By Bee Frederick, Southeastern States Director
On April 4, the Co-Chairmen of the Tennessee Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus, Senator Mike Bell and Representative Jay Reedy, sent a letter to the Tennessee Congressional delegation in support of the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act (RAWA), HR 4647.
Introduced in the United States House of Representatives by Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus (CSC) Members Congressman Jeff Fortenberry (NE) and Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI), the bipartisan legislation aims to meet the increasing need for proactive wildlife conservation funding for our nation’s fish and wildlife resources and the habitats on which they depend.
Specifically, RAWA would redirect $1.3 billion of existing revenue from royalties on onshore and offshore energy, and mineral development on federal lands and waters to provide proactive funding for the over 12,000 species of greatest conservation need identified through each state agency’s Wildlife Action Plans. This Legislation will proactively address at risk fish and wildlife species now before potential costs, and potentially restrictive measures, to restore or recover species increase over time due to insufficient funding. The current levels of funding are less than 5 percent of what is necessary.
The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) is a member of the Alliance for America’s Fish and Wildlife. The coalition formed in support of RAWA and originated from the recommendation of the Blue-Ribbon Panel on Sustaining America’s Diverse Fish & Wildlife Resources, which CSF President Jeff Crane is a member of.
CSF previously hosted a Breakfast Briefing on Capitol Hill for Members of Congress, staff, and partners to promote RAWA and also signed on to an American Wildlife Conservation Partners letter supporting HR 4647. The legislation is currently awaiting to be scheduled for a markup following a hearing in the House Natural Resources Committee on February 15.
Studies conducted at both the state and federal level have found that the number of hunters and trappers have been on a generally declining trend over the past several decades. To increase recruitment, retention, and reactivation (R3) of hunters and trappers, which initiative do you think would have the greatest impact?
