news

            Young is the Ranking Member on the House Natural Resources Committee and was the author of the landmark legislation.

“Mr. Chairman, I want to thank Chairwoman Bordallo and Chairman Rahall for agreeing to my request to schedule an oversight hearing on the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997.

            “Exactly 10 years ago today, President Bill Clinton signed this landmark legislation into law thus creating for the first time in nearly 100 years a mission and an organic framework for this unique system of federal lands.

            “From its humble beginning on Pelican Island, Florida, the refuge system has grown to over 96 million acres of federal lands with refuge units in every state and U. S. territory.  In my own State of Alaska, we have 16 national wildlife refuges representing 76.2 million acres and each of these units allows hunting, fishing and other forms of wildlife dependent recreation.

            “Prior to this Act, individual refuge managers had little, if any, guidance as to what was a ‘compatible’ activity, there were no designated priority uses within the system, no ability to review existing activities prior to federal land acquisition and no comprehensive inventory of the archaeological, natural resource or wildlife resources values within each unit.

            “I was proud to sponsor this legislation to remove these shortcomings.  There was a fundamental need to revitalize the refuge system, to end arbitrary or inconsistent compatibility determinations, to establish priority uses, and to respect historic activities occurring on private lands.

            “Getting this legislation enacted was a long and difficult journey.  It took more than three years and months of intense negotiations.  I am pleased that some of the same individuals, like former Secretary Bruce Babbitt, and organizations who were partners in this process are testifying today.  It is also remarkable that this bill passed both the House and the Senate with only one dissenting vote.

            “It is now appropriate to reflect upon this Act and to examine the current state of the refuge system.  I am frankly amazed that not a single provision of this law has been changed.  Apparently, we got it right and the operation of the refuge system has improved.

            “In fact, in the past 10 years, the number of refuge units has grown from 514 to 548, the amount of refuge land has increased by more than three million acres, visitation has increased by more than 11 million people each year and 317 of the 452 open refuges allow hunting.  This is an historic level.  In addition, the Fish and Wildlife Service is working hard to complete the required Comprehensive Conservation Plans.

            “Before blowing out the birthday candles, however, we must acknowledge that funding for the refuge system is currently inadequate, an increasing number of refuges are being overgrown by foreign invasive species and the maintenance backlog continues to grow to a staggering level.  It is my hope that this hearing will be just the first in a series of efforts to address these problems.

            “Nevertheless, I want to welcome our distinguished witnesses and it is my hope that we will continue to work together to ensure that the American people do indeed have the finest refuge system in the world.  After all, it is a system that sportsmen have paid for with the billions of dollars in excise taxes and federal duck stamp fees.  Public Law 105-57 is a true legacy to the vision first articulated by President Theodore Roosevelt more than a century ago.”

For more information, access the Committee on Natural Resources’ Minority website at:

http://republicans.resourcescommittee.house.gov/index.shtml

#     #    #