Contact: John Bradley, North Dakota Wildlife Federation, 701-390-7196, jbradley.ndwf@gmail.com Lacey McCormick, National Wildlife Federation, 512-203-3016, mccormick@nwf.org
BISMARCK, N.D. — Senator Kevin Cramer is co-sponsoring the most significant wildlife conservation bill in nearly half a century, the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act. The bipartisan bill will devote $1.4 billion annually to locally-led efforts – including $14.7 million to North Dakota – to help prevent extinctions and help at-risk wildlife species.
“We’re facing a looming wildlife crisis, and this is the most important piece of wildlife legislation in the past fifty years,” said John Bradley, executive director of the North Dakota Wildlife Federation. “We thank Senator Cramer for co-sponsoring this fiscally responsible effort to help at-risk wildlife with collaborative, voluntary measures across every state, territory and Tribal nation.”
“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 Cramer for leading the way on the historic Recovering America’s Wildlife Act that will have an immediate impact – saving species and creating jobs in North Dakota and all across the country.”
Nationwide, the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act dedicates $1.4 billion annually to locally led wildlife restoration efforts. At least 15 percent of the funds will be used to help species already designated as endangered or threatened. Federally recognized tribal nations, such as the Spirit Lake Tribe and Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians of North Dakota, would share $97.5 million annually to fund wildlife conservation efforts on tribal lands.
More than 100 representatives have signed onto the House version of the legislation.
“Wildlife conservation is an issue that unites all North Dakotans. We hope Senator Hoeven and Representative Armstrong will join Senator Cramer in cosponsoring this commonsense bill,” said Bradley.
More than 110 local species would benefit from the bill, including whooping cranes and western meadowlarks.
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