Migratory Bird Conservation Commission

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The Migratory Bird Conservation Commission was established on February 18, 1929 by the passage of the Migratory Bird Conservation Act. It was created and authorized to consider and approve any areas of land and/or water recommended by the Secretary of the Interior for purchase or rental by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under the Act, and to fix the price or prices at which such areas may be purchased or rented. In addition to approving purchase and rental prices, the Commission considers the establishment of new waterfowl refuges. The staff support for the Commission is provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Realty.

Image Link to further information aboutRudolph Dieffenbach
  Rudolph Dieffenbach was the first Secretary to the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission.  He served as Commission Secretary for 18 years from 1929 until 1947.
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Members of the Commission are:

Chairman - Gale Norton, Secretary of the Interior
John Breaux,
Senator from Louisiana
Thad Cochran, Senator from Mississippi
John D. Dingell, Representative from Michigan
Curt Weldon,
Representative from Pennsylvania
Ann M. Veneman
, Secretary of Agriculture
Mike Leavitt
, Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency
Secretary - A. Eric Alvarez, Chief, Division of Realty, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
duck
Senator Breaux was appointed to the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission on April 17, 1996. He replaced Senator Pryor from Arkansas who had served on the Commission since 1979. 

The Act also designates the ranking officer or an authorized representative of the State department that administers game laws, as an ex officio member to consider and vote on all questions relating to acquisition of areas in that State.

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Wood Ducks

The Commission usually convenes three times per year during the months of February, June, and September, or as needed. The Division of Realty produces an annual report, which summarizes the operations od the Commission during the preceding fiscal year.

Since the Commission's establishment, over 4 million acres have been acquired by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service by fee purchase, easement, or lease with monies from the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund. These funds are allocated at the Secretary's discretion as delegated to the Director of the Fish and Wildlife Service.

The Fund provides the Department of the Interior with financing for the acquisition of migratory bird habitat. There are four major sources for money for the Fund. The most well-known source is the revenue received from the sale of Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamps, commonly known as Duck Stamps, as provided for under the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp Act of March 18, 1934, as amended. The other three major sources include appropriations authorized by the Wetlands Loan Act of October 4, 1961, as amended; import duties collected on arms and ammunition; and receipts from the sale of refuge admission permits as provided for by the Emergency Wetlands Resources Act of 1986. The Fund is further supplemented by receipts from the sale of products from rights-of-way across national wildlife refuges, disposals of refuge land, and reverted Federal Aid funds.


In 1989, the Commission acquired the additional responsibility to approve project funding  under the North American Wetlands Conservation Act. Under this Act, the Secretary of Transportation was replaced by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency as a member of the Commission. This Act provides for Federal funding to encourage partnerships to protect, enhance, restore, and manage wetlands and other habitats for migratory birds and other fish and wildlife to carry out the North American Waterfowl Management Plan. The North American Wetlands Conservation Council, which was created by this legislation, submits project recommendations to the Commission for funding approval. The Council has submitted over 500 high priority projects for consideration by the Commission since its establishment. All have been approved for funding, representing a total of $244 million for the protection of wetland habitat.


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2002 Annuual Report - Migratory Bird Conservation Commission


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March 3, 2004

June 30, 2003

April 3, 2003

Migratory Bird Conservation Commission Archives

Contact:

Secretary, Migratory Bird Conservation Commission
4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Mail Stop: ARLSQ-622
Arlington, VA 22203-1610
(703) 358-1716

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