Today millions of fish and wildlife enthusiasts including Teaming with Wildlife supporters hailed the introduction of The Conservation and Reinvestment Act of 1998 in the U.S. House of Representatives, H.R. 4717 and in the Senate, the Reinvestment and Environmental Restoration Act of 1998, S. 2566. "This legislation is the best opportunity that we will have in our lifetime to fund wildlife conservation programs in this country, 11 said David Waller, Director of the Georgia wildlife Resources Division and Chair of the International Association of Fish and wildlife Agencies Teaming with Wildlife Committee.

The Conservation and Reinvestment Act and Reinvestment and Environmental Restoration Act both will provide funding for three purposes: Title I is for coastal impact assistance; Title II is for land based recreation, Title III is for wildlife conservation. Under Title III, the new legislation directs funds to states to help conserve wildlife populations and their habitats and to provide more opportunities for wildlife education and recreation.

House original sponsors include Congressmen Don Young (R-Alaska), John Dingell (D-MI), Billy Tauzin (R-LA), Chris John (D-LA) and Richard Baker (R-LA), Bob Schaeffer (R-CO), Nicholas Lampson (D-TX), Robert Weygand (D-RI), Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), Tim Roemer (D-IN) and James Barcia (D-MI). Senate original sponsors include Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Frank Murkowski (R-AK), Trent Lott (R-MS), John Breaux (D-LA), Tim Johnson (D-SD), Max Cleland (D-GA), Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Alfonse D'Amato (R-NY) and Barbara Mikulski (D-MD).

Both bills, in their Title III sections, dedicate a percentage of federal offshore oil and gas revenues to states for wildlife programs. The House bill dedicates lot and the Senate bill dedicates 7% for wildlife conservation purposes with the total oil and gas revenues expected to be $4-5 billion in the years ahead. Roger Holmes, President of the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, and Director of the Minnesota Division of Wildlife, speaking on behalf of state wildlife agencies across the nation says, "These funds will be used to prevent wildlife from becoming threatened or endangered by protecting habitats critical to their survival, doing needed research and population monitoring, providing wildlife recreational and educational opportunities, all of which will protect the country's rich wildlife heritage for future generations. He further says, "these are all needs that the public has expressed strong support for but for which funds have been extremely limited and in some states even non-existent".

Rollin Sparrowe, President of the Wildlife Management Institute, pointed out that recreation funds are also woefully lacking. "The demands for wildlife recreational opportunities on public land and wildlife-related education programs are skyrocketing", he said.

"Conservation programs would be much less expensive and more successful if action was taken to prevent wildlife populations from becoming rare", according to Tom Franklin, wildlife Policy Director, The Wildlife Society.

For more information on Title III of these just introduced Acts, contact the International Association of Fish and wildlife Agencies at Tel: (202) 624-7890 or email teaming@sso.org or check the Teaming with Wildlife web site at http://www.teaming.com.

SUMMARY

On October 7, 1998, the Conservation and Reinvestment Act of 1998 (CRA), H.R. 4717. The Reinvestment and Environmental Restoration Act of 1998 (RERA). CRA and RERA include vital funding for state-level wildlife conservation and related education and recreation, the conservation goals of Teaming with Wildlife with a different funding source.

BACKGROUND

Since the mid-1950s, 100 percent of the revenue collected from oil and gas leases beyond the area regulated by Section 8(g) of the outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lands Act (generally over 6 miles from shore) has been sent to the Federal Treasury ($4.59 billion estimated for 2000). Conversely, onshore federal revenue accrued from oil and gas development is generally shared 50/50 with the states where development occurs. The House and Senate proposals would send nearly half of the OCS revenue that's currently going to the U.S. Treasury back to the states to permanently fund the following programs:

Title I: Coastal Impact Assistance

H.R. 4717 and S. 2566: 27* (c. $1.24 billion) of annual OCS revenue would go to coastal states and communities for impact assistance associated with federal OCS activity off their shores (applicable to all coastal states including Great Lakes states). A few conservation examples of OCS-associated impacts eligible for impact assistance funds include air quality, water quality, fish and wildlife and wetlands. Other impact-related projects,
such as onshore infrastructure and public service needs, will also be eligible.

Title II: Land-based Recreation

H.R. 4717: 23%~ of annual OCS revenue (c. $1.06 billion) would fund and-based recreation 42%-(C. $443 million) state-side Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) 42%;(c. $443 million) federal-side LWCF 16%-(c. $169 million) Urban Parks and Recreation Recovery program (UPARR) S. 2566:16t of annual OCS revenue (c. $734 million) would fund land-based recreation 45%-(c. $330 million) state-side LWCF 4596(c. $330 million)federal-side LWCF 10%(c. $73 million) UPARR

TITLE III: wildlife Conservation and Restoration H.R. 4717:10% (c. $459 million) of annual OCS revenue would be used to fund state-level wildlife conservation and related recreation and education, essentially the goals of Teaming with Wildlife. S. 2566: 7% (c. $321 million) of annual OCS revenue would be used to fund state-level wildlife conservation and related recreation and education, essentially the goals of Teaming with Wildlife.