FOR RELEASE AT 10 A.M.
DATE: MAY 11, 2000		 CONTACT: JEFF SAGNIP HOLLENDONNER
                        (609) 261-5801

HOUSE PASSES HISTORIC CONSERVATION FUNDING BILL

New Jersey would get $60M for projects

WASHINGTON D.C. --The bipartisan Conservation and Reinvestment Act (CARA, H.R. 701) took a leap toward becoming reality today when the House approved the historic conservation legislation, announced Congressman Jim Saxton.

"This bill sets the tone for wildlife conservation into the new century," said Saxton, chairman of its Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife and Oceans and an original cosponsor of the bill. "Many conservation organizations fought for this victory. The Garden State alone stands to receive nearly $60 million in conservation grants."

The vote passed 315-102.

"This landmark legislation would provide conservation projects across the country with the largest infusion of federal funds in history, $44 billion over the next 15 years," said Saxton, a ranking member of the House Resources Committee. "Most of the funds would go to various state and local conservation programs, including state-level wildlife conservation."

H.R. 701, approved by the Resources Committee in a 37-12 vote in November, now moves to the Senate. It would reinvest $3 billion annually in federal Outer Continental Shelf oil and gas revenue back into natural resources conservation through the following programs:

  • $1 billion State Coastal Impact Assistance and Conservation
  • $900 million Land and Water Conservation Fund Revitalization (state formula/federal)
  • $350 million State-Level Wildlife Conservation and Restoration Fund
  • $125 million Urban Park and Recreation Recovery (state grants)
  • $100 million Historic Preservation Fund (state grants and federal)
  • $200 million Federal and Indian Lands Restoration $150 million Conservation Easements & Species Recovery (federal)
  • $200 million Payment In-Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) and Refuge Revenue

Saxton took to the floor several times in a debate to pass the bill.

"CARA represents an historic opportunity for Congress to provide consistent and dedicated funding to states to conserve fish and wildlife, protect and restore coastal habitats and marine resources, and meet the ever increasing public need for outdoor recreation opportunities," Saxton said. "New Jersey continues to lose more open space to development and is now the most densely populated state in the nation. Funding under CARA would enable State and local governments to continue their efforts to preserve open space and conservation of natural resources while creating and restoring habitat for the diversity of species in New Jersey's Wildlife Management Areas."

The total for New Jersey is an estimated $59.9 million:

  • Outer Continental Shelf Impact Assistance & Coastal Conservation, $20.1 million;
  • Land and Water Conservation Fund, $17.9 million;
  • Wildlife Conservation, $7.7 million;
  • Urban Parks Renewal, $11.3 million;
  • Historic Preservation, $1.9 million;
  • Federal and Indian Land Restoration $234,444;
  • and Permanent Conservation Easement/Threatened and Endangered Species $330,452.

Pennsylvania would receive $50 million per year. The bill now moves to the Senate. President Clinton has promised to support the bill.

"States by themselves are hard-pressed to conserve declining wildlife and dwindling habitats, when they are trying to keep up with the demands of wildlife conservation, education and recreation," Saxton said. "The federal government must set the mark, and that means coming up with the funding to help pay for conservation work."

Presently, more than 85 percent of America's fish and wildlife have no dedicated funding to help detect early signs of decline and prevent them from becoming threatened or endangered. As a result, hundreds of species have gone unnoticed until they have reached critically low numbers and must be brought back through emergency measures of the Endangered Species Act.

The wildlife funding in HR 701 will allow wildlife agencies prevent further species from becoming endangered, and at far less cost, Saxton said.

"This bill is, in many cases, preventative medicine, which is far cheaper and effective than 11th hour emergency species recovery programs," Saxton said. "In addition, it will lessen the social and economic disruption a community may face associated with putting a species on the endangered list."