The Duck Hunters Organization urges President Trump to sign the landmark conservation-funding bill, which invests in waterfowl habitat enhancements and quality duck hunting opportunities
BISMARCK, NORTH DAKOTA — Today the U.S. House of Representatives passed historic legislation that will have long-term benefits for wildlife conservation, ducks and duck hunters. The Great American Outdoors Act passed with overwhelming bipartisan support by a vote of 310-107.
The bill includes two elements of special importance to waterfowl hunters.
First, the Great American Outdoors Act will devote roughly $100 million toward “deferred maintenance” on national wildlife refuges. This investment will allow the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to significantly improve waterfowl conservation and hunting opportunities across a vast number of refuges.
“Delta members have often reported breached levies, failing water control structures and the resulting poor habitat and poor hunting opportunities on refuges,” said John Devney, senior vice president of Delta Waterfowl. “We were happy to work on this legislation to ensure the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has the opportunity to invest in critical infrastructure that enhances habitat and provides high quality hunting opportunities.”
Additionally, the bill will provide permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). LWCF funding provides for a variety of hunting access and outdoor recreation investments, including a significant conservation investment in the prairie pothole region. LWCF funds have been used by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to purchase voluntary conservation easements on both wetlands and grasslands in North and South Dakota as part of the Dakota Grasslands Conservation Area. Duck production in the region is crucially important to U.S. waterfowlers.
The bill was passed by the U.S. Senate on June 17 by a strong bipartisan vote of 73-25. It now heads to the desk of President Donald Trump, who has pledged his signature.
“We sincerely appreciate the work of both the House Democratic and Republican leadership for working across the aisle to pass this transformative piece of conservation legislation,” said Dr. Scott Petrie, CEO of Delta Waterfowl. “Generations of sportsmen and women will remember this day as a critical moment in history. The Duck Hunters Organization urges President Trump to sign this important piece of bipartisan legislation.”
For more information, contact John Devney at (701) 471-4235 or jdevney@deltawaterfowl.org.
Delta Waterfowl is The Duck Hunters Organization, a leading conservation group working to produce ducks and secure the future of waterfowl hunting in North America. Visit deltawaterfowl.org.
Delta Waterfowl
The Duck Hunters Organization™
