The National Wildlife Refuge Association strongly supports increased funding for the National Wildlife Refuge System, the largest system of public lands set aside for wildlife in the world. Covering 95 million acres of land and 750 million acres of ocean, the Refuge System is currently funded at just under 60¢ per acre per year. Year after year, the Refuge System remains underfunded, with little traction in Congress to increase funding for habitat that serves not just wildlife species, but people as well.

Last night, Congress released omnibus language allocating just $519 million for FY2022 Refuge System Operations and Maintenance. This $16 million increase over current funding is much needed and appreciated, yet it is far below the roughly $1 billion needed for full funding of the Refuge System. The President’s Budget Request last year made clear that at least $584 million was needed this fiscal year, so while this small increase is welcomed, it is nowhere near where funding levels should be.

The National Wildlife Refuge Association will continue to advocate for increased funding and calls on Congress to allocate $712 million for FY2023 National Wildlife Refuge System Operations and Maintenance, a much-needed step in the right direction for the Refuge System. We thank Chairs Leahy and DeLauro, Ranking Members Shelby and Granger, Members of the Appropriations Committee, and their staff for their hard work in developing this bill, and ask for their assistance in creating real and needed change for the National Wildlife Refuge System, its habitat, and the wildlife that call it home. We look forward to working with you and your staff to enact meaningful increases for our nation’s wildlife refuge lands as we begin work on the FY2023 appropriations process.