Fighting for Conservation Funding in America

8/4/2019 Fighting for Conservation Funding in America

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Theodore Roosevelt Conservation

Partnership

High Lonesome Ranch - Colorado

September 2011


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"There can be no greater issue than

that of conservation in this country.President Theodore Roosevelt

Confession of Faith Speech, Progressive National Convention, Chicago, IL, August 6,

1912


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Fighting for ConservationFunding in America


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Address the deficit vs. grow jobs and theeconomy

Many important programs will be cut

Congress will review programs with respect totheir efficiency and value to the economy (i.e.

JOBS)

Hunters and anglers face several challenges aswe move forward and defend conservation

funding

Current Situation


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Conservation in the Federal Budget


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I dont make jokes. I just watch the

government and report the facts.

Will Rogers


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Non-Defense Discretionary Spending

is only 19% of Federal Budget

Non-SecurityDiscretionary

Spending

19%

Mandatory,

Security, and

Interest Spending

81%

FY 2010 - Percent Breakdown

NOTE: Function 300 contains both mandatory and discretionary funding. In 2010, only 2.6% of all Function 300 spending

was mandatory spending. Source for all data is Historical Tables from OMBs FY 12 Budget.


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Conservation Spending Just 1.26 % of

Federal Budget

Natural Resource

Funding

1.26%

Non-Security

Discretionary*

17.81%

Security

Discretionary

19.94%

Mandatory

Programs*

55.32%

Net Interest

5.67%

NOTE:. Source for all data is Historical Tables from OMBs FY 12 Budget.

FY 2010 Percent of Federal Budget by Category


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Federal Funding and Conservation:Why Should We Care?


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The taxpayers are sending congressmen

and senators on expensive trips abroad.

It might be worth it except they keep

coming back.

Will Rogers


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U.S. Human

Population Growth

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

1900

1910

1920

1930

1940

1950

1960

1970

1980

1990

2000

2010

1900-2010

FOURFOLD INCREASE

2011

311 million

SOURCE: U.S. CENSUS BUREAU


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Rural / Urban

Residency

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

1900

1910

1920

1930

1940

1950

1960

1970

1980

1990

2000

2010

2010

15% RURAL

191071% RURAL

SOURCE: U.S. CENSUS BUREAU


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Habitat Loss

Each year about 2 million acres of open space areconverted to other uses - an amount that equals

almost 6,000 acres a day - and most of this

conversion happens close to where people live. About 100,000 acres of wetlands every year (DU)

40 million acres of public lands have been leased

for oil and gas development in the decade. Climate change coastal wetlands; critical

habitats (i.e. coldwater fish)


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Access

Loss of access is the #1 reason people stophunting and fishing

No trespassing

Multiple Use on federal lands

Fishing access MT, UT, CO, PA

Marine fisheries


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State Fish and Game Funding

State and Tribal Grants

LWCF

Open Fields/Access

State management budget already stretched

thin; no room to take up the slack


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Public-Private Partnerships

Farm Bill programs (CRP, WRP, GRP, WHIP,Open Fields)

State conservation programs

Partners for Wildlife; NAWCA; LCCs; NFWF

Endangered Species Act

Whats the alternative? - Regulations.


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Conservation Funding in America

Loses Ground


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If stupidity got us into this mess, then

why cant it get us out?

Will Rogers


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Federal spending on land, water, ocean, and wildlife

programs was just 1.26% of the federal budget in

2010.

This proportion has actually declined over the last 30

years as funding for conservation programs hasgrown only 2% in real dollars over this entire period

while other federal expenditures have increased

dramatically.

Loss of Dollars and Purchasing

Power


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Conservation Funding Has Lost

Ground Over Time

0.60%

0.80%

1.00%

1.20%

1.40%

1.60%

1.80%

2.00%

2.20%

2.40%

Penta

Years

Conservation Related Programs as Percent of OverallBudget (FY 1975 - 2011)

NOTE: The increase in FY09 and FY10 funding levels is attributable in large part to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Source for historical data and administration proposal is Tables from OMBs FY 12 Budget. Source for house-passed budget resolution,

Path to Prosperity Report.

1.26% for FY 2011

2.42 % for FY 1977


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Conservations Share Reduced by

Almost Half Since FY 1975

0.00%

2.00%

4.00%

6.00%

8.00%

10.00%

12.00%

14.00%

1975 1978 1981 1984 1987 1990 1993 1996 1999 2002 2005 2008 2011 2014

Penta

Years

Conservation Program Discretionary Outlays as Percent of

Non-Defense Discretionary Spending

11.54% in FY 1975

6.46% in FY 2010

NOTE: The increase in FY09 and FY10 funding levels is attributable in large part to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of

2009. Source for data related to discretionary outlays comes from Historical Table 8.7 from OMBs FY 12 Budget. Additionally, budget

and out-year estimates (FY12-16) are based upon the Presidents budget request.


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Grants vs. FTEs

Average proposed reduction on federalgrant/partnership programs about 50 %LWCF: 85 %NAWCA: 50 %

WRP: 20 %Open Fields: 100 %WHIP: 41 %

Average core budget / FTE reduction: - about 9 %

Based on funding levels found in HR-1 Spring of 2011


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Getting the Message to Capitol Hill


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About all I can say for the United States

Senate is that is opens with a prayer and

closes with an investigation.

Will Rogers


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And Then Came HR - 1

Spring 2011: the House of Representatives passedHR-1, which dramatically cut or eliminated many

conservation programs. A golden opportunity for anti-conservation forces

A wake-up call for the conservation community,

especially hunters and anglers Secretary Salazars challenge


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A Congressional Call to Action

The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnershipteams up with the Civil War Trust and the Wilderness

Society to create a loud voice for conservation.

Develops a 3 legged stool coalition made-up ofConservation, Outdoor Recreation and Historic

Preservation organizations


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Americas Voice for Conservation,

Recreation and Preservation

Over 640 groups sign a letter to Congress; AmericasVoice for Conservation, Recreation and Preservation

is born.

Broad support ranging from National Shooting Sports

Foundation and the Outdoor Industry Association tothe Sierra Club and the AFL-CIO.


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Demonstrate that conservation programs help createjobs, leverage federal funds and stimulate local

economies.

Willingness to look at eliminating programs that do

not work and consolidate programs that are

redundant

Focus on broad conservation funding as opposed to

pet programs Mobilize the grassroots and the grasstops

Congressional Strategy


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The Economic Contributions of

Hunting, Fishing and Conservation tothe U.S. Economy


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Always drink upstream from the herd

Will Rogers


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Wildlife-Related Participation

Direct Expenditures

$122 billion

Participants

87.5 million

Hunting/Fishing Trips

589 million

Hunting/Fishing Days737 million

34%

19%

38%

9%

2006 Expenditures

Fishing Hunting

Watching Unspecified


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Economic Impact of Hunting and

Fishing- 2006

Activity Hunting Fishing Total

Participants 14.3 million 40 million >34 million

License Revenue $725 million $550 million $1.3 billion

Excise Tax Generated $280 million $600 million $880 million

Retail Sales $25 billion $45 billion $70 billion

Jobs 593,000 1,036,000 n/a

Salaries/Wages $21 billion $38 billion n/a

State/Local Taxes $4.2 billion $7.3 billion $11.5 billion

Federal Taxes $5 billion $9 billion $14 billion

Source: 2006 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation

Hunting in America: An Economic Engine and Conservation PowerhouseFishing in America: An Economic Engine and Conservation Powerhouse


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Conservation Funding As An

Economic Engine The active outdoor recreation economy generates

$730 billion economic activity, of which $289 billion

annually is direct retail sales.

Active outdoor recreation contributes $88 billion in

annual state and federal tax revenue.

These are largely rural jobs and not exportable


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Conservation Funding As An

Economic Engine For every dollar invested in land acquisition and

restoration programs (like LWCF and NAWCA)

approximately $3.00 is raised from non-federalsources.

Hunters and anglers also pay through license sales

and excise taxes


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Next Steps

The CR, the 2012 budget, and the Supercommittee

Americas Voice for Conservation, Recreation andPreservation will continue to grow its ranks and

leverage its collective voice up on Capitol Hill

Congress needs to hear from the people; politiciansneed to be held accountable. The media can help.


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Never miss a good chance to shut up

Will Rogers


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Thanks for Your Attention

Documents

Fighting for Conservation Funding in America