Why It Matters: Habitat is the driving force behind healthy fish and wildlife populations. At a time when fish and wildlife habitats across the nation continue to become fragmented and degraded, the America’s Wildlife Habitat Conservation Act authorizes crucial funding to proactively conserve species before more costly measures are necessary. This legislation also codifies existing partnerships and strategies to conserve fish and wildlife habitat while simultaneously creating new, innovative solutions to better address habitat conservation.
Highlights:
- Last week, Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus (CSC) Co-Chair and Chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee Rep. Bruce Westerman announced the introduction of R. 7408 America’s Wildlife Habitat Conservation Act, a bill to conserve and recover at-risk species while implementing innovative solutions to enhance fish and wildlife habitat.
- On Wednesday of this week, the House Natural Resources Committee will hold a hearing on the America’s Wildlife Habitat Conservation Act.
Recently, CSC Co-Chair and Chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee Rep. Bruce Westerman introduced the America’s Wildlife Habitat Conservation Act, a comprehensive bill that seeks to enhance fish and wildlife habitat across the nation. On Wednesday, H.R. 7408 is scheduled to receive a hearing in the House Natural Resources Committee.
The America’s Wildlife Habitat Conservation Act would authorize $300 million in annual funding to bolster the ability of state fish and wildlife agencies to restore, manage, and conserve habitat for fish and wildlife including at-risk species and species listed as threatened and endangered. As part of the funding language contained in Title I of the America’s Wildlife Habitat Conservation Act, the legislation requires that 10% of the funding be made available for an innovative grant program to incentivize tools and strategies to improve fish and wildlife habitat across the nation. The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) thanks the Chairman for including language that will ensure hunting and fishing organizations have a seat at the table when reviewing the apportionments for the competitive grants section of this legislation. CSF is also pleased to see this bill respects the management of state fish and wildlife agencies, our nation’s primary and best managers of fish and wildlife.
Of critical importance to the sportsmen’s community is the inclusion of provisions to bolster active management of our nation’s lands and waters. For example, the America’s Wildlife Habitat Conservation Act will establish an innovative program to establish “Good Neighbor Authority” within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), which will be similar to the Good Neighbor Authorities provided to the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service. The Good Neighbor Authority language contained in this legislation will allow states, counties, and tribes who have a vested interest in the lands managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to conduct active management and restoration projects on FWS lands. Additionally, CSF is encouraged by the inclusion of other active management provisions such as the inclusion of the language that would reverse the crippling 2015 Cottonwood decision.
“The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation thanks CSC Co-Chair Rep. Westerman for introducing the America’s Wildlife Habitat Conservation Act”, said CSF President and CEO Jeff Crane. “This legislation provides innovative solutions to improving habitat across the nation and bolstering the active management of nation’s lands and water, a critical management practice to conserving and restoring at-risk as well as threatened and endangered species.”
The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation looks forward to working with Chairman Westerman to advance the America’s Wildlife Habitat Conservation Act to provide funding and increased flexibility to conserve America’s fish, wildlife, and their associated habitats.
