Purpose: This bill would direct the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior to coordinate a science-based policy for sustaining fish and wildlife on U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land.
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Status: Referred to Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans, and Wildlife.
Action: SUPPORT. Contact your U.S. Representative and urge him or her to support H.R. 2807. Tell your Representative that a clear and sustainable environmental policy is necessary and is achieved through this bill.
Talking Points for your letter:
- For years, litigation and ambiguity have plagued the wildlife policies and hampered the efforts of the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management. H.R. 2807 would finally codify standards and goals, creating a sustainable and reasonable conservation policy for these agencies.
- A science-based approach means more effective implementation of policy. This bill provides methods for establishing clear, objective, and measurable goals.
- H.R. 2807 requires that population goals for the U.S. Forest Service and BLM be met through partnership with state fish and wildlife agencies. The assistance and cooperation of state agencies, which are specialized to manage species within the state, is essential to the success of federal land management agencies.
- H.R. 2807 will help to ensure that federal land intended for “multiple uses” is also made available for recreation, not solely for resource harvesting. However, the bill still maintains the idea of balance that has always been intended with the designation of “multiple use” land. While federal land can still be utilized for mining, energy production, and other activities, these operations will now be moved away from sensitive ecosystems. The result will be more sustainable land use and the continued presence of invaluable wildlife species.
- The Forest Service and BLM manage about 3,400 water supplies. For health safety, it is important to ensure that these resources are being used in a sustainable way that is not hazardous to the environment.