Dear Senator / Representative: <-- You Pick the title that fits As one of Iowa's 25, 000 plus waterfowlers, I write to express my strong support for the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA). In Iowa, 34 NAWCA projects have either been completed or are currently under way. Nearly $16.5 million in NAWCA funds have been awarded to Iowa to date and partners have contributed nearly $66 million. Together these contributions have conserved more than 72,000 acres of Iowa's precious wildlife habitats and natural resources.
I respectfully ask you to urge your colleagues in the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Appropriations to show their support for this extremely successful conservation program by, at the very minimum, maintaining funding levels at the FY 10 levels of $47.6 million. For more than twenty years, NAWCA has been fostering private-public partnerships through a non-regulatory, incentive-based grants program, with the goal of restoring and conserving wetlands and associated habitats for waterfowl and other wildlife. In addition, the benefits of NAWCA extend well beyond waterfowl. Wetlands provide a home for more than 900 wildlife species at some time during the year. As intended by Congress, the criteria for NAWCA projects include the restoration and long-term protection of habitats that support waterfowl, other wetland-associated migratory birds, threatened and endangered species, and other wetland dependent wildlife and plants. Since the program's inception, over 4,440 diverse partners have worked to implement more than 2,035 projects in all fifty U.S. states, Canada, and Mexico. These partners contribute $3.50 for every $1 dollar appropriated by Congress, which really helps stretch limited federal resources. This partnering has allowed all participating entities to affect more than 26 million acres of habitat. This acreage is an extraordinary achievement, and one that demonstrates the enthusiasm and commitment of private landowners, private corporations, non-governmental organizations, and other non-federal partners who have worked so hard to utilize NAWCA to conserve wetlands and wildlife habitat for future generations. NAWCA also benefits the national economy by generating more than $3.5 billion in economic activity in the U. S. from the $1 billion federal funds. On average, these expenditures have created nearly 3,800 new jobs in the U.S. each year (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 2001). The result of this program is millions of acres of habitat conserved that provide a myriad of benefits for wetlands, wildlife, and the public, and the benefits delivered are unparalleled. We ask that you recommend a finding level that takes into account its success in delivering habitat and in raising matching funds. Sufficient finding ensures the leverage of a significant amount of non-federal matching finds at the state and local level and helps to ensure the continued success of this effective and popular program. Thank you. Sincerely, Waterfowler William J. Smith Sioux City Iowa 5309 hwy 75nlot 44 51108 Below is the list of Senators & Representatives with said mailing addressees. Pick the one that applies to your area. February 26th 2011 Senator Charles Grassley U.S. Senate Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510-1501 Representative Tom Latham U. S. House of Representatives Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 205 15-2304 Representative Steve King U. S. House of Representatives Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515-1505 Senator Tom Harkin U.S. Senate Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510-1502 Representative Leonard Boswell U.S. House of Representatives Longworth House Ofice Building Washington, DC 20515-1503 Representative Bruce Braley U. S. House of Representatives Longworth House Ofice Building Washington, DC 20515- 1501 Representative David Loebsack U. S. House of Representatives Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515- 1502 --- Please contribute your sightings to our list; it is only as good as members make it! --- Birding channel recommendation for FRS/GMRS radio use: Primary selection; channel 5/0 , alternate selection; channel 6/0 --- This mailing list is sponsored by the Iowa Ornithologists' Union. Membership available on-line at http://www.iowabirds.org/iou/membership.asp. ----- You are currently subscribed to ia-bird as: [email protected]
