Thought you guys might be interested. This issue goes far beyond Montana, and the cuts to Conservation programs at the National Level will ripple down to your home states.
-- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE --
July 25, 2011
Contact:
Irv Wilke, President, Billings Rod & Gun Club, Billings - 406-670-6268 / [email protected]
Tony Jones, President, Ravalli County Fish and Wildlife Association, Hamilton - 406-381-0587 / [email protected]
Don Clark, President, Libby Rod & Gun Club, Libby - 406-293-7659 / [email protected]
Ben Lamb, Conservation Director, Montana Wildlife Federation, Helena – 406-458-0227 x108 / [email protected]
John Borgreen, Member, Russell Country Sportsman, Great Falls – 406-453-4273 / [email protected]
Les Castren, President, Skyline Sportsman Association, Butte - 406-723-4978 / [email protected]
MONTANA SPORTSMEN UP IN ARMS OVER VOTE TO DEFUND ACCESS TO PUBLIC LANDS
16 Hook And Bullet Organizations In Montana Ask Representative Rehberg To Reconsider 80% Cut to Land and Water Conservation Fund
(Helena, MT) -- Sixteen hunting and angling organizations from across Montana have sent a letter expressing their disappoint with Rep. Rehberg for his recent vote on the Appropriations Committee to cut the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) by 80% from last year.
The Appropriations Committee passed a Bill on Tuesday, July 12, that would cut the LWCF to $61 Million, all but eliminating critical access and conservation programs rural communities rely on during the hunting season. The full floor vote on the Bill is scheduled for today.
“The Appropriations Committee vote last week represents a continuation of the all-out assault on access to Montana’s public lands for hunting and fishing that Montana’s sportsmen and women successfully fended off during this previous state legislative cycle,” said Irv Wilke, President of the Billings Rod and Gun Club. “The Land and Water Conservation Fund directly supports conservation efforts in Montana that protect absolutely vital habitat for big game and our state’s blue ribbon fisheries. Cutting these funds by $240 Million is ludicrous, especially before even once considering cuts to the estimated $15 Billion in taxpayer subsidies to oil and gas companies. LWCF is not funded by one cent of taxpayer money and now it is being used as a political bargaining chip while Congress plays chicken with Montana’s recession proof outdoor industry.”
When it became law in 1965, the LWCF was intended to be funded at $900 Million per year. This funding mechanism is only a small percentage of revenue from off-shore oil and gas drilling, but has since been gutted to $301 Million in 2010.
“Our members and those of every organization who signed this letter hope to express the essential role funding for LWCF plays in creating access to public land and water which directly supports Montana’s $2 Billion dollar outdoor industry,” said Tony Jones, President of the Ravalli County Fish and Wildlife Association in Hamilton. “Instead of voting with Montana’s hunters and anglers, Representative Rehberg has chosen to eliminate access programs essential for hunting and angling in Montana. Conversely, Sen. Baucus and Sen. Tester just reintroduced a bill in the Senate to fully fund the LWCF to $900 Million and dedicate 1.5% of all LWCF funding to go towards increasing access to public lands.”
“On the chopping block with these unreasonable cuts is a conservation easement of 28,000 acres of Stimson Lumber Company land near Troy, Montana,” said Don Clark, President of the Libby Rod and Gun Club. “This deal would ensure that the land could not be sold for future commercial or real estate development. It protects timber jobs and permanent public access for recreation that we desperately need."
The Outdoor Industry Association reports that outdoor recreation in Montana produces in an estimated $2 Billion annually in retail sales and services across Montana accounting for 7.5% of gross state product. Furthermore, the report states that the outdoor industry supports 34,000 jobs and generates $118 Million in annual state tax revenue. “That’s money in the bank for rural communities, sporting goods stores and small businesses, and it helps provide good jobs in tough times,” said Ben Lamb, of the Montana Wildlife Federation.
"Not only does our outdoor heritage depend on funds from the LWCF, but so do portions of our state's economy," said John Borgreen, a member of the Russell Country Sportsman in Great Falls. "Nearly $2 billion is pumped into the Montana economy every year from outdoor recreational activities and services, and of that total helping to sustain 34,000 jobs in our state. I hope that Rep. Rehberg joins Senators Baucus and Tester who have recently shown leadership on this issue by re-introducing a bill fully fund the LWCF to $900 Million.”
In Montana over the past 45 years, LWCF has provided approximately $408 million to help protect clean water, wildlife habitat, and working landscapes, and provide access for hunting and fishing. Thanks to LWCF investments, Montanans can enjoy the Flathead and Gallatin National Forests, Red Rocks and Charles Russell National Wildlife Refuges, Bighorn Canyon, Meeteetse Spires, Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, Swan Valley, the Rocky Mountain Front, as well as close-to-home recreational opportunities across the state.
“The 16 Montana hunting and fishing organizations who signed on to this letter today hope that Rep. Rehberg will reconsider his vote and say “no” to defunding access to public land for hunting and fishing in Montana,” said Les Castren, President of the Skyline Sportsman Association in Butte.
A House vote on the Interior Appropriations bill, which includes funding for LWCF, is scheduled for today, July 25.
-- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE --
July 25, 2011
Contact:
Irv Wilke, President, Billings Rod & Gun Club, Billings - 406-670-6268 / [email protected]
Tony Jones, President, Ravalli County Fish and Wildlife Association, Hamilton - 406-381-0587 / [email protected]
Don Clark, President, Libby Rod & Gun Club, Libby - 406-293-7659 / [email protected]
Ben Lamb, Conservation Director, Montana Wildlife Federation, Helena – 406-458-0227 x108 / [email protected]
John Borgreen, Member, Russell Country Sportsman, Great Falls – 406-453-4273 / [email protected]
Les Castren, President, Skyline Sportsman Association, Butte - 406-723-4978 / [email protected]
MONTANA SPORTSMEN UP IN ARMS OVER VOTE TO DEFUND ACCESS TO PUBLIC LANDS
16 Hook And Bullet Organizations In Montana Ask Representative Rehberg To Reconsider 80% Cut to Land and Water Conservation Fund
(Helena, MT) -- Sixteen hunting and angling organizations from across Montana have sent a letter expressing their disappoint with Rep. Rehberg for his recent vote on the Appropriations Committee to cut the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) by 80% from last year.
The Appropriations Committee passed a Bill on Tuesday, July 12, that would cut the LWCF to $61 Million, all but eliminating critical access and conservation programs rural communities rely on during the hunting season. The full floor vote on the Bill is scheduled for today.
“The Appropriations Committee vote last week represents a continuation of the all-out assault on access to Montana’s public lands for hunting and fishing that Montana’s sportsmen and women successfully fended off during this previous state legislative cycle,” said Irv Wilke, President of the Billings Rod and Gun Club. “The Land and Water Conservation Fund directly supports conservation efforts in Montana that protect absolutely vital habitat for big game and our state’s blue ribbon fisheries. Cutting these funds by $240 Million is ludicrous, especially before even once considering cuts to the estimated $15 Billion in taxpayer subsidies to oil and gas companies. LWCF is not funded by one cent of taxpayer money and now it is being used as a political bargaining chip while Congress plays chicken with Montana’s recession proof outdoor industry.”
When it became law in 1965, the LWCF was intended to be funded at $900 Million per year. This funding mechanism is only a small percentage of revenue from off-shore oil and gas drilling, but has since been gutted to $301 Million in 2010.
“Our members and those of every organization who signed this letter hope to express the essential role funding for LWCF plays in creating access to public land and water which directly supports Montana’s $2 Billion dollar outdoor industry,” said Tony Jones, President of the Ravalli County Fish and Wildlife Association in Hamilton. “Instead of voting with Montana’s hunters and anglers, Representative Rehberg has chosen to eliminate access programs essential for hunting and angling in Montana. Conversely, Sen. Baucus and Sen. Tester just reintroduced a bill in the Senate to fully fund the LWCF to $900 Million and dedicate 1.5% of all LWCF funding to go towards increasing access to public lands.”
“On the chopping block with these unreasonable cuts is a conservation easement of 28,000 acres of Stimson Lumber Company land near Troy, Montana,” said Don Clark, President of the Libby Rod and Gun Club. “This deal would ensure that the land could not be sold for future commercial or real estate development. It protects timber jobs and permanent public access for recreation that we desperately need."
The Outdoor Industry Association reports that outdoor recreation in Montana produces in an estimated $2 Billion annually in retail sales and services across Montana accounting for 7.5% of gross state product. Furthermore, the report states that the outdoor industry supports 34,000 jobs and generates $118 Million in annual state tax revenue. “That’s money in the bank for rural communities, sporting goods stores and small businesses, and it helps provide good jobs in tough times,” said Ben Lamb, of the Montana Wildlife Federation.
"Not only does our outdoor heritage depend on funds from the LWCF, but so do portions of our state's economy," said John Borgreen, a member of the Russell Country Sportsman in Great Falls. "Nearly $2 billion is pumped into the Montana economy every year from outdoor recreational activities and services, and of that total helping to sustain 34,000 jobs in our state. I hope that Rep. Rehberg joins Senators Baucus and Tester who have recently shown leadership on this issue by re-introducing a bill fully fund the LWCF to $900 Million.”
In Montana over the past 45 years, LWCF has provided approximately $408 million to help protect clean water, wildlife habitat, and working landscapes, and provide access for hunting and fishing. Thanks to LWCF investments, Montanans can enjoy the Flathead and Gallatin National Forests, Red Rocks and Charles Russell National Wildlife Refuges, Bighorn Canyon, Meeteetse Spires, Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, Swan Valley, the Rocky Mountain Front, as well as close-to-home recreational opportunities across the state.
“The 16 Montana hunting and fishing organizations who signed on to this letter today hope that Rep. Rehberg will reconsider his vote and say “no” to defunding access to public land for hunting and fishing in Montana,” said Les Castren, President of the Skyline Sportsman Association in Butte.
A House vote on the Interior Appropriations bill, which includes funding for LWCF, is scheduled for today, July 25.
