Archive for the 'Congress' Category

Mar 08, 2010

2010 CARE Funding Report

The Cooperative Alliance for Refuge Enhancement (CARE) has just released their Restoring America’s Wildlife Refuges 2010 report, which warns of the threat from an Obama Administration proposal to significantly cut the Refuge System’s budget.
From CARE:

America’s National Wildlife Refuge System, comprising 150 million acres, requires a minimum of $900 million annually to operate adequately. The report [...]

Mar 02, 2010

Marine Reserves Not Getting Gov’t Support

The New York Times reports that the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument, Rose Atoll Marine National Monument, and Marianas Trench National Monument – which were created by former President Bush and given to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as part of the Refuge System — are being neglected.
The islands’ leaders said the reserve [...]

Feb 19, 2010

USFWS Prepares for End to Gun Ban

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued a press release related to the end of the gun ban that will take effect at national wildlife refuges and national parks on February 22.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced that effective February 22, 2010, the rules governing possession of firearms on National Wildlife Refuges will [...]

Feb 16, 2010

Oahu Wildlife Refuge to Expand

Hawaii News Now reports that Senator Daniel Inouye (D-HI) has announced a deal whereby the James Campbell Company will sell valuable North Shore land (1,100 acres at $22 million) to the federal government to be protected as part of the currently 160-acre James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge. The land includes two miles of pristine coastline [...]

Feb 16, 2010

Refuge Gun Ban Will End on Feb.22 with Little Clarity on the Effects

On February 22, a law that was tacked onto a credit card reform bill by the ever controversial Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) will take effect and will allow national park and national wildlife refuge visitors to openly carry loaded guns, as well as concealed weapons, as long as they comply with state laws.
But even [...]

Feb 01, 2010

Obama’s Refuge System Budget Disappoints

The National Wildlife Refuge Association just released details of President Barack Obama’s Fiscal Year 2011 budget, and it contains some disappointment for the Refuge System.

The National Wildlife Refuge Association (NWRA) expressed disappointment over President Obamas proposed $499.5 million operations and maintenance budget for the National Wildlife Refuge System for next year, Fiscal Year 2011. Because [...]

Jan 30, 2010

NWRA Sets 2010 Priorities for the Refuge System

The National Wildlife Refuge Association has laid out their 2010 priorities in advocating for the National Wildlife Refuge System:
Funding: With a renewed emphasis on reducing the federal deficit, as outlined in the President’s State of the Union, federal programs such as the National Wildlife Refuge System are likely to see reduced or frozen discretionary spending [...]

Nov 12, 2009

New Members in House Wildlife Refuge Caucus

The Wildlife Refuge Caucus in the House of Representatives welcomed two new members: Representative Ben Ray Lujan (NM), and Delegate Gregorio Sablan (Northern Mariana Islands). The Wildlife Refuge Caucus is a bipartisan group that unites members to address wildlife refuge issues. Caucus membership now includes 139 members representing 41 states.
Visit the Refuge Caucus list on [...]

Oct 31, 2009

Refuge System Gets $40 Million Budget Increase

In a pleasant surprise from Congress, the just-passed “FY 2010 Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill” will give the National Wildlife Refuge System a budget increase of $40 million, which was the higher amount that the House passed earlier this year.
From the press release by the National Wildlife Refuge Association:

This builds upon strong increases [...]

Oct 28, 2009

Legal Experts Assess Scope of New Gun Law in Refuges & Parks

The Jackson Hole News and Guide in Wyoming recently ran a story that offers new details on the extreme nature of the gun legislation that was recently passed and signed into law, which will allow concealed weapons in most national parks and national wildlife refuges.
Now that legal experts have time to fully examine the [...]

Sep 25, 2009

Senate Fails to Match House in Refuge System Funding

The National Wildlife Refuge Association has issued a press release announcing the passage of a $26 million budget increase for the Refuge System in the Senate’s FY 2010 Interior, Environment and Related Agencies appropriations bill. Unfortunately this is not the same amount that the House passed earlier.
From the NWRA:
The National Wildlife Refuge Association (NWRA) [...]

Sep 15, 2009

Refuge Friends Urge Action to Protect Wildlife from Climate Change

The National Wildlife Refuge Association and almost 110 refuge Friends volunteer organizations across the country are urging the Senate to pass climate change legislation that would reduce greenhouse gasses and dedicate a portion of the future revenue collected to aid wildlife in adapting to climate change.
From the press release:

“Climate change represents the greatest threat to [...]