Protect our ecology

Press Release: To Revive Economy, Congress Should Invest $25 Billion in Protecting Wildlife, Restoring Public Lands

The following are links to the citations referenced in the letter by section.

Introduction

Economic activity generated by restoration activities is well documented, producing between 13 and 30 jobs for every $1 million invested. Restoration of coastal wetlands can create as many as 29 jobs for every $1 million invested. https://cdn.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/issues/2011/09/pdf/public_lands.pdf

Nielsen-Pincus, Max and Cassandra Moseley. Economic and Employment Impacts of Forest and Watershed Restoration in Oregon. Ecosystem Workforce Program. Working Paper Number 24, Spring 2010. https://scholarsbank.uoregon.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/1794/10776/WP24.pdf?sequence=1

Prioritizing Endangered Species Recovery

Restoring Public Lands

The Endangered Species Act is a popular law that enjoys the support of 90 percent of American voters. “Poll Finds Overwhelming, Broad-Based Support for the Endangered Species Act Among Voters Nationwide,” Tulchin Research. 2015.

https://earthjustice.org/sites/default/files/files/PollingMemoNationalESASurvey.pdf

https://defenders-cci.org/files/ESA_recovery_costs_2019.pdf

https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/biodiversity/pdfs/Shortchanged.pdf.

https://www.fws.gov/ecological-services/about/what-we-do.html

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/habitat-restoration-supports-jobs-stewardship

The Legacy Roads and Trails Remediation Program (LRT) is an example of a very successful program created by Congress to address problems with the USFS’s massive roads and trails system. LRT has created many thousands of good jobs while restoring watersheds and habitat, improving access and recreation, and providing drinking water protection. https://www.legacyroadsandtrails.org/

https://www.fs.fed.us/restoration/Legacy_Roads_and_Trails/

https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/reports/2020/04/29/484158/congress-can-help-energy-states-weather-oil-bust-coronavirus-pandemic/

https://www.nps.gov/subjects/youthprograms/ycc.htm

Restoring Watersheds and Coastal Areas

Safeguarding Key Wildlife Corridors and Reducing Impacts to Wildlife from Infrastructure

https://www.epa.gov/hwp/what-epa-doing-healthy-watersheds , https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/topic/habitat-conservation#how-we-restore,

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/habitat-conservation/reopening-rivers-migratory-fish

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/habitat-conservation/current-and-past-community-based-restoration-projects

https://www.epa.gov/nep

https://www.noaa.gov/topic-tags/coastal-restoration

A single acre of wetlands can hold up to 1.5 million gallons of rain or melting snow. Wetlands, once constructed or restored, also require little to no maintenance investment, a savings over conventional water treatment options. See: Function and Value of Wetlands. EPA 843-f-01-002c. Sep. 2001.

https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-02/documents/functionsvaluesofwetlands.pdf,

https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyPURL.cgi?Dockey=30004TBD.TXT

https://www.wateronline.com/doc/constructed-wetlands-a-low-cost-alternative-0002

http://escalanteriverwatershedpartnership.org/success-stories/healthy-rivers-and-healthy-communities-story/ and

https://www.troutheadwaters.com/services-restoration-mitigation-climate-more/

https://www.beaverinstitute.org/management/stream-restoration/

Congress should consider incorporating the bi-partisan Wildlife Corridors Conservation Act, H.R. 2795 and (S. 1499) and the Tribal Wildlife Corridors

Act of 2019, H.R. 5179 (S. 2891) passed by the House Natural Resources Committee in 2020, and the bi-partisan wildlife crossing pilot program (Section 1125) and related provisions expanding wildlife infrastructure funding eligibility found in S.2302 unanimously passed by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee in July 2019.

Addressing Invasive Species and Restoring Native Plants

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/safety/08034/08034.pdf

For a list of potential projects, see https://wildlandsnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Wildlife-Crossing-List-for-Infrastructure-Funding.pdf

https://www.doi.gov/sites/doi.gov/files/uploads/invasive_species_impacts_on_infrastructure.pdf

https://www.doi.gov/sites/doi.gov/files/uploads/invasive_species_impacts_on_federal_infrastructure.pdf

Cooperative Alliance for Refuge Enhancement: Testimony submitted to U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies FY 2021 Appropriations Request for National Wildlife Refuge System

https://www.doi.gov/sites/doi.gov/files/uploads/isac_green_economy_white_paper.pdf

Reaser and Waugh 2007; https://portals.iucn.org/library/sites/library/files/documents/2007-058.pdf

https://www.blm.gov/sites/blm.gov/files/programs_natural-resources_native-plant-communities_national-seed-strategy_pca_Framework.pdf

Promoting Wildlife Coexistence

Conclusion

http://www.bearsmart.com/managing-communities/waste-management/

For example: hiring additional wildlife rangers, conducting bear identification and bear spray deployment clinics, printing and distribution of education materials, conducting livestock husbandry workshops, purchase of equipment for removal of attractants, etc.

Settele, Josef, Sandra Díaz Eduardo Brondizio, and Dr. Peter Daszak. COVID-19 Stimulus Measures Must Save Lives, Protect Livelihoods, and Safeguard Nature to Reduce the Risk of Future Pandemics. April 27, 2020. Available at https://ipbes.net/covid19stimulus

Ostfeld RS, Biodiversity loss and the rise of zoonotic pathogens. Ja. 2009.

Available at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19220353

Wilkinson, David A., Jonathan C. Marshall, Nigel P. French, and David T. S. Hayman. Habitat fragmentation, biodiversity loss and the risk of novel infectious disease emergence. Dec. 2018.

Available at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6303791/.

Fact Sheets That Support Content of the Letter

ESA Infrastructure Factsheet

Jobs and Econ Stimulus for Wildlife Crossings and Corridors

Mile By Mile – Ten Years of Legacy Roads & Trails

WA Delegation Legacy Roads and Trails Remediation Initiative Letter

Why America Needs Wildlife Crossings

Wildlife-vehicle Conflict, Crossing Structures, and Cost Estimates

Wildlife Corridor Conservation Act Fact Sheet

Socioeconomic Benefits of Habitat Restoration Factsheet

NOAA NMFS Report: Socioeconomic Benefits of Habitat Restoration

Exploring and Understanding the Restoration Economy

Job metrics for Escalante River Watershed Restoration

Notes on Escalante restoration jobs

Highway Crossings for Wildlife: Benefits of a National Commitment to Increase Driver and Animal Safety

Wildlife Crossing Success Stories in the Western States

The following are bills that support the goals of the letter. Please note that not all the 200 plus organizations that support this stimulus letter, support all of these bills, however all of these bills complement programs in the letter.

Protect America’s Wildlife and Fish in Need of Conservation Act (PAW and FIN Act):

https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/4348/text

https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/2491

Wildlife Corridors Conservation Act, H.R. 2795 and S. 1499:

https://congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/1499

https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/2795

Tribal Wildlife Corridors Act of 2019, H.R. 5179 and S. 2891:

https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/5179

https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/2891/text

Botanical Sciences and Native Plant Materials Research, Restoration, and Promotion Act, H.R.1572: https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/1572

Environmental Justice for All Act, H.R. 5986: https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/5986/text

Living Shorelines Act of 2019: https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/3115/text?r=11&s=1