Why It Matters: The America’s Conservation Enhancement (ACE) Reauthorization Act is a comprehensive conservation package that will bolster fish and wildlife conservation across North America. Some of the nation’s most important and impactful conservation programs are contained in this legislation. The introduction of the House bill is similar to the recent Senate passed ACE Reauthorization Act. In 2020, the ACE Act was first signed into law, delivering a significant victory to the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF), and CSF looks forward to replicating this success in 2024.
Highlights:
- On Friday, Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus (CSC) Members Reps. Rob Wittman, Jen Kiggans, Debbie Dingell, and Mike Thompson introduced the House companion of the America’s Conservation Enhancement Reauthorization Act, a bill strongly supported by CSF.
- The ACE Reauthorization Act will reauthorize fish, wildlife, and habitat conservation programs across the nation that are important to sportsmen and women.
Last week, the America’s Conservation Enhancement Reauthorization Act was introduced in the House of Representatives in a strong bipartisan fashion.
The House ACE Reauthorization Act will reauthorize several longstanding CSF priorities that leverage partnerships to deliver meaningful on-the-ground conservation projects. The ACE Reauthorization Act will reauthorize the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA), the nation’s leading wetlands conservation program. NAWCA provides meaningful investments to conserving and restoring degraded wetlands across North America. Since its inception 35 years ago, NAWCA has provided over $2.1 billion in federal grants that has leveraged nearly $4.3 billion in non-federal contributions. In total, there have been over 3,300 NAWCA projects that have contributed to the conservation of nearly 32 million acres of wetlands in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
Additionally, the ACE Reauthorization Act reauthorizes an important fisheries habitat program known as the National Fish Habitat Conservation Through Partnerships (NFHP), which is similar to NAWCA in functionality. NFHP is a state and locally driven program that leverages partners to conserve priority aquatic habitat needs, restore fish populations and enhance recreational fishing opportunities.
Furthermore, the ACE Reauthorization Act will provide a 5-year protection to prohibit the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from regulating the use of lead fishing tackle under the purview of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). The EPA has consistently reaffirmed state management authority of lead fishing tackle and this legislation will ensure the EPA cannot regulate lead tackle under TSCA for a period of 5 years.
CSF thanks CSC Members Reps. Wittman, Kiggans, Dingell, and Mike Thompson for introducing this important legislation, and looks forward to working with the House and Senate to deliver additional conservation investments to the President’s desk in 2024.
