TWW National Steering Committee Statement (long)
Tyler Bell (bell@say.acnatsci.org)
Mon, 14 Dec 1998 13:51:03 -0500
TWW National Steering Committee Statement
forwarded message:
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1998 18:16:15 -0500
From: "Paul J. Baicich" <baicich@aba.org>
To bird enthusiasts and wildlife-watching friends and associates --
The Teaming with Wildlife National Steering Committee (with
representation from the American Birding Association, the American
Fisheries Society, the International Association of Fish and Wildlife
Agencies, the
Izaak Walton League of America, the National Audubon Society, the
National Wildlife Federation, the National Wild Turkey Federation, the
National Association of State Park Directors, the Wildlife Society, and
the Wildlife Management Institute) has issued a statement regarding
wildlife recreation/education/conservation opportunities and the recent
OCS proposals. This statement is being mailed to all 3,000 coalition
members today and will be posted up on the TWW website (www.teaming.com)
next week. These developments are particularly important for those of us
interested in wildlife-watching and bird conservation.
The TWW National Steering Committee statement is reproduced below.
Paul
====================================================
A STATEMENT FROM THE TEAMING WITH WILDLIFE NATIONAL STEERING COMMITTEE
Dear Teaming with Wildlife Coalition Member:
Legislation recently introduced in the U.S. Congress may have broken the
deadlock that has held up the most ambitious wildlife-conservation
funding initiative in recent memory. In addition, a Department of
Interior proposal is in progress that would approach similar funding
needs but from a slightly different angle. Though the House and Senate
bills still need work and are a long way from final passage through
Congress, all three options could provide hundreds of millions of
dollars annually for wildlife conservation programs.
As you know, Teaming with Wildlife, an effort to establish a dedicated
fund for state-based nongame wildlife conservation, has been centered on
a funding source that would have created a small user-fee on equipment
connected with outdoor activities. The new Congressional alternative,
however, would draw on a totally different source of funding. Known in
the House as the Conservation and Reinvestment Act (CARA, H.R. 4717) and
in the Senate as the Reinvestment and Environmental Restoration Act
(RERA, S. 2566), these bills would dedicate a portion of federal income
from offshore oil and natural gas leases for a variety of purposes,
including wildlife conservation, education, and recreation. The
Department of Interior's proposal, Partnerships for America's Resources
(PAR), is likely to use outer continental shelf leasing revenues as well
and might be included in the Administration's FY 2000 budget request.
Despite the unprecedented 3,000-member coalition, the original TWW
proposal encountered serious resistance because of the tax
implications. So far we have been unable to get it formally introduced
as a bill before Congress with the support necessary to make it viable.
The newly introduced pieces of legislation, which have strong bipartisan
support in both the House and Senate side of Congress, offer creative
ways around the deadlock. These proposals could provide the first
opportunity to take proactive conservation actions to prevent species
from becoming endangered and building a new generation of wildlife
stewards through education and recreation programs.
At this point we do not have full details about the Department of
Interior's plan, but it appears that it would include substantial,
dedicated funds for land acquisition, resource protection and
restoration. The proposal, entitled Partnerships for America's
Resources (PAR) appears to be broader then the Congressional
alternatives and is likely to disperse Outer Continental Shelf oil and
gas leasing revenues and coal mine fees to seven funds including the
Land and Water Conservation Fund and a nongame funding component. The
proposal is currently in the process of being reviewed by senior Office
of Management and Budget and White House officials. We will keep you
informed as we learn more.
The House and Senate bills (CARA and RERA respectively) would dedicate
50% or more of annual revenues from offshore gas and oil leases -
projected at $4.59 billion in the year 2000 - into three separate funds.
The distribution is stipulated in three "titles" in these bills.
Title I -- Outer Continental Shelf Impact Assistance -- This section
would dedicate 27 percent (or approximately $1.24 billion based on FY
2000 estimates) of annual offshore oil and gas revenue to coastal states
and local communities for impact assistance including environmental
remediation or infrastructure needs associated with outer continental
shelf activity off their coasts. Impact assistance funds could be used
for projects like air and water quality improvements, coastal zone
management, beach replenishment and conservation of fish, wildlife and
wetlands as well as for onshore infrastructure and public service
requirements. Title I is available to 30 "coastal" states including
Great Lakes states.
Title II -- State, Local and Urban Conservation and Recreation -- This
section would dedicate 23 percent in CARA (or $1.06 billion based on FY
2000 estimates) or 16 percent in RERA (or $734 million based on FY 2000
estimates) of offshore oil and gas revenue for funding the Land and
Water Conservation Fund and the Urban Park and Recreation Recovery
Programs. These funds would be used for state, federal and local
recreation and conservation projects.
Title III -- Wildlife Conservation and Restoration -- This section would
dedicate 10 percent in CARA (or $459 million based on FY 2000 estimates)
or 7 percent in RERA (or $321 million based on FY 2000 estimates) of
offshore oil and gas revenue to fund state-level wildlife conservation,
wildlife education, and wildlife-associated recreation projects and
encompasses most of TWW's goals.
The Workings of Offshore Revenues under H.R. 4717 and S. 2566
Under current law, approximately $3.5 to $5 billion in annual revenues
from Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) oil and gas leases goes to the
Federal Treasury and is available for appropriation to fund various
programs, including up to $900 million per year that is authorized for
the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Under the House and Senate bills,
these revenues would be allocated under permanent budget authority as
follows:
H.R. 4717 - CARA S. 2566 - RERA
40% - Federal Treasury 50% - Federal Treasury
27% - coastal impact assist. - Title I 27% - coastal impact
assist. -Title I
23% - land-based conservation and 16% - land based
conservation and
recreation (LWCF & Urban recreation (LWCF &
Urban
Parks) - Title II Parks) - Title II
10% - wildlife-based conservation 7% - wildlife based
conservation
and education - Title III and education - Title
III
Members of the TWW Steering Committee responded to drafts of the House
and Senate bills before they were introduced. As a result, several
important changes have already been made since the draft legislation was
circulated, and we will continue to work towards strengthening the bill.
Within the TWW Steering Committee we have agreed to focus our comments
on the wildlife funding aspect of the bill (Title III) while recognizing
that there are likely to be differences or concerns among organizations
over Titles I and II. We do agree on the three aspects of Title III that
need clarification or changing in CARA and/or RERA:
1. We are unified in stressing that the proposed 7 percent expenditure
of offshore oil and gas revenues for Title III in the Senate bill (RERA)
must be raised to match the 10 percent as called for in the House bill
(CARA).
2. Both bills need to emphasize nongame species. Neither bill currently
includes the specific priority of funding nongame wildlife. Although
both bills call for spending for "a broader array of wildlife" and other
similar language, the specific priority of nongame wildlife is not
stated. The TWW effort has never said that nongame wildlife should be
the only beneficiary of this new funding, but we have stressed that
nongame should be clearly emphasized.
3. Both bills call for a level of "public involvement in the process of
development and implementation" of the wildlife program. However,
language on public participation needs further explanation, outlining
what kinds of participation the states should pursue as part of
fulfilling their obligations under the new legislation.
The 105th Congress adjourned for the year on October 20, 1998 and there
will be no further legislative action on the Conservation and
Reinvestment Act (CARA - H.R. 4717) or the Reinvestment and
Environmental Restoration Act (RERA - S. 2566). CARA and RERA are
expected to be reintroduced when the 106th Congress convenes, and they
should have new identifying numbers. Here is a list of the bill sponsors
upon the close of business:
1998 Co-sponsors
CARA Co-sponsors (House)
Rep. Don Young (R-AK)
Rep. John Dingell (D-MI)
Rep. Chris John (D-LA)
Rep. Billy Tauzin (R-LA)
Rep. Richard Baker (R-LA)
Rep. Bob Schaffer (R-CO)
Rep. Tim Roemer (D-IN)
Rep. Nicholas Lampson (D-TX)
Rep. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA)
Rep. James Barcia (D-MI)
Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA)
Rep. Karen McCarthy (D-MO)
Rep. James Gibbons (R-NV)
Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-AL)
Rep. George Radanovich (R-CA)
Rep. Charles Norwood (R-GA)
Rep. Michael Castle (R-DE)
Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX)
Rep. Jay Dickey (R-AR)
Rep. Roy Blunt(R-MO)
Rep. Wayne Gilchrest (R-MD)
RERA Co-sponsors (Senate)
Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA),
Sen. Frank Murkowski (R-AK)
Sen. Trent Lott (R-MS)
Sen. John Breaux (D-LA)
Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS)
Sen. Max Cleland (D-GA)
Sen. Tim Johnson (D-SD)
Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL)
Sen. Alfonse D'Amato (R-NY)
Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD)
Sen. Christopher "Kit" Bond (R-MO)
* Sen. Alfonse D'Amato will not
be returning to Congress next year
and will therefore not be a
cosponsor when RERA is
reintroduced in February.
It is the vision, dedication, and tenacity of the powerful Teaming With
Wildlife coalition that has carried us this far and it is clear that the
newly proposed legislation and the Department of Interior's plan have
been significantly influenced by the years of active involvement by the
TWW coalition for the original concept. While TWW's original vision of
user-fee funding of conservation remains alive, the new proposals
currently appear to offer a more viable funding option. But there is
still work that needs to be done on the legislation and a high priority
for the TWW coalition will be to shape the two new pieces of legislation
into a form that is as beneficial as possible for wildlife conservation.
Thank you for all your efforts!
Let's work for a victory in the New Year!
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP?
There is still much work ahead for TWW supporters if we hope to make
this funding dream a reality. In order to accomplish this goal, we need
united action and will rely heavily on the TWW coalition members to call
on their congressional representatives to support improved TWW-type
legislation.
* Discuss your goals and translate them into an action plan for
next year. Specifically focus on securing passage of funding for
wildlife conservation and related education and recreation. Now is the
time to get together with fellow coalition members from your state to
learn more about the Conservation and Reinvestment Act, the Reinvestment
and Environmental Restoration Act and Partnerships for America's
Resources. (IAFWA's TWW web site -- www.teaming.com -- has both
Congressional bills available as well as extensive information on the
original proposal and other important comparisons.) Focus on improving
the three items in Title III that we have outlined and develop your own
comments on Titles I and II. In addition, it is not too early for your
coalition to start thinking about identifying state matching funds.
* Contact your Members of Congress, your Governor and the White
House. Now is the time to raise awareness and brief your members of
Congress. Write letters and emails, meet with your congressional
district staff and include his/her Washington staff by phone. Get these
vital wildlife opportunities on their radar screen before they return in
January and set their legislative agendas for the year. Now is also the
time to make your Governor and the President aware of these new
proposals and the importance of creating a dedicated fund for nongame
wildlife conservation. Let them know that CARA and RERA are a good
start and encourage them to make the three modifications listed above.
Feel free to add your own suggestions or changes to Titles I and II of
the legislation as well.
* Spread the Word. Inform your organization members and/or
customers about these opportunities. Talk it up among your friends and
colleagues, speak at relevant meetings, publish articles and action
alerts in your group's newsletters, write letters to the editor, include
information on your web site and link it to www.teaming.com. Be sure to
let them know that there needs to be changes made to the bills, but
emphasize the potential that these bills have for conservation.
====================================================
Paul J. Baicich
American Birding Association
P.O. Box 404
Oxon Hill, MD 20750
301-839-9736 (839-wren)
301-839-2763 [fax]
--
Good Birding! The probability of a given
Tyler Bell event occurring is inversely
mailto:bell@say.acnatsci.org proportional to its desirability.
California, MD
http://www.audubon.org/chapter/md/smas/