Sportsmen’s Coalition Makes New Push to Conserve Public Lands Facing Energy Development
Press Room
Press Release
For Immediate Release
August 23, 2006
For more information contact:
Steve Belinda, (307) 537-3135
Sportsmen’s Coalition Makes New Push to Conserve Public Lands Facing Energy Development
FACTS Campaign Designed to Better Protect the Places We Hunt and Fish
PINEDALE, WYO. – A working group of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership (TRCP) today released a set of principles that it hopes will guide future energy development on public lands throughout the West. As part of the “Energy FACTS for Fish and Wildlife” campaign, the coalition, which includes the leaders of several of the country’s oldest and most respected fishing, hunting and conservation organizations, is calling on the federal government and industry to increase funding, accountability, coordination, transparency and science when making decisions on energy development on the public lands that belong to all Americans.
The TRCP’s Fish, Wildlife and Energy Working Group (FWEWG), which includes representatives of the American Sportfishing Association, Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Izaak Walton League of America, North American Grouse Partnership, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Wildlife Management Institute and the Wildlife Society has been meeting for several months to develop the core principles of the FACTS campaign.
“There’s a reality being recognized throughout the West that as energy development is increasing, some fish and wildlife populations are decreasing,” said Steve Belinda, a TRCP Policy Initiative Manager and former federal wildlife biologist. “These changes on the landscape have led to changes in the places we hunt and fish. It does not have to be this way. By applying an approach based on the FACTS, we can better balance our need to develop domestic energy supplies and protect the fish and wildlife populations revered by hunters, anglers and those who love the outdoors.”
The FWEWG believes that there are some areas that should be off-limits to energy development and is crafting criteria that can be applied to identify them. Additionally, a Conservation Strategy for fish and wildlife resources should be employed to limit damage to fish and wildlife in places already developed or being eyed for development in the future.
The complete “Energy FACTS for Fish and Wildlife” principles can be viewed here.
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