Copyright 2000 Plain Dealer Publishing Co.
The
Plain Dealer
April 21, 2000 Friday, FINAL / ALL
SECTION: SPORTS; Pg. 11D
LENGTH: 623 words
HEADLINE:
NEW LEGISLATION COULD POUR MILLIONS INTO ODW'S BUDGET
BODY:
The Conservation and Reinvestment
Act of 1999 (CARA) has mobilized wildlife officials across the country,
all of them anxious to embrace the federal legislation that will pour millions
into state wildlife programs.
The Ohio Division of Wildlife is not just
keeping its fingers crossed that CARA (HB 701) will find bipartisan support. Its
wildlife officers are prodding sportsmen's clubs and organizations to call and
write their federal legislators now that the legislation is heading for a House
vote.
CARA would share federal Outer Continental Shelf
oil revenues with coastal
states and support national
conservation and wildlife education programs in
all 50
states. Ohio is considered a coastal state since it borders broad Lake
Erie
and would get additional funds.
"We estimate that Ohio
would annually receive $54 million, with $12 million
going to the Ohio
Division of Wildlife," Deputy Chief Ken Fritz said. "Among
the funds Ohio
would get under CARA would be $6.8 million for coastal
restoration on Lake
Erie, $24.8 million through the Land and Water
Conservation
Fund, $6.2 million to fix up urban parks and $2.5 million for
historic
preservation."
For the cash-strapped Ohio Division of
Wildlife and most wildlife agencies
around the country in the same
predicament, CARA would save them from budget
cuts. Hunting and fishing
license sales have been the primary support for all
wildlife programs and
those sales have declined in recent years. Rep. Don
Young, a Republican from
Alaska, sponsored the legislation and now has 320
co-sponsors. CARA is
supported by 49 governors and a coalition of hunting,
fishing and recreation
organizations.
"CARA is a comprehensive
conservation and recreation bill that supports
projects
ranging from coastal programs and vital land acquisition to state
wildlife
conservation, historic preservation and urban parks programs,"
Young
said. "This bipartisan bill will bring important
conservation and recreation
programs to every community in
the nation.
"This bill also has strong provisions to
protect private landowners and it
significantly increases each individual
states' roles in conservation and
recreation programs.
Whether it's a hiking trail or a wildlife conservation
program in rural Oklahoma or a new city party or after-school recreation
programs in inner cities, this bill is good for our entire nation."
MAD
HATS - Canoe and kayak paddlers and "mad hats" will make a splash on the
Grand River on April29, as the Lake Metroparks hosts the annual Grand River
Canoe and Kayak Race. Once held by the Mad Hatters Canoe Club, the race
still
features its Maddest Hat Contest for the wildest headgear worn by
racers.
Paddlers will cover 8 1/2 miles of the wild and scenic Grand River,
starting
at the Harpersfield covered bridge and finishing at Hidden Valley
Park in
Madison. To register, call 1-800-669-9226.
WALLEYE TOURNAMENTS -
Lake Erie walleye tournaments this summer will include
The Beaver Creek Boat
Club Walleye Fishing Tournament on June12 and the West
Cleveland Walleye
Association's West Cleveland Open Walleye Tournament on
June17. Call Chris
Songer of the West Cleveland Walleye Association at (440)
835-2892 or Mike
MacKay of the Beaver Creek Boat Club at (440) 237-3115.
TEAM TRAIL - The
North American Walleye Anglers tournament trail has shut down
its pro-am
series, but it will continue to hold Team Challenge tournaments for
two-angler teams. The series will hold the first of six events on Lake Erie,
with the Cabela's Lake Erie West event on April29-30 at Monroe, Mich. There
will be a NAWA Team Challenge on Pennsylvania's Allegheny Reservoir on
June10-11. Call 1-800-224-4990.
COLUMN: Notebook
LOAD-DATE: April 22, 2000 
