Inside Washington

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Inflation Reduction Act: A Win For Invasive Management, But Act Falls Short For National Wildlife Refuges

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Inflation Reduction Act: A Win For Invasive Management, But Act Falls Short For National Wildlife Refuges

President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law, putting our nation on a new path to tackle the climate crisis and build a clean energy economy. This historic $370 billion package is a critical investment in our future and we applaud the diligent efforts in Congress to get this bill over the finish line. We were pleased to see the inclusion of over $121 million to address the threat of invasive species and increase the resiliency and capacity of habitats within the National Wildlife Refuge System and State wildlife management areas.

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Libby Marking Named Director of Government Affairs & Public Policy At National Wildlife Refuge Association

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Libby Marking Named Director of Government Affairs & Public Policy At National Wildlife Refuge Association

The National Wildlife Refuge Association recently named Libby Marking as the Director of Government Affairs & Public Policy. Libby will work closely with Congress and the Administration to promote federal conservation funding and policy affecting the National Wildlife Refuge System. She also will lead the Cooperative Alliance for Refuge Enhancement.

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Request For Testimony On FY2023 Appropriations For The National Wildlife Refuge System To The Senate

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Request For Testimony On FY2023 Appropriations For The National Wildlife Refuge System To The Senate

The National Wildlife Refuge Association is requesting Refuge Friends’ testimony on behalf of National Wildlife Refuge System funding levels for the Fiscal Year 2023— this time for the Senate! Many of you already submitted testimony for the House back in March, but even if you didn’t you can still submit testimony to the Senate!

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Why Congressional Appropriations Are Important To The National Wildlife Refuge System

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Why Congressional Appropriations Are Important To The National Wildlife Refuge System

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.

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Testifying On Behalf Of Keep America’s Refuges Operational Act of 2022

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Testifying On Behalf Of Keep America’s Refuges Operational Act of 2022

On March 29th, 2022 the National Wildlife Refuge Association’s, Vice President, Government Affairs, Caroline Brouwer testified in support of Bill H.R. 6734 Keep America’s Refuges Operational Act of 2022 to the House Committee on Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife.

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Public Witness Day Testimony for FY23 Appropriations For The National Wildlife Refuge System

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Public Witness Day Testimony for FY23 Appropriations For The National Wildlife Refuge System

Written testimony by Caroline Brouwer, Vice President, Government Affairs, National Wildlife Refuge Association, for the House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies

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Statement on the House Appropriations Committee’s release of FY2022 Omnibus language

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Statement on the House Appropriations Committee’s release of FY2022 Omnibus language

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.

Looking Forward To Working With Martha Williams As Confirmed Director of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Looking Forward To Working With Martha Williams As Confirmed Director of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

The National Wildlife Refuge Association congratulates Martha Williams on her confirmation as the Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Director Williams’ many years of experience in wildlife conservation, policy, and management will serve her well in her tenure leading the National Wildlife Refuge System, the largest and most expansive set of lands set aside for wildlife and habitat in the world.

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House Passes Build Back Better : Includes Repeal Of Oil & Gas Program In Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

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House Passes Build Back Better : Includes Repeal Of Oil & Gas Program In Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

The House passed their historic Build Back Better bill, which includes billions of dollars to fund climate change solutions, including additional conservation on the ground, the creation of a Climate Conservation Corps, and, most importantly for the National Wildlife Refuge System, the repeal of the oil and gas leasing program in the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

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House Bill Proposes Repeal of Oil and Gas Program in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

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House Bill Proposes Repeal of Oil and Gas Program in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

The National Wildlife Refuge Association strongly supports the language released yesterday by the House of Representatives in their Build Back Better reconciliation bill that repeals the disastrous oil and gas development program on the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. This bill also buys back the leases that were improperly sold in January to ensure they will be canceled. The language included in the bill would repeal the creation of the oil and gas program included in the 2017 Tax Act, repeal the addition of an oil and gas program as a “purpose of the refuge”, and buy back the leases sold in the last minute sale before the change of administrations.