FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 9, 2004 Contact: Rachel F. Levin, 612-713-5311 EA 04-15 Midwest States to Share in More than $93 Million State fish and wildlife agencies in the Midwest will share more than $93 million in excise taxes paid by America's hunters, anglers and boaters to support fish and wildlife conservation and education programs. Eight Midwestern states—Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin—will share more than $52 million in sport fish restoration funds and more than $40 million in wildlife restoration funds, including $8 million in hunter education monies. The
agencies will use the money to support conservation programs such
as fish and wildlife monitoring, habitat improvement, land acquisition,
research, education, and other programs. The funds also will help
pay
for hunter safety and aquatic education and fish- and wildlife-related
recreation projects. The funds are apportioned by formula under two
Federal Assistance programs administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service. “ The twin Federal Assistance in Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration programs reflect the deep commitment our sportsmen have to conserving our nation’s fish and wildlife and their habitat,” Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton said. “Through excise taxes on hunting, angling and boating supplies, they have supported state conservation programs for the nearly 70 years. Once again this year, we will all benefit from their contributions and the programs and projects they support in every state.” " Hunting and fishing are rich parts of our nation’s heritage,” said Steve Williams, director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “Anglers and hunters have been the leading force for conservation in America. By supporting these excise taxes, they are contributing critical funds – $9 billion over the past 67 years – for maintaining and restoring our fish and wildlife resources." The funds from the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act, enacted in 1937, are made available to states based on land area (plus inland waters, such as lakes and large rivers) and the number of hunting license holders in each state. Distribution of hunter education funds is based on the relative population of each state. The Service distributes sport fish restoration funds to the states based on the land and water area (land plus inland water, the Great Lakes and marine coastal areas) and the number of fishing license holders in each state. Federal Assistance funds pay for up to 75 percent of the cost of each conservation program or project while the states contribute at least 25 percent. The wildlife restoration money is derived from an 11-percent excise tax on sporting arms and ammunition, a 10-percent tax on pistols and revolvers, and an 11-percent tax on certain archery equipment. Half of the tax on handguns and archery equipment is made available for state hunter education and safety programs. States use Wildlife Restoration Program funds to manage wildlife populations, habitat, research, surveys and inventories and to administer hunter education programs. The funding from the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act, enacted in 1950, comes from a 10-percent excise tax on fishing equipment and a 3-percent tax on electric trolling motors and sonar fish finders. The 1984 Wallop-Breaux amendments to the Dingell-Johnson program increased the size of the sport fish restoration trust fund by including a portion of the federal fuels tax attributable to motor boats fuel and the addition of import duties on fishing tackle and pleasure boats. States use Sport Fish Restoration Program funds to stock fish; acquire and improve sport fish habitat; provide aquatic resource education opportunities; conduct fisheries research; and build boat ramps, fishing piers and other facilities necessary to provide recreational boating access. In Wisconsin, Sport Fish Restoration dollars helped fund removal of four dams along the river to transform a portion of the Baraboo River from a series of sluggish mill ponds to a free-flowing waterway. Following the dam removal, the Department of Natural Resources restored and enhanced the riverine fish habitat, and began a long-term evaluation of habitat and aquatic species recovery patterns. There has been rapid improvement in fishery and canoeing opportunities, and the river’s restoration has become an integral part of the city of Baraboo’s long-term downtown redevelopment plans. State-by-state funding allocations are on the Web at http://federalaid.fws.gov. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses 544 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 63 Fish and Wildlife Management offices and 81 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Assistance program, which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies. -FWS- |
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