Subject: [Fwd: ANGLERS, HUNTERS GIVE STATES A $426 MILLION BOOST]
Date: Mar 06 17:10:45 1998
From: Janet Carroll - jrc at pop.seanet.com


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Thought this might be of interest.

Janet
--
Janet Carroll
Everett WA
jrc at jrc.seanet.com
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"The frog never drinks up the pond in which it lives."
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Subject: ANGLERS, HUNTERS GIVE STATES A $426 MILLION BOOST
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March 5, 1998 Laury Marshall Parramore 202-208-5634
laury_parramore at fws.gov

ANGLERS, HUNTERS GIVE STATES A $426 MILLION BOOST FOR
CONSERVATION AND RECREATION

America's hunters, anglers, shooters, and boaters once again are
supporting our Nation's most successful conservation efforts and outdoor
recreation opportunities, thanks to $426,836,814 they paid in excise taxes
during 1997.

Revenues from these taxes go directly to states for their Sport Fish and
Wildlife Restoration programs, which involve everything from hunter
education to boat ramp construction to fisheries research. The funds are
administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Division of Federal
Aid.

"Hunters and anglers are the heart of conservation," said Service Director
Jamie Rappaport Clark. "Beginning more than 60 years ago, they asked
Congress to apply these excise taxes to support conservation of the lands
and wildlife they cherish. All outdoor lovers benefit from state projects
that are supported by these funds. In addition, these programs
demonstrate the success of a user-pay approach to enhancing conservation
and outdoor recreation benefits and opportunities."

A total of $272,028,441 was apportioned to the states under the Federal
Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Program, also known as the
Dingell-Johnson/Wallop-Breaux acts for the members of Congress who
introduced legislation for these laws. This compares to the $273.2
million distributed last year. The decrease in funding is due to year-end
adjustments in receipts by the Internal Revenue Service.

Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration funding comes from a 10- percent
excise tax on fishing equipment, a 3-percent tax on electric trolling
motors and sonar fish finders, taxes on motorboat fuels, and import duties
on fishing tackle and pleasure boats.

States can use these funds to stock fish; acquire and improve sport fish
habitat; provide aquatic resource education opportunities; conduct
fisheries research, including surveys and inventories of sport fish
populations; develop boat ramps, fishing piers, and other recreational
facilities; and engage in other related activities.

A total of $154,808,373 was apportioned to states under the Federal Aid in
Wildlife Restoration Program, commonly known as the Pittman-Robertson Act
for the members of Congress who introduced the legislation in 1937. An
apportionment of $27,648,099 of this total is allocated for hunter
education. States received wildlife restoration apportionments totaling
$162.5 million last year. The decline in funding is due partially to
lower excise tax receipts for arms and ammunition sales and because the
Service did not receive all of these funds before fiscal year-end
deadlines.

The formula for distributing sport fish restoration funds to states is
based on the land and water area and the number of fishing license holders
in each state. Wildlife restoration funds are made available based on
land area and the number of hunting license holders in each state.
Distribution of hunter education funds is based on each state's
population.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency
responsible for conserving, protecting, and enhancing fish and wildlife
and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The
Service manages more than 94 million acres of land and water consisting of
512 national wildlife refuges, 65 national fish hatcheries, 38 wetland
management districts with waterfowl production areas, and 50 wildlife
coordination areas.

The agency also enforces Federal wildlife laws, manages migratory bird
populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and
restores wildlife habitat, such as wetlands, administers the Endangered
Species Act, and helps foreign governments with their conservation
efforts.


-FWS-


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