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CAPITOL FLYER
Thursday, September
1, 2005
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Capitol
Flyer is intended to keep you abreast of the latest developments
in Washington affecting the National Wildlife Refuge System.
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Table of Contents:
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After
Break, Congress to Return to Capitol Hill
After
spending over a month back in their respective states and Congressional
Districts, members of Congress will return from the August recess
September 6.
Before
leaving town in July, Congress passed a number of major bills, such
as transportation reauthorization, energy, the Central American
Free Trade Agreement, and Interior appropriations. However, some
major issues face Congress when members return, the most notable
of which is Senate confirmation of President Bush's nominee for
the Supreme Court.
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Congress to Take Up Drilling In the Arctic Refuge This Month
Although
Republican leaders in Congress defeated amendments to the budget
resolution that would have barred the opening of the Arctic National
Wildlife Refuge, oil exploration in the refuge is not yet a done
deal.
The
second part of the Congressional budget process will begin in September.
Authorizing committees have until September 16 to report plans for
$34.7 billion in savings over five years through the budget reconciliation
process ordered by the fiscal 2006 budget resolution. The House
and Senate Budget committees will pool the recommendations and send
a single bill to the floor in each chamber. The reconciliation bill
is immune to a Senate filibuster.
Arctic
Refuge exploration is likely to be in the budget legislation as
a revenue generator that permits net savings requirements to be
met with fewer cuts in mandatory programs. The House Resources Committee
has been directed to find $2.4 billion in budget savings. This is
equal to the amount of revenue expected from auctioning Arctic Refuge
drilling rights.
If
Arctic Refuge drilling is included in the budget reconciliation
legislation, as is expected, the only way to prevent drilling in
the refuge is to vote down the budget reconciliation measure.
The
National Wildlife Refuge Association (NWRA) encourages you to contact
your Senators and Representative and urge them to vote against drilling
in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
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NWRA
Releases 2005 Report on Refuge Threats
A new
report by the National Wildlife Refuge Association cites an urgent
need to implement strategies that conserve lands outside national
wildlife refuges. Finding that lands and waters surrounding refuges
-- called buffer zones -- actually have more agriculture, subdivision
and other human activity than the national average, the report tells
the story of 12 refuges -- six threatened and six rescued -- that
graphically illustrate why we must take action now.
The
six top threatened national wildlife refuges in the United States
are: Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), North Carolina;
Horicon NWR, Wisconsin; Stone Lakes NWR, California; White River
NWR, Arkansas; Alaska Maritime NWR, Alaska; and Desert NWR Complex,
Nevada.
The
six top rescued national wildlife refuges in the United States are:
Sacramento NWR Complex, California; Minnesota Valley NWR, Minnesota;
Lake Umbagog NWR, New Hampshire/Maine; Tensas River NWR, Louisiana;
Red Rock Lakes NWR, Montana; and Lower Rio Grande Valley NWR, Texas.
The
twelve sites were named for either imminent threats, or for having
successfully averted threats through creative strategies. "The protection
of buffer zones is absolutely critical to the National Wildlife
Refuge System," said Evan Hirsche, NWRA President, which issued
the report. "Since many of the lands within buffer zones are privately
held, we must work closely with landowners to ensure the long-term
protection of these national treasures."
The
NWRA is urging Congress and the Administration to implement five
solutions: strengthening incentives for private landowners to practice
conservation; conserving more land through acquisition and easements;
allocating more funds at the state level; conducting more research
to determine priorities; and establishing preventative systems for
shipping disasters near refuges.
The
2005 State of the System report can be accessed by visiting the
NWRA home page at www.refugenet.org.
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Hurricane
Katrina Ravages Refuges in the Gulf Coast Region
As
you've probably seen in the news, Hurricane Katrina caused severe
damage in the South, especially in Louisiana and Mississippi. New
Orleans is under water due to a break in the levee separating the
city from Lake Pontchartrain, and national wildlife refuges in the
region sustained heavy damage as well.
According
to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), 16 refuges in Alabama,
Mississippi and Louisiana have been temporarily closed. While initial
damage assessments have occurred, the full extent of damage is still
unknown.
The
good news is all FWS employees in the affected area have been accounted
for. However, tremendous damage exists at refuges along Katrina's
path. Thousands of trees were felled, some damaging refuge vehicles
and structures.
As
of press time, it was reported that Congress would convene an emergency
session September 2 to quickly pass a supplemental spending bill
for victims of Hurricane Katrina. The $10 billion supplemental will
largely help fund the efforts of the Federal Emergency Management
Agency in New Orleans and other devastated sections of the Gulf
Coast.
If
you would like to help in the relief effort, you can donate to the
American Red Cross, which is coordinating the outpouring of individual
support from across the country. The Red Cross can be reached at
http://www.redcross.org or
1-800-HELP-NOW.
The
16 closed national wildlife refuges are:
- Alabama:
Bon Secour; and Choctaw.
- Mississippi:
Grand Bay; Mississippi Sandhill Crane; Noxubee; and St. Catherine
Creek.
- Louisiana:
Atchafalaya; Bayou Sauvage; Bayou Teche; Big Branch Marsh; Bogue
Chitto; Breton; Cat Island; Delta; Mandalay; and Tensas.
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Take
Action!
If
you received this issue of Capitol Flyer directly from the NWRA,
your e-mail address is registered with the Refuge Action Network.
But have you taken action on refuge issues? Help make a difference
on refuge issues by utilizing the NWRA's
RAN e-advocacy tool. It's fast, easy and effective!
Please
visit the NWRA Web site or contact Michael Woodbridge, Assistant
Director of Government Affairs, at 202.333.9073 or mwoodbridge@refugenet.org
for more information.
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Capitol
Flyer, a monthly e-newsletter from the NWRA, is prepared by Michael
Woodbridge, NWRA's Assistant Director of Government Affairs.
For additional information, please contact mwoodbridge@refugenet.org.
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