Download May 26, 2017 Ryan Zinke Secretary Department of the Interior 1849

Alabama Wildlife Federation  Arkansas Wildlife Federation  Association of Northwest Steelheaders (OR)
Colorado Wildlife Federation  Conservation Federation of Missouri  Conservation Northwest (WA)
Earth Conservation Corps (DC)  Florida Wildlife Federation  Georgia Wildlife Federation
Conservation Council for Hawai'i  Idaho Wildlife Federation  Indiana Wildlife Federation
Iowa Wildlife Federation  Kentucky Waterways Alliance  Louisiana Wildlife Federation
Michigan United Conservation Clubs Mississippi Wildlife Federation  Montana Wildlife Federation
Nebraska Wildlife Federation  Nevada Wildlife Federation  New Hampshire Audubon
New Jersey Audubon  New Mexico Wildlife Federation  North Carolina Wildlife Federation  North
Dakota Wildlife Federation Prairie Rivers Network  South Carolina Wildlife Federation
South Dakota Wildlife Federation  Tennessee Wildlife Federation  Texas Conservation Alliance 
Vermont Natural Resources Council  Virgin Islands Conservation Society  West Virginia Rivers Coalition
Wisconsin Wildlife Federation  Wyoming Wildlife Federation
National Wildlife Federation
May 26, 2017
Ryan Zinke
Secretary
Department of the Interior
1849 C Street NW
Washington DC 20240
Dear Secretary Zinke:
Our organizations collectively represent hundreds of thousands of hunters, anglers, wildlife
watchers, and other conservationists across the nation. We are writing to ask you to ensure that
the Interior Department’s review of grants and cooperative agreements does not delay funding
for state fish and wildlife agencies under the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program,
especially the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Program and Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish
Restoration Program.
As you know, the Pittman-Robertson and Dingell-Johnson programs play a crucial role in
managing fish and wildlife and providing hunting and fishing opportunity. For decades, these
programs have provided a reliable stream of funding for wildlife management, habitat
conservation, population monitoring, scientific research, and other activities essential to the
recovery, conservation, and management of fish and wildlife.
The Pittman-Robertson and Dingell-Johnson programs are funded by federal excise taxes that are
paid by hunters, anglers, recreational shooters, and boaters. These excise tax dollars are placed
into trust funds, which are apportioned to states on a formula-basis. These funds do not go
through the congressional appropriations process, and their allocation to states and territories is
according to a formula set in statute.
Over the years, the “off budget” status of Pittman-Robertson and Dingell-Johnson funds has been
essential to the ability of state fish and wildlife agencies to carry out their management activities
for game species, sport fish, and nongame species. It has also helped ensure a strong connection
between the people who pay the excise taxes and the ultimate use of those funds for fish and
wildlife conservation and public access for hunting, fishing, boating, and recreational shooting.
We are concerned that the Department’s review process could delay the allocation of PittmanRobertson and Dingell-Johnson funds to state fish and wildlife agencies. This could impair
ongoing wildlife management programs and endanger a large number of specific conservation
projects that have often been in development for years.
Thank you for your attention to this issue. We look forward to hearing how you will ensure that
your grants review does not endanger these crucial funds for state fish and wildlife agencies.
Please direct your response to Dave Chadwick, Montana Wildlife Federation, PO Box 1175,
Helena, MT, 59624 or [email protected].
Sincerely,
Dave Chadwick
Executive Director
Montana Wildlife Federation
Brian Brooks
Executive Director
Idaho Wildlife Federation
Tim L. Gothard
Executive Director
Alabama Wildlife Federation
Erin Baird Wade
Executive Director
Indiana Wildlife Federation
Johnny Sain
Executive Director
Arkansas Wildlife Federation
Joe Wilkinson
President
Iowa Wildlife Federation
Suzanne O'Neill
Executive Director
Colorado Wildlife Federation
Ward Wilson
Executive Director
Kentucky Waterways Alliance
Brenda Richardson
Executive Director
Earth Conservation Corps (DC)
Rebecca Triche
Executive Director
Louisiana Wildlife Federation
Manley Fuller
President & CEO
Florida Wildlife Federation
Daniel Eichinger
Executive Director
Michigan United Conservation Clubs
Mike Worley
President & CEO
Georgia Wildlife Federation
Brad Young
Executive Director
Mississippi Wildlife Federation
Marjorie Ziegler
Executive Director
Conservation Council for Hawai'i
Brandon Butler
Executive Director
Conservation Federation of Missouri
James Johnson
Executive Director
Nebraska Wildlife Federation
Chris Hesla
Executive Director
South Dakota Wildlife Federation
Robert Gaudet
President
Nevada Wildlife Federation
Michael Butler
Executive Director
Tennessee Wildlife Federation
Doug Bechtel
President
New Hampshire Audubon
Janice Bezanson
Executive Director
Texas Conservation Alliance
Eric Stiles
Executive Director
New Jersey Audubon
Brian Shupe
Executive Director
Vermont Natural Resources Council
Garrett VeneKlasen
Executive Director
New Mexico Wildlife Federation
Jason Budsan
President
Virgin Islands Conservation Society
Tim Gestwicki
Executive Director
North Carolina Wildlife Federation
Mitch Friedman
Executive Director
Conservation Northwest (WA)
Wayne Beyer
President
North Dakota Wildlife Federation
Angie Rosser
Executive Director
West Virginia Rivers Coalition
Bob Rees
Executive Director
Association of Northwest Steelheaders (OR)
George Meyer
Executive Director
Wisconsin Wildlife Federation
Carol Hays
Executive Director
Prairie Rivers Network
Dwayne Meadows
Executive Director
Wyoming Wildlife Federation
Ben Gregg
Executive Director
South Carolina Wildlife Federation
Collin O’Mara
CEO
National Wildlife Federation