Inside Washington

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The National Wildlife Refuge Association Embarks on Campaign to Address Refuge Staffing Crisis

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The National Wildlife Refuge Association Embarks on Campaign to Address Refuge Staffing Crisis

The National Wildlife Refuge System, the world's largest network of lands and waters dedicated to wildlife conservation, is facing a staffing crisis that threatens its ability to protect biodiversity and provide recreational opportunities. In response to this dire situation, the National Wildlife Refuge Association is focusing its efforts in the 118th Congress to raise awareness of this issue and secure the necessary funds to sufficiently staff the Refuge System. We recently sent a letter to Shannon Estenoz, Assistant Secretary for Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, and Martha Williams, Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, outlining the work we will be doing with our partners and supporters to advocate for increased funding for the Refuge System to address these challenges.

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November 2022 Legislative Update

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November 2022 Legislative Update

In November, the National Wildlife Refuge Association continued to advocate for increased appropriations for the National Wildlife Refuge System (Refuge System) in fiscal year (FY) 2023. We led a letter signed by 62 organizations, including 17 Refuge Friends organizations, to appropriators requesting at least the funding levels of $574 million included in the House-passed version of the Department of the Interior Appropriations bill, and we signed a group letter requesting increased funding for environmental agencies that goes well above simply keeping pace with inflation.

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House Passes the Bipartisan “Keep America’s Refuges Operational Act of 2022”

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House Passes the Bipartisan “Keep America’s Refuges Operational Act of 2022”

The Keep America’s Refuges Operational Act of 2022 (H.R. 6734) recently passed the House of Representatives and now heads to the Senate for consideration. In March, the National Wildlife Refuge Association’s former Vice President of Government Affairs, Caroline Brouwer, testified in support of the bill to the House Committee on Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife.

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2022 Wildlife Refuge Awards— A Sneak Peek Of What's In Store!

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2022 Wildlife Refuge Awards— A Sneak Peek Of What's In Store!

We hope you will join us for our 2022 Wildlife Refuge Awards hosted in Washington D.C. and live-streamed on September 14th, 2022 starting at 7 pm ET. Check out a preview of the evening by watching the video!

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Join Us For Our 2022 Wildlife Refuge Awards: Inspiring Leadership In Conservation

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Join Us For Our 2022 Wildlife Refuge Awards: Inspiring Leadership In Conservation

We are excited to announce that our 2022 Wildlife Refuge Awards ceremony is going virtual! The in-person event held on Wednesday, September 14th, 2022 at 7 pm ET will be live-streamed free.

Since 1994, the National Wildlife Refuge Association has presented the Wildlife Refuge Awards to honor the outstanding contributions of Refuge employees, friends, and volunteers. This year, we will celebrate the exceptional accomplishments of awardees in five categories: the Paul Kroegel Refuge Manager of the Year, the Refuge Employee of the Year, the Refuge Volunteer of the Year, the Molly Krival Refuge Friends Group of the Year, and the Refuge Advocate.

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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.