Massachusetts

Environmental League of Massachusetts
Sportsmen, Conservationists Encourage Senate to Fully Fund Wildlife Program
Supporters of wildlife program are now working overtime to ensure that the U.S. Sentate does not cute funding WASHINGTON, DC (June 11) – Last month, legislation passed out of the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee that allocates $85 million to the State Wildlife Grants Program. This month, supporters of the program are now working overtime to ensure that the U.S. Senate does not cut those funds. “Funding for State Wildlife Grants has not been this high since 2002, and Massachusetts wildlife supporters want to make sure that it stays at this level,” said Bernie McHugh, coordinator of citizen education for the Environmental League of Massachusetts, a group that works to implement wildlife conservation strategies in the state. In April, 60 senators signed on to a letter supporting the $85 million funding to the program, which is the nation’s core program for preventing wildlife from becoming endangered. “Massachusetts was extremely fortunate to have both Sen. Edward Kennedy and Sen. John Kerry sign on to the letter, and we anticipate their continued support for the $85 million funding for fiscal year 2008,” McHugh said. The State Wildlife Grants Program is the only source of funding for most states aimed specifically at keeping wildlife off the Endangered Species List. It is also the primary funding source for implementing State Wildlife Action Plans, which are a thorough state-by-state look at wildlife and the actions needed to ensure their survival. The plans – which are the result of a collaborative effort by scientists, sportsmen, conservationists, state fish and wildlife agencies, and the general public – are designed to prevent wildlife from becoming threatened, at which point they often are too rare and costly to protect.  Massachusetts’s plan aims to protect species such as the wood turtle and the black bear. For more information on the plan, visit http://statewildlife.nwf.org/MA/ What you can do! Contact Massachusetts' Senators and ask them to support funding today Senator Edward Kennedy: kennedy.senate.gov/senator/contact.cfm Senator John Kerry: kerry.senate.gov/v3/contact/email.html   ### Contact: Isabel Grantham, 617-742-2553, igrantham@EnvironmentalLeague.org Join Teaming with Wildlife! The Massachusetts Coalition is comprised of over 150 organizations and businesses. These include land trusts, watershed groups, outdoor organizations, environmental policy organizations, commercial whale watches, sportsmen and women groups, bed & breakfasts, and other businesses. Joining Teaming with Wildlife is easy! Simply fill out and return the endorsement form. Forms can be faxed to 617-742-9656 or mailed to:        Teaming with Wildlife Environmental League of Massachusetts 14 Beacon Street, Suite 714 Boston, MA 02108

Advocating for Wildlife Habitat Protection with the New Patrick Administration:

With Massachusetts in the process of transitioning from Governor Romney’s Administration to the incoming Patrick Administration, wildlife advocates are trying to ensure that wildlife is represented in the new administration’s policy agenda. Governor-elect Patrick has assembled an “Energy and the Environment Working Group” to make policy suggestions. Below are some of the recommendations made:

Restoring the Balance for Massachusetts’ Wildlife: This document, written by the Environmental League of Massachusetts, describes how the new administration can unite various constituencies with the goal of protecting wildlife habitat. Specific suggestions included in this paper are:

1. Encourage all state agencies involved in land management and land acquisition to follow the guidelines in the Wildlife Action Plan.

2. Take the agency capital funding out of the Commonwealth Capital Fund (CCF) and articulate the clear need to direct capital funds for wildlife habitat protection.

The Massachusetts Land Trust Coalition (MLTC) coordinates the state’s many land trusts and is a member of Teaming with Wildlife. This document makes a number of suggestions related to land protection, including these that affect wildlife:

1. Direct the Department of Fish & Game to implement the State Wildlife Action Plan.

2. Restore the budget line item for the Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program.

3. Request $900,000 to match Federal funds for the State Wildlife Grant program.

Advocating at the State House:

Advocating for Wildlife Habitat Protection Funding: The FY2008 Green Budget

In January the Environmental League released its FY2008 Green Budget, endorsed by 50 organizations across the commonwealth, which calls for $1 million in funding for the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species program within MassWildlife to protect wildlife habitat.

In the FY2004 budget the NHESP lost all of its operating funding from the state, which had amounted to around $800,000 a year. It now functions only on a combination of bond money, voluntary donations from Massachusetts residents in the form of a check-off box on the state income tax return, and federal funds.

In order to continue to receive federal funding to implement our Action Plan, the state must match dollar for dollar what the federal government is willing to provide, which was around $900,000 in FY2007. Much of the $1 million recommended in the Green Budget for NHESP would qualify for the agency's federal match to implement the Wildlife Action Plan.

Please contact your state legislators and ask them to support funding the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species program in the FY2008 budget.

To find your state legislators, click here.

Protecting Wildlife Habitat from Invasive Plants: HB 5306
2005-2006 Legislative Session

Invasive species have become a major threat to wildlife and their habitat. To start combating the threat of invasives, Bill H.5306, filed with the Massachusetts Legislature this summer, would establish an Invasive Aquatic Plants Control and Prevention Fund. The $2 million resource would be administered through the Department of Conservation and Recreation and would fund specific programs in various municipalities across the state. Funding would be provided to municipalities with aquatic habitat threatened by invasive species. To receive funding, the municipalities would need to have a cost-effective plan to combat the invasives and restore native species and habitat conditions.

The Environmental League of Massachusetts supports this proposed legislation but would like to see it amended to have funds administered at least in part through the Division of Fish & Wildlife. The existing Wildlife Action Plan should be used as a guidance document to determine which areas are in most need of funding and support. With these changes, this bill is a good start to habitat protection from invasive species.

Read ELM's testimony on this bill.

Advocating Nationally:

National Cooperative Conservation Listening Sessions

This summer and fall the Bush Administration, led by Secretary of the Intirior Dirk Kempthorne, led a series of listening sessions on the concept of "Cooperative Conservation." The listening sessions were meant to address the Endangered Species Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Wetlands Protection Act and how we can better protect our environment through voluntary activities.

A listening session was held in Northampton, MA, on September 29th. Over 40 environmental organizations and concerned individuals turn out to speak on behalf of the importance of retaining our environmental laws and strengthening them, rather than rolling them back in favor of voluntary activities.

Read ELM's testimony at the Cooperative Conservation listening session here.

For more information, visit the Cooperative Conservation website.

State Wildlife Grants: Fiscal Year 2007 Funding

On June 27, the U.S. Senate Interior Appropriations Committee announced that funding will hold steady at $67.5 million for the State Wildlife Grants Program in FY07. This is an increase from the $50 million suggested last month by the U.S. House of Representatives, but still falls short of the $74.7 million in the President’s budget and the $85 million supported by 223 members of Congress. A final figure will be determined in a House/Senate conference.

State Wildlife Grants: Fiscal Year 2006 Funding

President Bush's 2006 Budget proposal included $74 million for State Wildlife Grants. This is roughly $5 million more than the final FY 2005 appropriation. At the end of April, 128 Representatives and 55 Senators signed on to letters of support for the program, asking the House and Senate Appropriations Committees to provide at least $85 million in funding. On August 2nd, President Bush signed into law a Fiscal Year 2006 Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill that provides $68.5 million for State Wildlife Grants. It’s a testament to the strength of our grassroots efforts that State Wildlife Grants was cut less than 1% in a bill that was cut 2.5% overall, and which dramatically cut many popular conservation programs. That the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies put together a letter from over 270 organizations less than two weeks after the Senate passed its bill sent a clear message that the House appropriation was not enough and made it impossible for Congress to cut our program as much as they cut the overall bill.