 2000 THOMAS M. FRANKLIN, WILDLIFE POLICY DIRECTOR THE WILDLIFE
SOCIETY SENATE environment & public works CONSERVATIONS
BILLS
BODY:
24 May 2000 By Thomas M. Franklin,
Wildlife Policy Director, The Wildlife Society Testimony on S. 2123, the
Conservation and Reinvestment Act of 1999, S. 2181, the
Conservation and Stewardship Act; and S. 25, the Conservation and
Reinvestment Act For the Record of the Hearing of the U.S. Senate
Environment and Public Works Committee The Wildlife Society thanks Chairman Bob
Smith, Ranking Member Max Caucus, and the members of this Committee for the
opportunity to provide testimony on S. 2123, the Conservation and
Reinvestment Act of 1999, S. 2181, the Conservation and Stewardship
Act, and S. 25, the Conservation and Reinvestment Act. The
Wildlife Society is the association of wildlife professionals dedicated to
excellence in wildlife stewardship through science and education. We have worked
since 1937 to encourage a scientific approach to managing and protecting the
Nation's wild living resources. Our members are the "front line" professionals
who are employed in the private sector, academia, and in state and federal
agencies to ensure the wise stewardship of wildlife resources. If ever there
were an opportunity to help ensure long-term conservation of wildlife resources,
that opportunity is before us now with the conservation funding legislation that
has passed the House and currently exists in the Senate. Just as the Wildlife
Society has actively participated in the development and implementation of some
of the most historically significant conservation legislation of the last
century, so we begin this century by supporting the passage of a conservation
funding bill that provides dependable, long-term funding for our Nation,
imperiled wildlife populations. The need for sufficiently funded proactive
wildlife management continues to grow, as does the public demand for the
responsible stewardship of wildlife. These public demands are reasonable and
should be met: without proper conservation, more and more species will become
threatened and endangered. Trying to reverse these trends, rather than
preventing them, is extremely expensive and inefficient, and the public foots
the bill. Annual expenditures for recovery efforts of listed species have risen
from $43 million in 1989 to $312 million in 1995. In addition, although funding
exists for game management through the Pittman-Robertson Federal Aid in Wildlife
Restoration Act of 1937, the public's interest in wildlife observation is
substantial. According the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, wildlife-watchers
spent $29 billion in State and local economies in 1996, 39% more than that spent
just 5 years before. And nature-based tourism is increasing, at a higher rate
than any other segment of tourism worldwide. We would like to offer
recommendations for the wildlife title of a compromise bill based on elements
found in Title III of S. 2123, S. 2181, and S.25. The Wildlife Society
recommends that the following specific elements be included in the final
wildlife title of the bill: Wildlife conservation strategy found in S. 2181.
This language provides for efficient and effective use of Title Ill funds to
address all wildlife species needs and has broad support among wildlife
conservationists. No cap on wildlife recreation program spending. Success of
wildlife conservation and management programs relies on public support. Public
support is fostered when people are engaged in wildlife-related recreation from
which they can develop a personal connection to wildlife values. These
recreational programs should not be limited by a 10% funding cap. Both S. 25 and
S. 2181 already address this concern. Increased base funding for states from 1/2
to 1% to benefit small population/small land- base states. The benefits to
wildlife conservation in these 11 small states (NH, SD, NJ, CT, DE, RI, VT, ME,
ND, HI, and WV) would greatly outweigh the minimal reduction in funds
distributed to all other 39 states (a total reallocation of $11.9 million, or
3.4% of the total, would result from this change). In many of the small
northeastern states, wildlife managers face many unique challenges due to rapid
development and increasing human populations. The problems they face are no less
pressing than those of larger states. No existing bill currently addresses this
issue. Assure adequate funding for wildlife conservation, recreation and
education. The $350 million specified in CARA and CASA is the minimum necessary
to allow state wildlife agencies to begin addressing the estimated $1 billion
per year need. If states continue to be deprived of dependable funding for
wildlife conservation, the declining trends of many species will continue to
accelerate over the next few years. More than 2,000 non- game, non-listed
species of fish and wildlife in the ITS are lacking the attention that they
need. Without sufficient funding, state resource managers will be unable to act
as more and more species reach a critical status and are listed as threatened or
endangered. We all know that our diverse wildlife is a source of pride for the
citizens of this country -- so why wait until conditions are severely degraded
before taking action? There are cost-efficient, effective and popular ways of
providing, landowners with incentives to conserve wildlife habitat, by providing
states with the resources they need to be proper stewards of this nation's
wildlife, these responsible conservation techniques will be implemented. The
Wildlife Society commends the members of this Committee who have sponsored or
cosponsored some form of conservation funding legislation. All of the existing
bills are worthy of praise, and are a testament to the commitment and foresight
of this Congress to have a conservation legacy that benefits all American
citizens. We are confident that your commitment to bipartisan legislation will
produce a compromise bill that preserves the integrity of the original bills and
provides for thorough, effective use of wildlife conservation funding. Wildlife
professionals, the American public, and their children will thank you for it.
LOAD-DATE: May 25, 2000, Thursday