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INTERIOR BILL WINS PRAISE FROM ENVIROS
WASHINGTON, DC, October 24, 2001 (ENS) - Environmental groups are praising the environmental funding included in the fiscal year 2002 appropriations bill for the Department of Interior. The final, House and Senate conference committee version of the bill earmarks $1.32 billion for land conservation and biodiversity protection projects managed by the Department of Interior and the U.S. Forest Service. The funding legislation, which also contains other accounts for conservation activities, now awaits President George W. Bush's signature. "In this time when the words of America the Beautiful take on an even more poignant meaning, we are grateful that Congress is taking positive action to help conserve some of the best of the American landscape," said Steve McCormick, president and CEO of the Nature Conservancy, which celebrated its 50th anniversary Monday. "This funding is a tremendous gift to Americans who care deeply about preserving our nation's great natural heritage." Among funding categories which received record levels of support are Forest Legacy ($65 million), the federal program that helps states protect forest land threatened with conversion to non-forest uses, and the North American Wetlands Conservation Fund ($44 million). The Land and Water Conservation Fund, the principal source of funding for expansions and additions to national parks, national wildlife refuges and national forests, will receive $429 million. The Cooperative Endangered Species Fund, a source of funding for states and counties to purchase habitat needed for the long term conservation of endangered species, will receive $96 million. The bill also includes continued protection against expanded offshore drilling in key coastal waters, via a one year extension of the existing moratorium on new offshore drilling lease sales in sensitive coastal waters. The moratorium will now be in place until October 1, 2002. "We are heartened that the congressional negotiators determined that this was not the time to arbitrarily jeopardize our coastal natural treasures," said Richard Charter, marine conservation advocate with Environmental Defense. "The conservation ethic is deeply rooted in America's core values and preservation of our national parklands and spectacular coastlines remains a high public priority." But conferees stripped the bill of a House provision that would have delayed new offshore leasing in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico, including off of Florida's Panhandle and Gulf Coast, for six months. As a result, the Interior Department is now cleared by Congress to proceed with a 1.5 million acre lease sale in a controversial new area where endangered sperm whales are often found. "While we are disappointed that the Eastern Gulf of Mexico will now be open to new drilling activities, it is our hope that the Department of Interior will apply sound science in taking the steps necessary to protect sensitive biological resources in that area," Charter said.
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