“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 House Appropriations Committee passed a fiscal year 2012 (FY12) Interior and Environment Appropriations Bill on July 12 that included substantial cuts to agency spending and key conservation programs, as well as policy riders impacting natural resource related issues, reports the Wildlife Management Institute.

June 11, 2010 will be the next deadline for ranking applications to the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), according to the Wildlife Management Institute.

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.

With work on stimulus and appropriations funding bills completed, members of Congress are turning their attention to conservation initiatives as a series of new bills were introduced early this month.  These bills, impacting duck stamps, mining law and open space conservation, are the most recent packages brought forward in a Congress that appears to be prioritizing environment and conservation-related legislation.  Each bill will face the long legislative process, which means they are a long way from being enacted, reports the Wildlife Management Institute, but simply having the bills introduced in Congress is an important first step.