By National Wildlife Federation
Senator Bill Hagerty has signed onto a bipartisan wildlife conservation bill, the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act, that will dedicate $1.4 billion annually to locally-led efforts to help at-risk wildlife species nationwide.
“We’re facing a looming wildlife crisis, and this is the most important piece of wildlife legislation in the past fifty years,” said Michael Butler, CEO of Tennessee Wildlife Federation. “We thank Senator Hagerty for co-sponsoring this bold, bipartisan effort to help at-risk wildlife with collaborative, voluntary measures across every state, territory, and Tribal nation.”
The bill will send $25.6 million to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency which the agency will use to implement its wildlife action plan. Nearly 1,500 local species will benefit, including cerulean warblers, the eastern hellbender salamanders, and bobwhite quail.
“Saving the thousands of at-risk wildlife species will require bold, bipartisan leadership and unprecedented collaboration,” said Collin O’Mara, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation. “We are so grateful to Senator Hagerty for leading the way on the historic Recovering America’s Wildlife Act that will have an immediate impact—saving species and creating jobs in Tennessee and all across the country.”
Federally recognized tribal nations would share $97.5 million annually to fund wildlife conservation efforts on tribal lands.
Republicans David Kustoff and Chuck Fleischmann and Democrats Jim Cooper and Steve Cohen are among the more than 130 bipartisan supporters of the House version of the legislation.
“Wildlife conservation is an issue that unites all Americans. We hope Senator Blackburn and the rest of the Tennessee delegation will join Senator Hagerty in cosponsoring this commonsense bill,” said Butler.
Featured photo by Roger Trentham
