This information pertains to the House Version of the CARA bill. You can also compare this to the Senate Version.

WHAT’S THE ISSUE?

The U.S. Congress is now considering legislation that would provide Alaska with additional funds to invest in conservation. If enacted into law, the Conservation and Reinvestment Act, H.R. 701, would provide $2.8 billion annually to state and local communities for open space, coastal restoration, urban parks, wildlife conservation and outdoor recreation at no new cost to taxpayers. Under H.R. 701*, Alaska would receive $163,428,334 each year, including:

• $17,500,000 for wildlife conservation
• $38,585,825 for land and water conservation
• $86,949,949 for coastal/marine conservation or impact assistance

All fifty governors across the country have sent letters supporting conservation funding to the U.S. Congress including Alaska's Governor Tony Knowles.

A bipartisan group of 315 members of the U.S. House of Representatives voted to pass H.R. 701, including Alaska's Representative Don Young (R).

Senator Frank Murkowski (R) has joined forty-six of his colleagues, almost half of the U.S. Senate, to cosponsor a nature funding bill.

Almost 900 businesses, community and civic groups representing millions of Americans have come out in support of permanent conservation funding. Supporters in Alaska include:

• Alaska Center for the Environment
• Alaska Conservation Foundation
• Alaska PIRG (AKPIRG)
• Alaska State Parks
• Anchorage Coastal Wildlife Refuge
• Crystal Images
• Friends of Potter Marsh
• Pacific Seabird Group
• Wildlife Federation of Alaska

Ninety percent (92 total) of the 102 open space acquisition ballot measures offered at the local, county and state levels were passed in 1999. Many of the winning referenda required explicit tax increases.

Each year, $727.9 million is spent on wildlife recreation in Alaska, supporting over 14,311 jobs and bringing an additional $994.3 million to Alaska's economy through related economic activity in the state's manufacturing, service and trade sectors.** Wildlife conservation, recreation and education programs funded by CARA will increase opportunities for wildlife appreciation in the state.

Federal dollars, through the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) have already helped restore nature preserves, wildlife refuges and urban parks in Alaska. Fully funding LWCF through CARA will provide outdoor recreation opportunities that will improve the quality of life for all Americans. To see how Alaska has already benefited from LWCF, check out http://www.capweb.net/outdoors/lwcf/lwcf.cfm.

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