Submitted by Mark Humpert on February 10, 2012 - 4:45pm
The Conservation title of the Farmbill provides many benefits to at-risk fish and wildlife. In this era of strained budgets, many of the gains made during the last several decades connecting conservation to agriculture policy could be lost. Consider joining a letter to the Senate and House Agriculture Committees demonstrating broad and strong support for the Farm Bill Conservation Programs. The goal is to get 500 national, state,and local organizations to sign-on by the February 28 Senate Agriculture Committee hearing on conservation programs. The political context of this letter is that there remains strong bipartisan bicameral agreement in the House and Senate Agriculture Committees for the draft Conservation Title. The big challenge is securing adequate funding for these programs.
This is an online sign-on. Visit the following link and officially add your name: http://goo.gl/VaokH. You can forward the link to your chapters and constituencies asking them to sign on as well. Feel free to share both the attached .pdf of the letter and the link which directs folks to the electronic form. Additionally, at any time, you can view a live list of sign-ons at the following link: http://goo.gl/NeBrb. The deadline is February 24th, 2012.
Submitted by Mark Humpert on January 31, 2012 - 8:49am
Voters in six Western states overwhelmingly agree that despite state budget problems, money should still be provided to protect land, water and wildlife. A total of 86% of respondents agree with the need for funding conservation. The poll was conducted in Arizona, Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. The full results of the poll are available at http://www2.coloradocollege.edu/stateoftherockies/conservationinthewests….
Submitted by Mark Humpert on December 15, 2011 - 2:57pm
We learned today that the “megabus’ that would fund the Department of Interior and other federal agencies for the current fiscal year included $61.4M (<1% cut from FY11) for State and Tribal Wildlife Grants. A vote in the House on the compromise bill could happen as soon as Friday.
Submitted by Mark Humpert on February 22, 2012 - 7:56am
We don’t often think about how the State and Tribal Wildlife Grants program is helping to restore marine ecosystems. This ScienceDaily Article (dated Feb. 17, 2012), explains how the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is supporting partners who are growing and transplanting staghorn coral to a threatened reef off Florida’s Broward County coast.
Submitted by Mark Humpert on January 20, 2012 - 3:29pm
Jointly with the FWS and NOAA, the Association issued a press release yesterday (attached) announcing that the draft National Fish, Wildlife and Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy is available for public review and comment through March 5 at www.wildlifeadaptationstrategy.gov. Patty Riexinger (NY) is quoted along with David Hayes, Deputy Secretary of the Interior and Dr. Jane Lubchenco, NOAA Administrator.
Submitted by Mark Humpert on November 18, 2011 - 10:38am
The Senate and House passed and the President will sign (today by electronic pen) a minibus that concludes three of the 12 annual appropriations bills for FY12 (Agriculture, Commerce Justice Science, Transportation-HUD). The bill includes significant cuts to Farmbill Conservation Title Programs (see below). The spending bill also includes an extension to the CR (that expires tonight) until December 16th. Since work as stalled on a second minibus for energy and water programs, it is growing more likely that the remaining spending bills (including Interior) will be bundled into a military spending bill that would serve as a vehicle for an end of the year omnibus. So there is still time to weigh in with your members about State Wildlife Grants. We would like them to support funding levels in the Senate Interior & Environment draft of $61.4M for SWG. Thanks to Missouri for sending letters up to their entire delegation this month.
Submitted by Mark Humpert on November 9, 2011 - 10:37am
Even though the federal fiscal year started on October 1, a final budget has not been passed and most of the federal government is operating under a continuing resolution (CR) until November 18th.
Submitted by Mark Humpert on October 20, 2011 - 1:30pm
3. APPROPRIATIONS:
Interior-EPA bill will not see floor action — Democratic aide
Phil Taylor, E&E reporter
Published: Thursday, October 20, 2011
A Senate subcommittee’s draft $18.8 billion bill to fund the Interior Department and U.S.EPA this fiscal year won’t likely see action on the floor or the committee, leaving much of the remaining negotiations over funding levels and policy riders in the hands of congressional staff, a Senate Democratic aide said yesterday.
The Conservation title of the Farmbill provides many benefits to at-risk fish and wildlife. In this era of strained budgets, many of the gains made during the last several decades connecting conservation to agriculture policy could be lost. Consider joining a letter to the Senate and House Agriculture Committees demonstrating broad and strong support for the Farm Bill Conservation Programs. The goal is to get 500 national, state,and local organizations to sign-on by the February 28 Senate Agriculture Committee hearing on conservation programs. The political context of this letter is that there remains strong bipartisan bicameral agreement in the House and Senate Agriculture Committees for the draft Conservation Title. The big challenge is securing adequate funding for these programs. 
We don’t often think about how the State and Tribal Wildlife Grants program is helping to restore marine ecosystems. This ScienceDaily Article (dated Feb. 17, 2012), explains how the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is supporting partners who are growing and transplanting staghorn coral to a threatened reef off Florida’s Broward County coast.
The Senate and House passed and the President will sign (today by electronic pen) a minibus that concludes three of the 12 annual appropriations bills for 
Even though the federal fiscal year started on October 1, a final budget has not been passed and most of the federal government is operating under a continuing resolution (