“State fish and wildlife agencies are struggling to address new and emerging conservation issues while retaining core traditional programs.  Many are finding they are unable to do so adequately, and they fear loss of relevancy to society unless they are able to transform into organizations that meet changing public needs and interests. 

The Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Representative James Oberstar (MN), along with Representatives John Dingell and Vern Ehlers (MI), introduced legislation on April 21 that attempts to restore protection under the Clean Water Act (CWA) for geographically isolated wetlands and intermittent ephemeral streams.

U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman (NM) and Max Baucus (MT) introduced legislation in November that would permanently provide $900 million annually to the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), the federal government’s main program to protect land and provide outdoor recreation opportunities.

Special Session 2 at the 75th North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference will address the constraints, challenges and opportunities to fish and wildlife conservation and related recreation from various land designations of public lands.

President Obama signed the $32.2 billion Interior, Environment and Related Agencies fiscal year 2010 (FY10) appropriations bill into law on October 30.   The bill provides a 17 percent increase in spending from last year’s appropriation for most of the natural resources and environmental agencies in the federal government, reports the Wildlife Management Institute. 

The Obama Administration is moving rapidly on renewable energy development and targeting federal public lands and the Outer Continental Shelf for the siting of wind, solar and geothermal plants. The Department of the Interior (DOI) has made several moves in recent months to streamline approval processes and identify lands targeted for development, reports the Wildlife Management Institute. 

The Wildlife Management Institute (WMI) announced the launch of a new Website dedicated to sustaining and enhancing North America’s hunting heritage.  The Website, www.huntingheritage.org, will serve as a clearinghouse for information, programs and contacts related to programs that advance safe and ethical recreational hunting.  The Website was premiered at the 74th North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference last month in Arlington, Virginia.

On March 10, by a margin of 62 to 35, the U.S. Senate passed an omnibus appropriations bill, providing fiscal year 2009 (FY09) funding for the majority of federal government agencies.  The House passed the bill on February 25 and President Obama signed it into law on March 11. 

In 2001, in response to the alarming population decline of the American woodcock since the 1960s, federal and state wildlife agencies and several non-governmental organizations petitioned the Migratory Shore and Upland Game Bird Committee of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies to create the Woodcock Task Force.

On February 17, President Barack Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.  The $787 billion economic stimulus package, which had ballooned over $900 billion at one point during debate in Congress, is intended to create jobs and encourage economic activity in the country.  Included in the package are more than $3 billion for agencies and programs that will directly impact natural resource conservation.  The bill moved through Congress on largely party-line votes, with the final conference bill being voted on late on Friday, February 13.