The important news here is that this bill begins to map the common ground that could define a nationally historic achievement for conservation and wildlife.

However, the bill falls short of where it needs to be to win our endorsement. We welcome the initiative, but we cannot support truly significant gains for conservation in some areas, purchased at the very real sacrifice of conservation in other areas. This proposal presents just such a trade-off. We are concerned with the bill's "the more you drill, the more you get" implications. This concern centers on two specific issues:

Conservation revenues to coastal states from Outer Continental Shelf leases must not become an incentive for new off-shore drilling. Conservation revenues to coastal states must be clearly dedicated to enhancing and restoring the environment, not to augmenting the infrastructure that supports off-shore resource exploitation.

In addition, we believe the legislation can be improved if an appropriate portion of state conservation revenues is directed to non-game wildlife, those species that are not hunted or fished, or threatened or endangered.

Speaking realistically, this bill's shortcomings can be resolved. Our presence here today is intended as a signal that the National Wildlife Federation will work with this legislation's sponsors and others to find the common ground on which we can all claim victory.

Never in recent history have so many people of such diverse persuasions begun to come together on the central issue of meaningful conservation funding to benefit all regions of the country. The House bill being introduced today has a Senate companion, additional proposals are expected from both houses, and the Administration has outlined its own Lands Legacy Initiative. These measures present a real prospect to create a bipartisan consensus strengthened by a partnership with the states to serve wildlife and wild places for generations to come.

No greater contribution can be made to the nation's conservation tradition than for this Congress to make permanent conservation funding a reality this year. We pledge to do our part to make that happen.