Action Alert: Don’t Let Congress Cut Funding for State Wildlife Grants

Sunday, September 05, 2010

Don’t Let Congress Cut Funding for State Wildlife Grants

You can take action on this alert by reading the information below and following the directions at the bottom.

Issue

Funding for State Wildlife Grants may be cut if you don't take action now.

Background

State Wildlife Grants is the nation’s core program for preventing wildlife from becoming endangered. This essential program provides resources to support practical, on-the-ground conservation efforts aimed at conserving wildlife and their habitat and benefits both game and non-game species.

Earlier this year the President’s budget requested $74.7 million for State Wildlife Grants even though we had requested $85 million. Many members of Congress signed a letter requesting the $85 million. Unfortunately, during the appropriations process, the House only provided $50 million while the Senate provided $67.5 million, which is the current level of funding. The House and Senate will meet to decide on the level of funding and the result could be a compromise between the $50 million and the $67.5 million.

Take action and send a letter to your Congressman asking that they support funding at the $67.5 million level. Now more than ever, we should be focusing limited resources on this kind of smart, effective conservation investments.

Your message will be sent to each of the following targets:

Your U.S. Representative

A sample message appears below, which you may edit before sending.

Don’t Cut Funding for State Wildlife Grants

Dear Representative,
As your constituent, I want you to know that I have serious concerns about funding for the State Wildlife Grants program in the Interior Appropriations Conference. Earlier this year we asked for $85 million. Unfortunately the House only provided $50 million. The Senate provided $67.5 million which is the current level of funding. We are seeking your support to ensure the State Wildlife Grants program gets the highest level of funding possible. If the House and Senate simply split the difference, this will mean the State Wildlife Grants program is CUT from last year’s level. Please do NOT let this program go BACKWARDS.

Remember, this is the nation’s core program for preventing wildlife from becoming endangered. This program supports innovative, on-the-ground conservation projects in Georgia and every other state to conserve wildlife and the places they live, before these resources become more rare and more costly to protect.

Although the federal budget is tight, reliable and adequate funding is essential for the continued success of the State Wildlife Grant Program. The request of $67.5 million is below the President’s budget request of $74.7 million but maintains funding at the current level. Uneven funding for State Wildlife Grants has a profound impact on the ability of wildlife agencies and their partners to take action to conserve wildlife before they need endangered species listings and costly recovery efforts. Now more than ever, we should be focusing limited resources on this kind of smart, effective conservation investment.

Please encourage the budget decision makers to support the $67.5 million for State Wildlife Grants in the final Interior Appropriations bill.

Please contact Senator Conrad Burns, Senator Byron Dorgan, Representative Charles Taylor, and Representative Norman Dicks and let them know that you support the higher amount of $67.5 million for State Wildlife Grants.
Your name and address here

This Action Alert Campaign is Closed.