News
From majestic mountains to coastlines, the National Wildlife Refuge System protects vast ecosystems across our nation, both on land and sea. Yet, a threat disrupts the delicate balance in these sanctuaries: plastic pollution. This year's Earth Day theme, Planet vs. Plastic, underscores the global struggle against this pervasive environmental contaminant.
The National Wildlife Refuge System encompasses more than 850 million acres of land and waters across America’s 568 National Wildlife Refuges, including 5 Marine National Monuments. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is responsible for managing these lands and is expected to fulfill its obligation to the Refuge System’s 64 million annual visitors and diverse wildlife on a budget of a mere 61¢ per acre per year, a fraction of what other land agencies receive. For comparison, the National Park Service receives $31 per acre for land management.
President Joe Biden will sign a Proclamation restoring protections to the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, the first marine monument in the Atlantic Ocean. This monument, administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as part of the National Wildlife Refuge System, protects unique geological features and habitats for whales, puffins, turtles, and deep-sea corals.
On January 20, 2021, the United States of America swore in its new President, Joseph R. Biden, Jr, and its new Vice President, Kamala D. Harris. Along with the new Biden Administration, Vice President Harris also swore in three new Democratic Senators, flipping the upper chamber to Democratic control. Margins in both the House of Representatives and the Senate are razor-thin, meaning almost any legislation will require bipartisan support to pass.
