Endangered Whooping Crane flying low over water.

MI Governor Whitmer leads Bipartisan Coalition of Great Lakes Governors to Protect America’s Wildlife 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 3, 2021
Contact: press@michigan.gov

Governor Whitmer leads Bipartisan Coalition of Great Lakes Governors to Protect America’s Wildlife

LANSING, Mich. — Governor Gretchen Whitmer led a bipartisan group of governors, including governors DeWine (R-OH), Evers (D-WI), Wolf (D-PA), Holcomb (R-IN), Walz (D-MN), and Pritzker (D-IL), in sending a letter to leaders of the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources voicing their support for the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act.

“Our fish and wildlife and their natural habitats are one of our greatest assets, and any threats to them impact not only our environment but also our economy,” said Governor Whitmer. “The future of Michigan’s economy rests on our ability to come together and protect our wildlife and natural resources. That’s why I am proud to come together with a bipartisan coalition of governors to support the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act. I want to thank Congresswoman Dingell for her leadership on this issue and I look forward to working with anyone to put Michiganders first and working hard to protect our natural resources and environment for future generations.”

“The passage of RAWA would mark a big step forward for states like Michigan that continually struggle to secure long term support for species without dedicated sources of funding, including those that are threatened or endangered,” said Michigan Department of Natural Resources Director Dan Eichinger. “RAWA will allow Michigan to annually invest as much as $30 million more in managing and protecting species that are important to our ecosystems and Michiganders. The result will be even more conservation success stories for our state and the nation.”

Passage of the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act will help promote and enhance our nation’s conservation efforts and ensure the long-term health of fish and wildlife throughout the country.

The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act, sponsored by Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D-MI-12), would:

  • Fund conservation efforts for more than 12,000 species of wildlife and plants in need of assistance by providing $1.3 billion in dedicated annual funding for proactive, on-the-ground efforts in every state and territory.
  • Accelerate the recovery of 1,600 U.S. species already listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act.
  • Ensure wildlife recovery efforts will be guided by the congressionally-mandated State Wildlife Action Plans, which identify specific strategies to restore the populations of species of greatest conservation need.
  • Provide Tribal nations $97.5 million annually to fund proactive wildlife conservation efforts on roughly 140 million acres of land.
  • Include improvements to ensure funds are appropriately targeted to the areas of greatest need and facilitate additional investments in protecting at-risk plant species.

To view the full letter, click the link below:

Recovering America’s Wildlife Act Will Prevent IN Wildlife from Becoming Endangered

Right now, one-third of all wildlife species in the United States are at increased risk of extinction. In Indiana alone, more than 150 fish and wildlife species are in urgent need of proactive, on-the-ground conservation efforts before they pass the point of no return.

Congress just took the first step toward making those efforts a reality with the introduction of the bipartisan Recovering America’s Wildlife Act. This bill will fund proactive efforts led by state fish and wildlife agencies and tribes to address the nation’s looming wildlife crisis to prevent species from becoming endangered and will be the most significant investment in wildlife conservation in a generation. (Senate Version) (House Version)

At home here in Indiana, this could add over $14 million dollars to the DNR’s budget to restore native landscapes, protect and restore wetlands, and activate numerous species recovery projects that are outlined in our State Wildlife Action Plan that are in need of funding.

Whooping Crane in Flight

During August and September, congress is at home so this is a perfect time to reach out. Please join our efforts in asking your member of Congress to support the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act to address severe wildlife conservation challenges such as habitat loss, competition from invasive species, disease, climate impacts, and other threats.

Due to committee assignments, US Senator Mike Braun’s support on this bill would be especially influential. We need your help in reaching him first. You can learn more with this IN factsheet, and funding Q & A factsheet; or simply say:  “Senator, please join your colleagues Senators Martin Heinrich and Roy Blunt in cosponsoring the transformative, common-sense bipartisan Recovering America’s Wildlife Act (S. 2372) today.”

 

EMAIL SENATOR BRAUNsee cosponsor request template below.
CALL: 202-224-4814
TWEET @SenatorBraun

EMAIL SENATOR YOUNGsee cosponsor request template below.
CALL: 202-224-5623
TWEET @SenToddYoung

Send a thank you email to U.S. House Representative Andre Carson, Indiana’s only #recoverwildlife congressional cosponsor.

EMAIL REPRESENTATIVE CARSONSee thank you template below.
Call: 202-225-4011
TWEET @RepAndreCarson

Need a template letter?

Subject Line: Please Co-Sponsor the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act, S. 2372

Dear Senator,

America’s wildlife are essential for our national heritage and our $887 billion dollar outdoor economy. But thanks to challenges like habitat loss, invasive species, emerging diseases, and climate change we’re losing ground and species — and fast.

Right now, more than one-third of our fish and wildlife species are at-risk of becoming extinct. We have already lost more than 150 species that are presumed extinct and another 500 species are missing in action. State fish and wildlife agencies have identified more than 12,000 species of greatest conservation need. 

The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act will accelerate the recovery of these species, including the more than 150 U.S. species listed on Indiana’s State Wildlife Action Plan.

The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act is built upon the premise that the best way to save America’s wildlife is through collaborative, proactive, voluntary work before species need more expensive “emergency room procedures” through the Endangered Species Act. I urge you to create a bright future for America’s wildlife and natural heritage by supporting and co-sponsoring S. 2372.  

Sincerely,

Thank-you Letter Template

Subject line: Thank you for supporting the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act 

Dear Representative Carson,

I am writing to thank you for co-sponsoring H.R. 2773, the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act, and asking you to do all you can to ensure it passes and is signed into law. 

The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act invests in proactive, on-the-ground, collaborative conservation efforts that match the magnitude of America’s wildlife crisis. Healthy wildlife populations are a vital component of our national heritage and our $887 billion dollar outdoor economy. But our diverse array of fish and wildlife is in crisis with more than one-third of all species at risk of becoming endangered. Challenges facing our fish and wildlife in the 21st century include habitat loss, climate change, invasive species, and emerging diseases. 

Thank you for standing up for wildlife through your support of this bipartisan legislation. I urge you to continue advocating for passage of the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act in the 117th Congress.

Sincerely,