Congressman Ivey expresses his support for preserving our environment, creating green jobs, and maintaining our natural lands

PGAS received this email 7/12/2023

Dear Mr. Cohen,

Thank you for your letter about the environmental challenges facing our country. I appreciate hearing from you, and I welcome the opportunity to continue a dialogue on this matter and other issues throughout my term as your congressman.

Our environment is a precious resource that we must use and protect responsibly. Every American is entitled to clean air and water. We can secure an environmental future for our children and grandchildren, but we must act now. In our modern world, preserving the environment, growing our economy, and creating new energy all go hand-in-hand. Such a comprehensive strategy creates good-paying American jobs as well. Green jobs that can’t be outsourced are a major part of our economic recovery.

Just earlier this year, I visited and toured the SEMAConnect plant located here in our congressional district. I had the opportunity to see how the workers there are moving our ecosystem forward by staffing one of the largest manufacturers of electric-vehicle charging stations in the region. This plant has both brought jobs to our district and clean resources to our communities. I want to make sure that the federal government contributes to the preservation of our planet by maintaining natural lands –not destroying them. Moving forward, I want to conserve the native grasslands we enjoy here in the district while saving taxpayers millions of dollars.

Please visit me at www.ivey.house.gov to continue the conversation and keep up with my latest work in service to the Fourth Congressional District of Maryland.

Sincerely,
Rep. Glenn Ivey
Member of Congress

Prince George's Audubon Society joins 194 other chapters supporting Bureau of Land Management's Public Lands Rule

On July 5, 2023 our chapter and and 193 other chapters submitted the following letter to the BLM. Please read not only the letter, but also the list of signatories.

July 5, 2023

Director Tracy Stone-Manning

Bureau of Land Management

1849 C St. NW, Room 5646

, Washington, DC 20240

Attention: 1004–AE92 RE: (Doc # 2023-06310) Support for BLM Public Lands Rule – Conservation and Landscape Health

Dear Director Stone-Manning:

We are a consortium of 194 independent chapters of the National Audubon Society, with members from 41 states across the country. We submit this letter because we are interested in seeing that America's public lands are managed in a balanced way that benefits current and future generations. While scientific understanding has improved and tools to manage the lands have expanded, the challenges to our nation's public lands have increased. Therefore, we applaud the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) Public Lands Rule and the intention to promote conservation and prioritize the health and resilience of ecosystems across those lands. Our nation needs this forward-thinking approach to create a clear process by which to manage our nation's public lands to ensure healthy landscapes, abundant wildlife habitat, clean water and balanced decision-making.

The BLM's impact on our nation cannot be overstated, as it manages one out of every 10 surface acres across the country and 30% of the nation's mineral and soils. With more than 245 million acres of rolling sagebrush hills, deserts, grasslands, forest, and wetlands, the BLM manages some of our nation's most iconic and loved landscapes.

Congress tasked the BLM with a mandate of managing public lands for a variety of uses such as energy development, livestock grazing, timber harvesting, and recreation while ensuring maintenance of natural, cultural, and historic resources. It is the latter obligations that we are collectively interested in, and the important step the BLM has taken to put conservation on equal footing with other uses.

BLM lands bring substantial recreational dollars to nearby communities, provide physical and mental health opportunities for people of all means and backgrounds, hold invaluable evidence of human prehistory, are rich in cultural heritage and sacred sites, provide critical wildlife corridors across the western United States as well as habitat for more than 3,000 species, many of which can be found nowhere else. These public lands, and the diverse animal and plant ecosystems they support, are an essential part of the way of life for many western communities and Tribal nations. They also are an important legacy.

Conservation is a shared American value, perhaps the most fertile political common ground today. Americans love nature and the outdoors, wild landscapes and iconic wildlife, and conservation remains a common bond among us, regardless of where you live. We want our public lands managed sustainably so that we may be able to pass them on in healthy condition to our children, grandchildren and generations to come.

We commend the BLM for taking action to promote conservation and land health, which are consistent with its mission, authorities and responsibility. While the federal agency has largely focused on oil and gas, mining and other extractive uses, we feel that these must be balanced with conservation, recreation, wildlife and watershed health, and cultural resource protection. Thus, together, we voice our support for the BLM's three main components of the proposed Public Lands Rule: (1) protect the most intact, healthiest landscapes, (2) restore landscapes back to health, and (3) ensure wise decision-making, based on science and data.

Our nation's public lands are experiencing extreme weather events such as wildfires, droughts, and severe storms – which are occurring at increasing frequency and intensity. This proposed Rule drives us in the direction of having healthy intact landscapes that are more resilient and able to recover more easily in the face of natural disasters. In keeping with passage of the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, this proposed Rule would allow federal land managers to identify and prioritize lands and waters that require ecosystem restoration work, such as removing invasive species.

Where there are existing intact landscapes, the use of conservation management tools should be encouraged. Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACECs) is an existing administrative tool available to the BLM which has historically been under-utilized and inconsistently applied. The proposed Rule includes the first-ever regulations on ACECs, and we are happy to see that it provides clarification on and expansion of its use. With the adoption of the Rule, ACECs can play a critical role in protecting important natural, cultural, and scenic resources, intact landscapes, habitat connectivity, and ecosystem resilience.

We are also encouraged to see habitat connectivity and wildlife corridors emphasized in the proposed Rule. Such connectivity is essential to allow migrating wildlife – including birds – to adapt to a changing climate, and BLM could strengthen the language to more broadly identify habitat connectivity and migration corridors as a conservation priority in recognition of their important role in supporting ecological resilience.

With 90% of the lands managed by BLM being open to natural resource leasing and development, we are encouraged to see conservation leases discussed in the proposed Rule. We recognize that conservation leases would not disturb existing authorizations, valid existing rights, or state or Tribal land use management. As presented, conservation leases could be used for two purposes: restoration and compensatory mitigation (where impacts cannot be avoided). Therefore, we support conservation 3 leases as a mechanism that can lead to better managed lands by realizing more durable protections and restoration efforts.

In closing, we believe that America's public lands are a national treasure. This rulemaking is an important opportunity for BLM to restore balance to its land management priorities and to encourage an inclusive approach to conservation that includes co-management with Tribal nations and the consideration of land health in all decision-making.

Sincerely,

Admiralty Audubon Society Port Townsend, Washington Aiken Audubon Society Colorado Springs, Colorado Alabama Audubon Birmingham, Alabama Alachua Audubon Society Gainesville, Florida Albert Lea Audubon Society Albert Lea, Minnesota Altacal Audubon Society Chico, California Antelope Valley Audubon Society Lancaster, California Arkansas River Valley Audubon Society Pottsville, Arkansas Arkansas Valley Audubon Society Pueblo, Colorado Audubon Everglades West Palm Beach, Florida Audubon of Southwest Florida Fort Myers, Florida Audubon Society of Central Arkansas Little Rock, Arkansas Audubon Society of Central Maryland Mt. Airy, Maryland Audubon Society of Mahoning Valley Boardman, Ohio Audubon Society of Northern Virginia Reston, Virginia Audubon Society of Omaha Omaha, Nebraska Audubon Society of the Capital Region Albany, New York Bergen County Audubon Society Paramus, New Jersey Bexar Audubon Society San Antonio, Texas Bighorn Audubon Society Sheridan, Wyoming Black Canyon Audubon Society Delta, Colorado Blue Mountain Audubon Society Walla Walla, Washington 4 Blue Ridge Audubon Asheville, North Carolina Boulder County Audubon Society Boulder, Colorado Bridgerland Audubon Society Logan, Utah Bristlecone Audubon Elko, Nevada Bronx River-Sound Shore Audubon Scarsdale, New York Bucks County Audubon Society New Hope, Pennsylvania Buena Vista Audubon Society Oceanside, California Burroughs Audubon Society of Greater Kansas City Blue Springs, Missouri Canton Audubon Society Canton, Ohio Cape Fear Audubon Wilmington, North Carolina Cape Henry Audubon Society Norfolk, Virginia Central Kentucky Audubon Society Lexington, Kentucky Central New Mexico Audubon Society Albuquerque, New Mexico Central Sierra Audubon Society Sonora, California Champaign County Audubon Society Urbana, Illinois Charleston Natural History Society Charleston, South Carolina Chemung Valley Audubon Society Elmira, New York Chesapeake Audubon Society Baltimore, Maryland Cheyenne-High Plains Audubon Society Cheyenne, Wyoming Choctawhatchee Audubon Society Fort Walton Beach, Florida Clearwater Audubon Society Clearwater, Florida Columbus Audubon Columbus, Ohio Cumberland-Harpeth Audubon Society Nashville, Tennessee Delaware Audubon Newark, Delaware Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society Oneonta, New York Denver Audubon Littleton, Colorado Desert Rivers Audubon Society Gilbert, Arizona Eagle Audubon Society Sun City Center, Florida Eastern Long Island Audubon Society East Quogue, New York Eastside Audubon Kirkland, Washington 5 El Paso/Trans-Pecos Audubon Society El Paso, Texas Evansville Audubon Society Evansville, Indiana Evergreen Audubon Evergreen, Colorado Flathead Audubon Society Kalispell, Montana Florida Keys Audubon Society Key West, Florida Forsyth Audubon Winston Salem, North Carolina Fort Collins Audubon Society Fort Collins, Colorado Four Harbors Audubon Society Saint James, New York Francis M. Weston Audubon Society Pensacola, Florida Garland County Audubon Society Hot Springs, Arkansas Golden Eagle Audubon Society Boise, Idaho Golden Gate Audubon Society Berkeley, California Grand Valley Audubon Society Grand Junction, Colorado Grays Harbor Audubon society Montesano, Washington Great Salt Lake Audubon Salt Lake City, Utah Great South Bay Audubon Society Sayville, New York Greater Akron Audubon Society Akron, Ohio Greater Ozarks Audubon Society Springfield, Missouri Halifax River Audubon Daytona Beach, Florida Hawai`i Audubon Society Honolulu, Hawai`i Hernando Audubon Society Brooksville, Florida High Country Audubon Society Boone, North Carolina Hilton Head Audubon Hilton Head, South Carolina Hoy Audubon Society Racine, Wisconsin Hudson River Audubon Society Yonkers, New York Kalmiopsis Audubon Society Port Orford, Oregon Kerncrest Audubon Society Ridgecrest, California Kitsap Audubon Society Poulsbo, Washington Kittitas Audubon Society Ellensburg, Washington Klamath Basin Audubon Society Klamath Falls, Oregon 6 La Purisima Audubon Society Lompoc, California Lahontan Audubon Society Reno, Nevada Lane County Audubon Eugene, Oregon Laramie Audubon Society Laramie, Wyoming Laughing Whitefish Audubon Society Marquette, Michigan Lehigh Valley Audubon Society Emmaus, Pennsylvania Litchfield Hills Audubon Society Litchfield, Connecticut Llano Estacado Audubon Society Lubbock, Texas Los Angeles Audubon Society Los Angeles, California Marion Audubon Society Ocala, Florida Menunkatuck Audubon Society Guilford, Connecticut Mesilla Valley Audubon Society Las Cruces, New Mexico Minnesota River Valley Audubon Chapter Bloomington, Minnesota Mississippi Headwaters Audubon Society / Neilson Spearhead Center Bemidji, Minnesota Monmouth County Audubon Society Red Bank, New Jersey Morro Coast Audubon Society Morro Bay, California Mt. Diablo Audubon Society Walnut Creek, California New Hope Audubon Society Chapel Hill, North Carolina North Cascades Audubon Society Bellingham, Washington North Central Washington Audubon Society Wenatchee, Washington Northeastern Wisconsin Audubon Society Green Bay, Wisconsin Northern Arizona Audubon Society Sedona and Flagstaff, Arizona Northern Catskills Audubon Society Palenville, New York Northern New York Audubon Saranac Lake, New York Oakland Audubon Society Birmingham, Michigan Ogeechee Audubon Society Savannah, Georgia Ohlone Audubon Society Hayward, California Oklawaha Valley Audubon Society Eustis, Florida Oktibbeha Audubon Society Starkville, Mississippi Olympic Peninsula Audubon Society Sequim, Washington 7 Onondaga Audubon Society Syracuse, New York Orange County Audubon Society Warwick, New York Orleans Audubon Society Pearl River, Louisiana Palos Verdes / South Bay Audubon Palos Verdes, California Pasadena Audubon Society Pasadena, California Pelican Island Audubon Society Vero Beach, Florida Pennsylvania Audubon Council Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Peregrine Audubon Society Ukiah, California Pilchuck Audubon Society Snohnomish, Washington Pomona Valley Audubon Society Claremont, California Portland Audubon Portland, Oregon Portneuf Valley Audubon Society Pocatello, Idaho Prairie & Timbers Audubon Society McKinney, Texas Prairie Falcon Audubon Society Twin Falls, Idaho Presque Isle Audubon Erie, Pennsylvania Prince George's Audubon Society Bowie, Maryland Quinnipiac Valley Audubon Society Wallingford, Connecticut Rainier Audubon Society Auburn, Washington Red Desert Audubon Society Lander, Wyoming Red Rock Audubon Las Vegas, Nevada Redbud Audubon Society Clearlake, California Redwood Region Audubon Society Eureka, California Roaring Fork Audubon Society Carbondale, Colorado Robert Cooper Audubon Society Muncie, Indiana Rogue Valley Audubon Society Medford, Oregon Rutland County Audubon Society Rutland, Vermont Sacajawea Audubon Society Bozeman, Montana Salem Audubon Society Salem, Oregon San Bernardino Valley Audubon Society San Bernardino, California San Diego Audubon Society San Diego, California 8 San Fernando Valley Audubon Society Van Nuys, California San Joaquin Audubon Society Stockton, California Sangre de Christo Audubon Society Santa Fe, New Mexico Santa Barbara Audubon Society Santa Barbara, California Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society Cupertino, California Sarasota Audubon Society Sarasota, Florida Sassafras Audubon Society Bloomington, Indiana Saw Mill River Audubon Chappaqua, New York Sea & Sage Audubon Society Irvine, California Seminole Audubon Society Sanford, Florida Sierra Foothills Audubon Society Grass Valley, California Sinnissippi Audubon Rockford, Illinois Skagit Audubon Society Mount Vernon, Washington Snake River Audubon Society Idaho Falls, Idaho Sonoran Audubon Society Glendale, Arizona South Bend - Elkhart Audubon Society South Bend, Indiana South Florida Audubon Society Tamarac, Florida South Mountain Audubon Society Gettysburg, Pennsylvania South Shore Audubon Society Freeport, New York Southern Maryland Audubon Bryans Road, Maryland Space Coast Audubon Society Cocoa, Florida St. Louis Audubon Society St. Louis, Missouri St. Lucie Audubon Society Fort Pierce, Florida Sycamore Audubon Society West Lafayette, Indiana Tahoma Audubon Society University Place, Washington Tiger Audubon Colorado Springs, Colorado Tippecanoe Audubon Society North Manchester, Indiana Topeka Audubon Society Topeka, Kansas Transylvania County Bird Club Brevard, North Carolina Tropical Audubon Society Miami, Florida 9 Tucson Audubon Society Tucson, Arizona Tulare Kings Audubon Visalia, California Umpqua Valley Audubon Society Roseburg, Oregon Upper Iowa Audubon Society Fayette, Iowa Valley Forge Audubon Society Eagleville, Pennsylvania Vancouver Audubon Society Vancouver, Washington Ventura Audubon Society Ventura, California Waccamaw Audubon Society Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Wachiska Audubon Society Lincoln, Nebraska Wake Audubon Society Raleigh, North Carolina Warioto Audubon Society Clarksville, Tennessee Wasatch Audubon Society Ogden, Utah Weminuche Audubon Society Pagosa Springs, Colorado West Pasco Audubon Elfers, Florida Western Cuyahoga Audubon Society Cleveland, Ohio Whidey Audubon Society Oak Harbor, Washington Wichita Audubon Society Wichita, Kansas Wintu Audubon Society Redding, California Wisconsin Metro Audubon Society Franklin, Wisconsin Wyncote Audubon Society Abington, Pennsylvania Yellowstone Valley Audubon Society Billings, Montana Yolo Audubon Society Davis, California CC: Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland U.S. Department of the Interior 1849 C St. N

Commitment to Save Hawaiian Birds

Date: Tuesday, June 27, 2023
Contact: Interior_Press@ios.doi.gov

Biden-Harris Administration Announces Nearly $16 Million through the President’s Investing in America Agenda to Prevent the Imminent Extinction of Hawaiian Forest Birds

HONOLULU — Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland today announced that the Department has committed nearly $16 million as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to prevent the imminent extinction of Hawaiian Forest Birds.

The funding will support a new Hawaiian Forest Bird Conservation Keystone Initiative, which was unveiled as part of the Department’s Restoration and Resilience Framework. The Framework is guiding $2 billion in investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act to restore lands and waters and advance climate resilience. Secretary Haaland announced the historic funding during remarks at the Hawai’i Conservation Conference in Honolulu.

“Hawaiian Forest Birds are a national treasure and represent an irreplaceable component of our natural heritage. Birds like the ‘I’iwi, Kiwikiu and ‘Akikiki are found nowhere else in the world and have evolved over millennia to adapt to the distinct ecosystems and habitats of the Hawaiian Islands,” said Secretary Deb Haaland. “Thanks to President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, we are working collaboratively with the Native Hawaiian Community and our partners to protect Hawaiian Forest Birds now and for future generations.”

Historically, there were over 50 different species of honeycreeper birds in Hawaiʻi. That number is now down to just 17, due to an array of threats that have caused significant declines in their populations. Habitat loss, invasive species, climate change and disease, such as avian malaria spread by mosquitoes, are urgent challenges impacting bird species across the Hawaiian Islands.

In December 2022, the Interior Department released a Strategy for Preventing the Extinction of Hawaiian Forest Birds. The strategy provides a shared vision among the Department’s bureaus for a comprehensive approach to prevent the extinction of Hawaiian Forest Birds by applying a science-based approach, various conservation techniques, and Native Hawaiian biocultural knowledge and practices. This approach is rooted in close coordination with federal and non-federal partners to leverage resources and expertise to meet common goals.

Funding from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda offers an historic opportunity to allocate substantial resources toward the conservation efforts required to save these endangered and threatened species from the brink of extinction. Without this funding, experts assessed that two species could go extinct within the next year.

The Hawaiian Forest Bird Conservation Keystone Initiative will pursue several key objectives, including:

• Captive Care: Expanding captive care programs and facilities for bird species most at risk of imminent extinction.

• Invasive Mosquito Eradication: Implementing cutting-edge strategies to control and eradicate invasive mosquitoes that spread avian malaria, which has ravaged Hawaiian forest bird populations in recent years.

• Establish New Bird Populations Through Translocation: Relocating new populations of bird species to higher elevation refugia within the Hawaiian Islands where avian malaria is not yet present will help prevent further extinctions.

• Research and Monitoring: Conducting extensive scientific research and monitoring to ensure mosquito control efforts are effective and enhancing our knowledge on mosquito and forest bird biology. This knowledge will inform more effective conservation strategies.

• Native Hawaiian Community Engagement: Actively engaging Native Hawaiian cultural practitioners and experts through consultation, knowledge sharing, protocol and traditional practices at each major stage of a conservation action. This not only contributes to the overall forest bird recovery efforts but also sustains the Native Hawaiian Community’s biocultural relationship with the forest birds.

###

Department of Interior Funds international Bird Conservation Projects

Songbirds, Shorebirds and Other Migratory Birds to Benefit from More Than $24 Million in Funding Throughout the Americas

Jun 7, 2023

Media Contacts

Vanessa Kauffman

Today, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is announcing more than $24 million in funding has been approved for grants through the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act for conservation projects to benefit migratory birds and people throughout the Americas.

For over two decades, the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act has provided critical support for neotropical bird conservation and research throughout the Western Hemisphere each year. It is the only source of federal funding solely dedicated to the conservation of migratory birds shared throughout the Americas. This year, more than $5.1 million in federal funds will be matched by more than $19.6 million in partner contributions going to 32 collaborative conservation projects in 30 countries across the Americas.

“We have lost nearly three billion birds in North America alone since 1970. These grants and partnerships play a crucial role in addressing bird declines across the Western Hemisphere by working to protect and positively impact millions of acres of diverse habitats where birds winter in the south, breed in the north, and where they migrate along the way,” said Service Director Martha Williams. “Thanks to the many networks that have developed through these projects, powerful conservation alliances and partnerships are growing to help many of the most at-risk species and their habitats.”

There are 390 species of neotropical migratory birds that migrate across the Western Hemisphere, to and from the U.S. each year, including songbirds, shorebirds and birds of prey. In addition to their role in pollination, seed dispersal and pest control, birds also provide early warnings of the effects of  climate change  and environmental contamination and contribute billions of dollars to the economy through bird watching and photography. 

This funding will help prevent these species from being listed as threatened or endangered, with priority given to more imperiled species that are listed on the Service’s Birds of Conservation Concern 2021report. This year’s project highlights include:

Implementing Golden-cheeked Warbler Conservation Plan in Chiapas VI (Mexico)

This project will increase habitat protection through forest management and recovery, research, and outreach to reduce habitat pressures on the endangered golden-cheeked warbler, four Birds of Conservation Concern and dozens of other migratory species impacted by deficient forest management practices, forest fires and illegal logging activities throughout Chiapas State in Mexico.

Strengthening Shorebird Conservation in Parita Bay (Panama)

The National Audubon Society is partnering with the Inter-American Development Bank and Panama Audubon Society to implement a three-year project focused on the conservation and protection of coastal habitats along the Pacific coast of Panama, some of the most important stopover and wintering habitat for neotropical migrant shorebird species in the Americas, including American oystercatcher, Wilson’s plover, marbled godwit and willet.

Protecting and Restoring the Ecuadorian Chocó (Ecuador)

Partners will implement the first phase of BirdLife International’s 10-year Conservation Investment Strategy for the Ecuadorian Choco-Andes which will protect priority bird habitat and improve knowledge on the abundance and distribution of migratory birds, including at least three Birds of Conservation Concern: cerulean warbler, Canada warbler and olive-sided flycatcher.

Since 2002, the NMBCA has provided more than $89 million in grants to support 717 projects in 43 countries. These projects have positively affected more than 5 million acres of bird habitat and spurred partnerships on multiple levels contributing an additional $346 million.

A complete list of this year’s approved grants projects is available and all projects in the database. Additional information about migratory bird conservation can be found by visiting online the Service’s Migratory Bird Program.

Postal Service celebrates Endangered Species Act

WALL, SD — Nearly 50 years ago, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) was signed into law. Under the ESA, more than 1,670 U.S. and nearly 700 foreign species are safeguarded to increase their chances of survival. With the release of the new Endangered Species Forever stamps today, the Postal Service is celebrating not only the law, but also the people, organizations and agencies who have worked so hard to protect and save so much.

The 20 stamps showcase photographs of endangered animals found within the 50 states and American territories, as well as two North American species living near U.S. borders.

“There’s a story behind every stamp, just as there is a story behind every one of these animals,” said Peter Pastre, the Postal Service’s government relations and public policy vice president, who spoke at the dedication ceremony. “We hope the Endangered Species stamps tell the story of hard work, humanity and hope, while raising awareness about endangered animals and wildlife, and the efforts to protect them.”

Scientists estimate that hundreds of species have been rescued from the brink of extinction in the United States since the ESA began. In a process headed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, a species found to need protection is listed as either threatened or endangered, the latter defined as “in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range.”

“These stamps highlight just some of the many species that have benefited from the ESA and are emblematic of the diversity of wildlife we enjoy,” said U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Martha Williams. “The ESA is one of the world’s most important conservation laws, and it plays an integral role in preventing extinctions, promoting recovery of wildlife, and preserving their habitats.”

The photos were taken by National Geographic Explorer and photographer Joel Sartore as part of his National Geographic Photo Ark project, an effort to document every species living in the world’s zoos, aquariums and wildlife sanctuaries. Photo Ark also inspires action through education and helps protect wildlife by supporting on-the-ground conservation efforts.

“When I was a child, many of the species on these stamps were on the very brink of extinction. Thankfully, today they’re on the road to recovery. Each serves as a reminder of the ESA’s importance, and as a tribute to the dedicated people who have worked so hard to save each and every one of them,” said Sartore. “For those of us who care deeply, the loss of even one of these species would be devastating. Besides being living works of art, we believe each has a basic right to exist. And if that’s not enough, perhaps this will get your attention: what happens to them will happen to us as well.”

On Dec. 27, 1973, President Richard Nixon signed the ESA into law, following a unanimous Senate vote. In the 50 years since, other nations worldwide have emulated the pioneering American initiative. The ESA provides a framework for conserving and protecting endangered and threatened species and their habitats both domestically and abroad.

Many of the animals featured on these stamps were photographed in zoos. The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) is committed to being a global leader in promoting species conservation and animal wellbeing by leveraging the size, scope, expertise and public trust of its member facilities.

“Zoos and aquariums accredited by AZA have worked tirelessly to save and restore endangered species. We celebrate the ESA by educating millions of visitors on the beauty and importance of the natural world and the animals that call it home,” said Becky Dewitz, CEO, Great Plains Zoo and incoming member of AZA’s Board of Directors. “We are so proud to have some of the animals we care for featured in Joel’s stunning photography and commemorated in the postage stamps we unveil today.”

From May 19 to June 9, all First-Class Mail bearing postage stamps will be postmarked with an image of a black-footed ferret and the words: “Protect Endangered Species.”

Derry Noyes, an art director for the Postal Service, designed the stamps using Sartore’s photographs.

The Endangered Species Forever stamps are issued in panes of 20. News of the stamps is being shared with the hashtags #EndangeredSpeciesStamps and #ESA50.

Postal Products

Customers may purchase stamps and other philatelic products through the Postal Store at usps.com/shopstamps, by calling 844-737-7826, by mail through USA Philatelic or at Post Office locations nationwide.

###

Chapter Election Results

At our meeting on May 9, 2023 our members voted to elect the following as directors for a term ending May, 2025:

Lisa Bierer-Garrett, Ikumi Kayama, Sallie McElrath, Kathy Shollenberger, and Ginger Deason.

Congratulations to these deserving, hardworking members. 

PG Audubon joins 349 other organizations requesting Congress to fund maintenance for our National Wildlife Refuges

*Banner photo take by Arthur Smith-Web

Here is a copy of the letter containing some of the sign on organizatons.

April 18, 2023

 The Honorable Patty Murray Chair

Committee on Appropriations United States Senate

S-128 The Capitol Washington, DC 20510 

The Honorable Jeff Merkley Chair

Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations

131 Senate Dirksen Office Building Washington, DC 20510 

The Honorable Kay Granger Chair

Committee on Appropriations

United States House of Representatives H-307 The Capitol

Washington, DC 20515 

The Honorable Michael Simpson Chair

Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies

House Committee on Appropriations 2007 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515

The Honorable Susan Collins Ranking Member

Committee on Appropriations United States Senate

S-146A The Capitol Washington, DC 20510 

The Honorable Lisa Murkowski Ranking Member

Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations

125 Senate Dirksen Office Building Washington, DC 20510 

The Honorable Rosa DeLauro Ranking Member

Committee on Appropriations

United States House of Representatives 1036 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 

The Honorable Chellie Pingree Ranking Member

Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies

House Committee on Appropriations 1036 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515

RE: FY 2024 Funding for National Wildlife Refuge System Operations and Maintenance 

Dear Chairs and Ranking Members:

Thank you for your continued work to ensure the integrity of our national wildlife refuges. At 95 million acres on land and 760 million acres of submerged lands and waters, the National Wildlife Refuge System (Refuge System) is the largest network of public lands and waters dedicated to wildlife conservation in the world. We the undersigned write to express our support for increasing Refuge System Operations and Maintenance Funding (O&M) to $1.5 billion, a level necessary to address the systemic needs after over a decade of underfunding.

The fiscal year (FY) 2023 budget of $541.6 million for Refuge Operations and Maintenance offered a small increase to partially offset the Refuge System’s rising fixed costs and salary increases, but it did not address systemic habitat needs compounded by a decade of underfunding. While the additional $83.3 million requested in the President's FY24 budget is a helpful bump, it too falls substantially short of actual need—indeed, even if enacted, this would amount to lower than the inflation-adjusted $700 million Congress appropriated in FY 2010. In order to fully reinvest in our refuges and transform them into a world-class conservation network of lands and waters, the System needs a $1.5 billion operating budget. 

Returning staffing to levels that ensure the protection of refuge values requires Operations and Maintenance Funding (O&M) of $1.5 billion, and the undersigned groups are writing to express support for an appropriation of this amount in FY 2024. Our millions of members – bird watchers, hikers, hunters, anglers, wildlife professionals, and conservationists – use and enjoy national wildlife refuges and support careful stewardship of the System for their own and future generations. Chronic underinvestment, inflation, and soaring visitation, paired with the Refuge System’s enormous biodiversity and climate-resiliency values, justify this budget increase. Even with $1.5 billion, the Refuge System would still only receive $15.79 for every acre of land managed – less than half the National Park System’s per acre funding. 

The Refuge System has grown since 2010, when funding was at its highest level, adding 2 million land acres, 14 national wildlife refuges, 597 million acres of marine national monuments, and an Urban Wildlife Conservation Program that oversees 101 units. Visitation has risen 34 percent since 2010, to more than 67 million, as Americans turned to national wildlife refuges for safe places to recreate during the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet despite skyrocketing visitation, Visitor Services funding has actually decreased when adjusted for inflation, receiving just $80.9 million for FY 2023, nearly $30 million less than inflation-adjusted funding a decade ago. We request $307 million for Visitor Services in FY 2024. This is a particularly large investment that reflects the bipartisan consensus in favor of responsible, ecologically-compatible public access and recreation on refuges and the need to develop stronger recreational infrastructure on use- compatible federal lands. 

As funding levels have plummeted, the Service has eliminated more than 800 full-time jobs since FY2011—a 25 percent loss in capacity. Staffing shortages have put additional pressures on the System. Many refuges are now managed as complexes, resulting in many more refuges that are chronically unstaffed, with remaining staff often required to travel hours between distant properties. This budget request of $1.5 billion would enable the System to hire nearly 5,000 full- time staff, many of whom would be based in rural communities throughout the U.S. These new hires would bring the System to an appropriate staffing level and better position it to reflect the Nation’s diverse and underserved communities. We believe that going above and beyond the current staffing high-water mark is necessary to realize the aspirational potential of the Refuge System, especially with the Fish and Wildlife Service having missed many of the Inflation Reduction Act’s large staff capacity investments in other federal lands agencies.

Funding is not available to hire new biologists, visitor services staff, law enforcement, and maintenance staff. These shortages severely hamper the Fish and Wildlife Service’s ability to develop the Urban Wildlife Conservation Program, which invests in historically excluded communities and seeks to address racial inequalities in recreational access and conservation participation. This program was not funded at all between 2017 and 2020 and was funded at just

$7 million in FY 2023. This level is far short of the $50 million the Service needs to deliver on its commitments to racial equity, social and environmental justice, and natural resources conservation at the 101 Urban National Wildlife Refuges, partnership cities, and bird treaty cities included in the program. 

The Conservation Planning line item, funded at only $3.7 million in FY 2023, stands out as a place where an increase would have a particularly large impact. Forty percent of all refuges lack a current Comprehensive Conservation Plan (required by federal law to be updated every 15 years). CCPs are crucial to achieving the conservation mission of the Refuge System, ensuring good governance, and fulfilling the purposes of each refuge unit. Working through this backlog will require more than an incremental increase. We request that you appropriate $42 million for conservation planning in FY 2024. 

Additionally, invasive species and habitat loss are the two greatest threats to federally listed threatened and endangered species and overall biodiversity. Invasive species are one of the most serious threats to native plants, fish, and wildlife populations. Increased funding for wildlife and habitat management will provide the Service with more of the tools it needs for active water management, habitat management and restoration, and invasive species eradication. 

Our national wildlife refuges are essential for protecting biodiversity, climate resilient habitats, and cultural resources, improving landscape connectivity, and expanding recreational opportunities nationwide. Despite the increase provided in FY 2023, funding remains far below the level needed to meet its mission. We recommend fully funding the National Wildlife Refuge System at $1.5 billion in FY 2024 to place a long overdue down payment on one of the crown jewels of our federal land systems.

Thank you for considering our request. 

Sincerely, 

American Hiking Society Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Big Oaks Conservation Society, Cape Perpetua Collaborative Center for Biological Diversity, Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens, Chesapeake Conservancy, Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates, Coastal Wildlife Refuge Society, Conservation X Labs, Deer Flat Chapter, Idaho Master Naturalists, Defenders of Wildlife, Ding Darling Wildlife Society,Earth League, International Endangered Species Coalition, Environmental Law & Policy Center, Friends of Alaska National Wildlife Refuges, Friends of Bill Williams River and Havasu National Wildlife Refuges, Friends Of Black Bayou, Friends of Bon Secours National Wildlife Refuge, Friends of Bosque del Apache NWR, Friends of Boyer Chute and DeSoto National Wildlife Refuges, Inc., Friends of Cherry Valley NWR, Friends of Deer Flat Wildlife Refuge, Friends of Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Friends of Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge, Friends of Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge, Friends of Heinz Refuge Board, Friends of Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge, Friends of Missisquoi NWR, Friends of Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge, Friends of Nevada Wilderness, Friends of Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, Friends of Outer Island, Friends of Patuxent Research Refuge, Friends of Shawangunk Grasslands National Wildlife Refuge, Friends of St Croix Wetland Management District, Friends of Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Friends of Swan Lake NWR, Sumner, MO, Friends of Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge, Friends of the Earth US, Friends of the Florida Panther Refuge and Ten Thousand Islands Refuge, Friends of the Kankakee, Friends of the Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge, Friends of the Tampa Bay National Wildlife Refuges, Friends of the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge, Friends of Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge Complex, Friends of Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge, Friends of Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge, Friends of Willapa National Wildlife Refuge, GreenLatinos, Greenpeace USA, Healthy Ocean Coalition, Hispanic Access Foundation, Los Padres ForestWatch, Love is King, Lubee Bat Conservancy, Minnesota Valley Refuge Friends, Mystic Aquarium, Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens, National Aquarium. National Audubon Society, National Ocean Protection Coalition, National Wildlife Refuge Association, Natural Resources Defense Council, NatureServe, Ocean Conservancy, Prince George's Audubon Society Rappahannock Wildlife Refuge Friends Restore America's Estuaries & Many more organizations including the Sierra Club and the The Wilderness Society

Representative Ivy responds to request to support expansion of the MBTA

Dear Mr. Cohen,

Thank you for your letter about expanding the protections afforded by H.R. 4833 Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) . I appreciate hearing from you, and I welcome the opportunity to continue a dialogue on this matter and other issues as your congressman.
 
The welfare of our animals and maintenance of our ecosystems matter. All animals – domesticated and wild – deserve to be treated in a humane and respectful manner. Further, human interference in thriving ecosystems is dangerous and unnecessary. Animal welfare and conservation efforts go hand-in-hand, and it is vital that we fight to protect our environment and its biodiversity for generations to come.
 
It is critical that the federal government contribute to the well-being of animals and the nurturing of our ecosystems – not to their harm and destruction. Moving forward, I will continue to work with my colleagues in Congress to advocate for the decent and humane treatment of animals, lending my voice in support of species that have none.
 
Please visit me at https://ivey.house.gov to continue the conversation and keep up with my latest work in service to the Fourth Congressional District of Maryland.

Sincerely,
Rep. Glenn Ivey
Member of Congress

USFWS Proposes to expand Patuxent Research Refuge

The following is the press release from USFWS about listening sessions related to the proposed expansion of the Patuxent Research Refuge:

Press Release

For Immediate Release

Contact: Daniel Murphy Chesapeake Bay Field Office 410/980-6053

dan_murphy@fws.gov

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service seeks publie eomment on proposed new national wildlife refuge lands in Southern Maryland The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is seeking public comment on proposed new national wildlife refuge lands in Southern Maryland.

fhc proposed lands are in Prince George’s, Anne Arundel, Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary’s Counties. This region provides valuable habitat for fish and wildlife, supports migrating waterfowl, protects water quality in the Chesapeake Bay, and offers recreational opportunities, including hunting and fishing.

Lands considered for conservation would promote connectivity of mature forests, protect wetlands, and further the ecological integrity of natural communities in southern Maryland. Conservation of this area is supported by the Southern Maryland Conservation Alliance, a partnership of conservation groups and local, state, and Federal agencies that arc working to conserve the working rural character of Southern Mary land.

The Service is hosting three listening sessions in March and April for the public to leam about the proposal, ask questions, and provide input to Service representatives and conservation partners. Listening sessions will be held from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the following locations and dates:

• Patuxent Research Refuge (National Wildlife Visitors Center), Laurel, MD - Thursday March 23,2023

• Charles County Administration Bldg., La Plata, MD - Thursday March 30, 2023

• Calvert Marine Museum, Solomons, MD-Tuesday April 18,2023

The public input will be used to inform a draft Land Protection Plan and Environmental Assessment that will be provided to the public for detailed comment later this spring, fhc U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is committed to providing access to the information meeting for all participants. Please direct all requests for sign language interpreting services, closecaptioning or other accommodation needs to 301-497-5887 or TTY 800-877-8339 by close of business March 20, 2023

PGAS urges you to follow Patuxent Bird Club's proposed action to include land in Prince George's County in the proposed Patuxent Research Refuge Expansion

Prince George’s Audubon Society strongly supports the action proposed by Marcia Watson, president of the Patuxent Bird Club, in her letter to its members as follows

Dear Patuxent Bird Club members:

I wrote several weeks ago with news of a proposed plan to expand Patuxent Research Refuge by acquiring additional National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) lands in Southern Maryland. At that time, the news I had to share consisted of nothing more than the announcement of three public listening sessions on the proposal. Now I have a little more information to share. 

The US Fish & Wildlife Service has posted a webpage with basic information about the proposal at https://www.fws.gov/project/proposed-new-refuge-lands-southern-maryland The webpage includes links to a downloadable press release, a map of the concept plan, a FAQ, and a blog post by the American Chestnut Land Trust. I’ve attached these documents here so that you can readily look at them.

Especially, please take a look at the attached map – you’ll see that the target area for land acquisition is extensive and that it includes the watersheds of the Mattawoman, Nanjemoy, Zekiah Swamp, McIntosh Run/St. Mary's River, and Patuxent River, and Calvert County shoreline where there are endangered tiger beetles. Right now the plan USFWS is drafting requests approval to purchase interest on 30,000 acres over 30 years within the larger acquisition boundary. 

I would like to raise one issue that could be addressed in public comments on the plan: the proposed acquisition area does NOT include the watershed of Piscataway Creek, which is one of the major tributaries of the Potomac. MOS’s Piscataway Sanctuary is in that watershed, and is NOT included in the target area. The Piscataway watershed and the MOS Sanctuary are in southern Prince George’s County, just a couple miles north of the northwest corner of the acquisition boundary. 

Much of the land along Piscataway Creek is held by Prince George’s County (MNCPPC) as a stream valley conservation area, and it’s a shame that the USFWS plan is missing the opportunity to include this rich habitat and give it further protection. Currently, Piscataway Creek is one source of polluted water flowing into the Potomac, and the stream would benefit from added water quality protections. I suggest we should advocate for expansion of the acquisition boundary to include the Piscataway Creek watershed. And to be clear: I am not suggesting that MOS turn over the Piscataway Sanctuary to USFWS to become part of the proposed Refuge. But wouldn’t it be good if lands adjacent to the MOS Sanctuary were raised to NWR status? It would enhance the ecological value of the MOS Sanctuary, and perhaps would provide MOS with additional resources to manage the sanctuary.

The USFWS is taking public comments and questions on the proposed plan either in person at the listening sessions or by email to 

FW5southernmarylandplan@fws.gov . USFWS indicates that public comments will be used to draft a land protection plan and environmental assessment that will be released later this year, and there will be a public comment period on those documents as well. 

There are two remaining listening sessions: 

• Thursday March 30, 2023, 7 – 8 pm at the Charles County Administration Bldg., La Plata, MD. 

• Tuesday April 18, 2023, 7 – 8 pm at the Calvert Marine Museum, Solomons, MD.

Please attend one of the public listening sessions  if you can, or submit your questions and comments on the plan via email to FW5southernmarylandplan@fws.gov   I hope that Patuxent Bird Club members will submit comments in support of the plan, perhaps with the suggestion that the acquisition boundary be expanded to include Piscataway Creek and the MOS Piscataway Sanctuary. 

Marcia