Environmental protection

Pledges U.S. will start process this week at meeting in Spain to re-list Everglades

June 23, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – After two years of pushing and with a change in U.S. administrations, Florida Democrat Bill Nelson has won the support of the nation’s lands czar for putting the Everglades back on a United Nation’s list of the world’s most treasured and endangered sites.    » read more »

"Merkley supports legislation to preserve the Oregon Caves National Monument and the Devil’s Staircase"

June 22, 2009 -- Washington, DC - Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley has co-sponsored legislation to protect some of Oregon’s most scenic natural areas while helping boost local tourism and increase recreation opportunities. The legislation would expand the protection of the Oregon Caves National Monument and some of Oregon’s ancient old growth forest situated along the Oregon Coast.    » read more »

June 17, 2009, Anchorage, Alaska – Alaska Governor Sarah Palin has sent a letter to the U.S. Secretary of the Interior expressing her support for the exchange of state-owned land for federal land within the Izembek and Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuges.

In the letter, Governor Palin urged Secretary Ken Salazar to initiate proceedings for an environmental impact statement, which is required under the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge Land Exchange Act.    » read more »

June 15, 2009 -- AUGUSTA – Maine Governor John E. Baldacci today issued the following statement on the decision of the Federal government to expand the Endangered Species Act in Maine for Atlantic Salmon. The rule includes the Androscoggin, Kennebec and Penobscot Rivers to the existing Endangered Species Act.

“I am deeply disappointed and concerned that the State’s comments to the draft rule were not incorporated in the final decision of the Federal government. This Federal action ignores Maine’s strong track record in species management and our need for a flexible approach which will enable us to use all our tools to work with stakeholders to manage Atlantic salmon.”    » read more »

June 15, 2009 -- PARK CITY, UTAH -- Western Governors and three Cabinet Secretaries agreed today to partner in enhancing state wildlife data systems that would greatly improve the decision-making process as renewable and fossil energy resources are planned and transmission lines and highways are considered. The data systems would also provide valuable information related to the impact of climate change on wildlife.    » read more »

Casey Introduces Legislation to Protect Fish Habitats, Improve Health of Waterways

June 10, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC- U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), a member of the Congressional Sportsmen Caucus, introduced the National Fish Habitat Conservation Act, legislation which will significantly advance ongoing efforts to restore and protect fish habitats, improve the health of America’s waterways and ensure that the United States has robust fish populations far into the future.    » read more »

June 9th, 2009 - Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator John Thune today sent a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack urging him to reconsider the Farm Service Agency request from South Dakota that would enroll 20,000 additional acres in the State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) program. The USDA recently denied the original request.    » read more »

Senator helped secure $10 million in this year's budget to fund projects that will help restore the Bay's watershed

June 5, 2009 -- BALTIMORE – U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD) today joined officials from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) in announcing more than $12.9 million for the Chesapeake Stewardship Grant Program to help restore the Chesapeake Bay watershed.    » read more »

June 2, 2009 -- Colorado Governor Bill Ritter today signed five bills to help protect and conserve Colorado's water and land.

"Colorado's natural resources -- our water, land and wildlife -- are a key part what make's this state so special," Gov. Ritter said. "It is a great privilege and a great responsibility to manage these resources for future generations. Conservation also is about more than just protecting our natural resources; it's also about protecting economic resources, including the $3 billion and 34,000 jobs supported by hunting, fishing and wildlife activities in Colorado each year."

The bills signed today:    » read more »

$2,423,986 in grants for four Virginia projects

June 01, 2009 -- RICHMOND – Virginia Governor Timothy M. Kaine today joined Congressman Bobby Scott, Secretary of Natural Resources L. Preston Bryant and representatives from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and Environmental Protection Agency to announce federal grants awarded to the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation.

The grants, totaling $2,423,986, will fund four projects in the Commonwealth that focus on innovative techniques and technologies to address nonpoint source pollution and environmental education related to the Chesapeake Bay watershed.    » read more »

WASHINGTON, May 28, 2009 - Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced today that he is signing an interim directive regarding inventoried roadless areas within our National Forests and Grasslands.

"This interim directive will provide consistency and clarity that will help protect our national forests until a long-term roadless policy reflecting President Obama's commitment is developed," said Vilsack.

The directive provides decision-making authority to the Secretary over proposed forest management or road construction projects in inventoried roadless areas.    » read more »

New rule will protect more than 50 million acres, including the Tongass National Forest

San Francisco (May 28, 2009) – The Obama administration today announced it is issuing a one-year moratorium on road building and development on about 50 million acres of remote national forests, including the Tongass National Forest in Alaska.

Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack issued a directive reinstating most of a Clinton-era ban against new road construction and development in national forests. The 2001 rule banned road building and logging in more than 50 million acres of remote national forests, mostly in the West.

Following is a statement by Niel Lawrence, senior attorney and forest project director for the Natural Resources Defense Council:    » read more »

Pipelines from Canada Threaten America's Water, Farmland and Communities

May 28, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. -- Farmers, Steelworkers, tribes, rural citizens and environmentalists are all warning that construction of three massive pipelines designed to carry dirty oil from the Alberta tar sands into the United States would threaten communities across the West and Midwest.

An additional pipeline would carry chemical thinners from the U.S. to Canada. Today, a coalition of groups sent letters to the Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration urging that the agency not approve safety plans for the pipelines.    » read more »

May 28th, 2009 -- Washington, DC -- The Sierra Club issues the following statement in support of today's expected announcement by Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack issuing a directive requiring Secretarial level approval of any U.S. Forest Service projects that might be inconsistent with the Roadless Area Conservation Rule.

Statement of Athan Manuel, Director of Sierra Club Public Lands Protection Program

We applaud Secretary Vilsack and the Obama administration for this announcement. Secretary Vilsack's directive is a critical interim measure to ensure that we safeguard the diverse values of our national forests as the Obama administration considers more permanent protections.    » read more »

Washington, DC - 05/28/2009 - Jane Danowitz, director of the Pew Environment Group's U.S. public lands program, today issued the following statement on the Obama administration’s expected announcement of a “time out” on new activity in undeveloped national forests protected by the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule, including Alaska’s Tongass National Forest.

Currently, the policy’s legal status is uncertain due to legal challenges and efforts by the Bush administration to replace it with a discretionary state petition process.

“This action by the Obama administration recognizes the science on which the landmark roadless rule is based, the public who supported it in record numbers and future generations who will benefit from its protections.    » read more »