FY 2015: Top Appropriation Priorities for the Refuge System
1. Move towards fully funding the National Wildlife Refuge System at $900 million annually for
operations and maintenance, beginning with $476 million in FY15.
The National Wildlife Refuge System manages 150 million acres on its annual operations and maintenance budget,
which presently averages less than $3.15 per acre. The Refuge System cannot fulfill its obligation to the American
public, our wildlife, and 46.5 million annual visitors without increases in maintenance and operation funds.
National wildlife refuges have a critical conservation mission and their management requires investments in the staff
and tools to manage wildlife populations, recover endangered species, control harmful invasive species, adapt
management strategies to address changing climate conditions, monitor and measure the effectiveness of this work
and report back to Congress. At the same time, the Refuge System provides recreational opportunities for the
public, educates the next generation through youth programs, and keeps refuge resources and visitors safe through
law enforcement. The investment yields an impressive return, generating approximately 35,000 jobs and $2.4 billion
in economic output each year. Every dollar appropriated to the Refuge System returns an average of $4.87 to local
economies. And, national wildlife refuges provide the American public with $33 billion dollars worth of clean water
and other environmental benefits such as clean air and a cool climate.
2. Appropriate $168.8 million in FY15 from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) to
acquire conservation easements on working lands and to purchase in-holdings and vital habitat
for the National Wildlife Refuge System and reauthorize the LWCF at $900 million annually.
The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) is an essential tool for protecting the integrity of the National
Wildlife Refuge System. Annually, energy companies who are extracting resources on the Outer Continental Shelf
pay $900 million in royalties into this fund. LWCF is the primary source of land and conservation easement
acquisition by federal land agencies.
Increasingly, LWCF is being used to conserve working lands through the acquisition of conservation easements that
secure conservation protection while leaving the land in private ownership and on the tax rolls. Conservation
easements are powerful tools that foster public-private partnerships with ranchers and timber owners to conserve
wildlife, habitat and a way of life that is uniquely American. Most FWS easements are appraised at one-third to onehalf of the property’s full-market value, allowing The Service to protect valuable wildlife habitat at less cost.
In many cases, however, land acquisition is required to conserve intact and functional natural habitat. The Refuge
System is responsible for safeguarding current and future populations of a range of species, many of which require
very specific habitat conditions, such as sea turtle nesting grounds or isolated springs for endemic desert fish. Others
require multiple habitat types for their life cycle. By acquiring critical habitat areas, the Refuge System enhances the
overall integrity of the system and in some instances links conserved lands to further strengthen our network of
habitat to give wildlife space and time to respond to changes, whether from climate or changing land use patterns.
3. Appropriate $35 million in FY15 for the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA)
and reauthorize the Act at $75 million.
NAWCA supports habitat restoration, water quality improvements and carbon sequestration. These projects,
developed by landowners and organizations at the community level, benefit continental mallards, northern pintail,
other waterfowl, and declining migratory bird species. NAWCA matching grants fuel a public-private partnership
between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, landowners and conservation organizations to conserve and/or restore
wetlands and associated upland habitats that are vital to the production and survival of waterfowl, shorebirds,
waterbirds and songbirds and, in turn, to the millions of Americans who depend on these species for hunting,
birding and other outdoor pursuits.
4. Increase appropriations for essential conservation programs including State Wildlife Grants, the
Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Fund, Coastal Grants, and the Department of Interior’s
Fire Management Program.
State Wildlife Grants – The Fish and Wildlife Service works with states to keep common species common and
restore declining species before they warrant listing under the Endangered Species Act. We ask Congress to fund the
State Wildlife Grants Program at $58.7 million for FY15 to fulfill the shared federal-state responsibility for keeping
our nation’s wildlife from becoming endangered.
Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act (NMBCA)— NMBCA grants conserve the habitats that
neotropical birds use along their migration north and south and in their wintering range throughout the Caribbean,
Central, and South America. This Act fortifies investments on national wildlife refuges by conserving “our” birds
during critical periods of their lifecycles spent outside of refuges and often outside the United States. We request
that Congress reauthorize the NMBCA and provide $4 million for FY15.
Coastal Program—The Coastal Program provides technical and financial assistance for voluntary efforts to protect
and restore coastal habitats for wildlife. The coastal program is critical to implementing recovery projects such as
restoring and enhancing estuarine habitats, removing invasive species and derelict fishing gear, and stabilizing
shoreline. We ask Congress to fund the Coastal Program at $13 million for FY15.
Robust Refuge Fire Operations Budget — Fire is one of the Service’s most important tools for managing
wildlife habitat; however, due to the catastrophic western wildfires made worse by climate change and fuel loading,
funds for refuge fire management have been consistently diverted to fighting wildfires and protecting the foresturban interface. Resources are needed to allow refuges to manage dangerous fuel loads in fire-dependent systems
and to use fire management to improve habitat for many threatened and endangered species. We urge Congress to
provide $60 million in dedicated funding to the Refuge System’s fire program through the Department of the
Interior’s Hazardous Fuel Reduction program.