Senators Lautenberg, Menendez Announce $1.1 Million in Federal Funds to Help Wildlife in New Jersey

U.S. Dept. of Interior to Distribute Funds via State Wildlife Grant Program

May 22, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC – Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) today announced New Jersey will receive more than $1.1 million from the U.S. Department of Interior’s State Wildlife Grants Program to help preserve and protect wildlife.

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“Protecting our treasured natural resources and habitat is essential to the ecological and economic health of our state and the country. These funds will be used to protect New Jersey wildlife and their habitats,” Sen. Lautenberg said.

Sen. Menendez said: “’Garden State’ isn’t just a title, it is a reference to the natural beauty that can be found throughout our state. This investment will help preserve our natural treasures, which is important environmentally and economically and which allows our families to enjoy them for generations to come.”

New Jersey will receive a total of $1,167,185 from the State Wildlife Grants Program, which provides federal grants for developing and implementing programs that benefit wildlife and their habitats. Priority is placed on projects that benefit species of greatest conservation concern.

These funds - which stem from the Land and Water Conservation Fund - must be used to address conservation needs such as research, surveys, species and habitat management and monitoring identified within a state’s comprehensive wildlife conservation plan or strategy. These funds may also be used to update, revise or modify a state’s strategy.

The funds are provided through a formula-based distribution calculated using the state’s land area and population. Congress initiated this grant program in FY 2002. Since the program’s inception, Congress has provided $502,246,708 for conservation work on state and private lands.

In April 2008, Sen. Lautenberg and Sen. Menendez issued a letter to Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) – chair of the Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies – requesting more federal funds for the State Wildlife Program, noting how many species of wildlife have declined dramatically over the years.

Source: Senator Frank R. Lautenberg