U.S. Senators Tim Johnson (SD), Debbie Stabenow (MI) and Jon Tester (MT) introduced yesterday the Teaming With Wildlife Act that would create a first of its kind funding program to help state fish and wildlife agencies further move their State Wildlife Action Plans into on-the-ground action to prevent at risk wildlife from becoming endangered.
“Hunting, fishing and enjoying the outdoors has been engrained in all our lives. This legislation will help ensure that we can pass these South Dakota traditions on to future generations,” said Johnson, a member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. “I am proud to introduce this bill to help states across the country enhance wildlife conservation.”
The Teaming With Wildlife Act would provide $350 million annually over five years to help states carry out comprehensive wildlife restoration programs consistent with a state wildlife action plan. Since 2001, every state has adopted a state wildlife action plan as its primary conservation tool for keeping fish and wildlife healthy and off the list of threatened and endangered species. The legislation would create a reliable funding source under the Wildlife Conservation and Restoration Program (WCRP) through a portion of the royalties collected from mineral development on federal lands.
“Currently, states receive less than 10% of the funding that is needed to implement their Action Plans, which help manage 90% of the fish and wildlife within their borders including thousands of species known to be declining or are at risk,” said Mark Humpert, Teaming With Wildlife Director. “The introduction of the Teaming With Wildlife Act is the culmination of a more than two-decade-long effort to secure sustainable funding for state-based conservation of species in greatest need.”
The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies thanks Senator Johnson for his leadership in helping to prevent species from becoming endangered and Senators Stabenow and Tester for championing the bill. The Teaming With Wildlife Act also has the active support of the 6,000-member Teaming With Wildlife Coalition, which is the largest and most diverse wildlife conservation alliance ever assembled representing millions of birdwatchers, hikers, anglers, hunters, outdoor enthusiasts and conservation professionals nationwide.
For more information about Teaming With Wildlife and State Action Plans, go to http://www.teaming.com/.
