Category: News (Older posts)

On April 7, 2022 the US Senate Environmental and Public Works Committee passed the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act bill on a bi-partisan 15-5 vote.  This strong vote is a tremendous step forward. Next steps are the Senate Floor and House floor!

Earlier: On January 19, 2022, the US House of Representatives Natural Resources Committee held a hearing on Recovering America’s Wildlife Act bill (HR2773) and marked it up in a bi-partisan 29-15 vote. Co-sponsor Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) noted that she intends to continue working to find funds to offset the cost. Colorado’s Reps. Neguse and DeGette are co-sponsors of the bill and voted in favor. So far, there are 151 co-sponsors in the House. Next stop, presumably, is the House Floor. The Senate version, on which Sen. Hickenlooper is a co-sponsor, provides for an offset.

The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act would bring approximately $26 million annually to Colorado for the implementation of the State Wildlife Action Plan, which outlines priorities for protecting threatened species and restoring critical habitat throughout the state. Colorado Parks and Wildlife manages the state’s roughly 960 wildlife species.

CWF has long supported this essential wildlife conservation funding bill to safeguard species of greatest conservation need in our state.

The 12th annual State of the Rockies – Conservation in the West poll was released on February 18, 2022. It is made possible by Colorado College. As in past years it is a bi-partisan poll conduced by Lori Weigel of  New Bridge Strategy and Dave Metz of FM3 (Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates).

Overall results in the western states included in the survey [CO, AZ, NM, WY, UT, ID, MT, NV] for detail see  Poll results – combined western states

“Western voters are increasingly pessimistic in their assessment of the future of nature. They are more than twice as likely to say they are ‘worried’ (69%) about ‘the future of nature meaning our land, water, air, and wildlife’ than say they are ‘hopeful’ (28%). That 41-point margin has increased from a 25-point margin in just the last year alone.” There are “double-digit increases in those ‘worried’ in Arizona, Colorado and Montana, which each increased in negative views by 10 points.”

The range of conservation issues the pollsters identified from voters as serious problems in the eight western states that have dramatically increased over the last 12 years, in order of seriousness, are: “inadequate water supplies, poorly-planned growth and development; pollution of rivers, lakes and streams; loss of family farms and ranches; loss of habitat for fish and wildlife; loss of natural areas; climate change; air pollution and smog; and impact of oil and gas drilling on our land, air and water.”

Public lands in the West findings: for details go to:  Public Lands – combined results in the 8 western states

“67% of westerners want Congress to focus on ensuring we protect sources of clean water, our air quality and wildlife habitat, while providing opportunities to visit and recreate on our national public lands….”

Colorado findings  for detail see Colorado summary results

“89% of Coloradans say that issues involving clean water, wildlife, and public lands are important in deciding whether to support an elected public official.”

“83% support a national goal of protecting 30 percent of America’s lands and waters by 2030.”

On January 19, 2022, the US House of Representatives Natural Resources Committee held a hearing on Recovering America’s Wildlife Act bill (HR2773) and marked it up in a bi-partisan 29-15 vote. Co-sponsor Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) noted that she intends to continue working to find funds to offset the cost. Colorado’s Reps. Neguse and DeGette are co-sponsors of the bill and voted in favor. So far, there are 151 co-sponsors in the House. Next stop, presumably, is the House Floor. The Senate version, on which Sen. Hickenlooper is a co-sponsor, provides for an offset.

The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act would bring approximately $26 million annually to Colorado for the implementation of the State Wildlife Action Plan, which outlines priorities for protecting threatened species and restoring critical habitat throughout the state. Colorado Parks and Wildlife manages the state’s roughly 960 wildlife species.

CWF has long supported this essential wildlife conservation funding bill to safeguard species of greatest conservation need in our state.

On January 13, 2022 Colorado Governor Polis delivered his State of the State address. He noted the Keep Colorado Wild Pass that will provide a new annual state parks pass option starting in 2023 that will  be priced at 1/2 or less than the cost of the current annual pass. (The Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission will decide on the price at its March 2022 meeting.) He also highlighted water sustainability, clean air and climate.

On November 26, 2021 the US Department of the Interior issued its “Report on the Federal Oil and Gas Leasing Program.”

CWF applauds the common-sense reforms proposed in the Department of Interior’s report which will modernize the oil and gas leasing system, bring fairer returns for Colorado taxpayers, and ensure that our public lands are managed for multiple use – rather than simply prioritizing oil and gas over other uses – which will benefit wildlife, outdoor recreationists, and rural economies. In addition,  discontinuing the troublesome practice of leasing lands with low oil and gas potential really will benefit wildlife and local communities in some areas of Colorado.  By way of example, in past lease sales numerous parcels with low oil and gas potential were offered in bighorn sheep production areas, summer range and winter range. CWF had consistently urged that these areas be removed from the sales to little avail.

Here is the link to the Report. DOI Report – Federal Oil and Gas Leasing Program

On November 19, 2021 the BLM announced that it is evaluating potential updates to its collaboratively developed 2015 conservation management plans in 10 western states for greater sage grouse based on newer science. The 2015 conservation plans really were not implemented because the next administration decided to amend and weaken the plans in 2019. Greater sage grouse and the sagebrush steppe need greater conservation safeguards. BLM is inviting public comment (scoping stage) on “issues for analysis and relevant data.” CWF will submit comment re Colorado sagebrush habitat stressors and greater sage grouse.  Here is the link to BLM’s release:

BLM’s Release re Sage Grouse Conservation

We thank Senator Hickenlooper for becoming a co-sponsor of Recovering America’s Wildlife Act bill.

 

Here is the press release:

 

Senator Hickenlooper Supports Bipartisan Bill To Help At-Risk Wildlife Nationwide

CONTACT   Suzanne O’Neill, Colorado Wildlife Federation, cwfed@coloradowildlife.org, 303-919-3949  Mary Jo Brooks, National Wildlife Federation, brooksm@nwf.org, 303-549-8351

 

DENVER (date)  ” Senator John Hickenlooper has signed onto a bipartisan wildlife conservation bill, the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act, that will dedicate $1.4 billion annually to locally-led efforts to help at-risk wildlife species nationwide.

œWe’re facing a looming wildlife crisis, and this is the most important piece of wildlife legislation  in the past fifty years, said Suzanne O’Neill, executive director of the Colorado Wildlife Federation. œWe thank Senator Hickenlooper for co-sponsoring this bold, bipartisan effort to help at-risk wildlife with collaborative, voluntary measures across every state, territory and Tribal nation.

The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act would bring approximately $26 million annually to Colorado for the implementation of the State Wildlife Action Plan, which outlines priorities for protecting threatened species and restoring critical habitat throughout the state. Colorado Parks and Wildlife manages the state’s roughly 960 wildlife species and will continue to undertake robust actions including monitoring, management and research related to species of greatest conservation need and serve as an advocate for native fish and wildlife.

œAs a means to fundamentally advance wildlife conservation and habitat restoration in Colorado, Colorado Parks and Wildlife proudly supports the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act, which will dedicate valuable and significant funding for the implementation of our State Wildlife Action Plan, said Colorado Parks and Wildlife Director Dan Prenzlow. œIf passed, the bill represents an opportunity to secure long-term non-game wildlife conservation funding at a magnitude that has never before been possible.

The agency’s conservation teams work diligently to nurture healthy landscapes for the wildlife that are iconic to the state; ensuring Coloradans for generations to come will be able to marvel at the diversity of the state’s ecosystems.

œSaving the thousands of at-risk wildlife species will require bold, bipartisan leadership and unprecedented collaboration, said Collin O’Mara, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation. œWe are so grateful to Senator Hickenlooper for leading the way on the historic Recovering America’s Wildlife Act that will have an immediate impact – saving species and creating jobs in Colorado and all across the country.

Federally recognized tribal nations, including those in Colorado, would share $97.5 million annually to fund wildlife conservation efforts on tribal lands.

Representatives Jason Crow, Diana DeGette, Joe Neguse are among the more than 130 bipartisan supporters of the House version of the legislation.

œWildlife conservation is an issue that unites all Americans. We hope the rest of the Colorado delegation will join Senator Hickenlooper in co-sponsoring this commonsense bill, said O’Neill.

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Governor Polis announced on October 20, 2021 that Sweetwater Lake has become Colorado’s 43rd State Park.  It is a magnificent 488-acre property located in the White River National Forest within Garfield County. It is a prime example of those state parks which offer a rich blend of wildlife – including the White River elk herd – and outdoor recreation opportunities, that includes hunting. Funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund enabled the US Forest Service to purchase it. (The Conservation Fund bought the land from private ownership and has transferred it to the US Forest Service.)  The US Forest Service will manage the property with Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Here is the press release Gov. press release

On October 7, 2021 Colorado Senator John Hickenlooper introduced a bill to end noncompetitive oil and gas leasing. The “Competitive Onshore Mineral Policy via Eliminating Taxpayer-Enabled Speculation Act” (COMPETES Act) was introduced with Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) as cosponsors. The leasing loophole, known as noncompetitive leasing, has undermined multiple uses of our public lands by allowing noncompetitive bids after the close of an oil and gas lease sale for pennies on the dollar per acre. That is, if a parcel is not sold during the lease sale, it can be sold afterwards, paying $1.50 per acre – outside of the lease sale bidding process for up to 10 years.

Colorado Wildlife Federation appreciates and supports this necessary bill. The U.S. Government Accountability Office found that 99 percent of these leases are never developed, tying up the public land parcel that could otherwise be used to improve wildlife habitat, recreation or other uses. Senator Hickenlooper’s COMPETES Act will create a more streamlined, efficient leasing system by requiring all oil and gas lease sales on public lands to be issued through a fair competitive process. Lands not leased at competitive auction are those that the market has already determined to have no or little value for oil and gas development. Rather than blindly making these lands available at cut-rate prices for leasing through the noncompetitive process, the federal government should wait to lease them until there is sufficient market interest.

Here is the press release issued by Sen. Hickenlooper’s office   Press release