Posts

Hunters and Anglers Willing to Be Taxed More for Conservation

Original Post from Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

A nationwide telephone survey recently showed that hunters and anglers would agree with a tax increase to fund conservation efforts. The poll was commissioned by the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership and conducted by the research firm Pubic Opinion Strategy.

It has always been known that sportsmen, hunters and anglers are big supporters of conservation. Through the Pitman-Robertson and Dingel-Johnson excise taxes hunters and anglers already pay towards conservation efforts on state and federal lands. The recent poll now showed that 81 percent of respondents would agree to a tax increase to fund conservation, 31% willing to pay $100 or more in new taxes to restore and/or maintain water quality or quantity.

Read The Full Blog Here on the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

 

Increase in Recreational Opportunities for Public Lands and Waters

Original Post and Picture from U.S. Department of Interior  

Secretarial Order 3366 directs interior bureaus to create and deliver plans to the Department within 90 days. These plans are meant to increase recreational opportunities on public lands and waters. It also will designate one full-time employee charged to oversee recreational opportunities.  

“From my first day on the job, I have made it abundantly clear that we are going to refocus on Interior’s long-standing but recently forgotten recreation mission,” said Secretary Zinke. “We are incredibly fortunate, as Americans, to have amazing public lands and waters to carry out our tradition of outdoor recreation but the Department must continue to create opportunities to increase access for these pursuits.” 

Read the full post and details of Order 3366 here!

U.S. Secretary of Interior Announces $1.1 Billion for Conservation

Original Post and Picture from U.S. Department of Interior

On March 20, U.S Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke announced more than $1.1 Billion in national funding for state wildlife agencies. These funds are from revenue generated by the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration and Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration acts.  

Secretary Zinke commented “Every time a firearm, fishing pole, hook, bullet, motor boat or boat fuel is sold, part of that cost goes to fund conservation. The best way to increase funding for conservation and sportsmen access is to increase the number of hunters and anglers in our woods and waters.”  To date, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has distributed more than 20.2 billion for state conservation and recreation projects.

Read the full article and see each state’s total funds for sport fish and wildlife this year here.