Washington, D.C. - The House Committee on Natural Resources passed legislation today authored by Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-01) to help leverage non-federal funds to protect, restore, and manage wetland habitat for migratory birds and other wildlife. H.R. 2208, North American Wetlands Conservation Extension Act (NAWCA), provides federal cost-share funding to support the North American Waterfowl Management Plan.
“This legislation helps facilitate smart, efficient investment producing economic and environmental benefits while conserving the fish and wildlife resourcesin the Commonwealth and across the Nation,” Wittman said. “During these tough budget times, programs like NAWCA that raise matching funding from private, state and local partners and contribute to job creation are very important.”
NAWCA is a private landowner-friendly, non-regulatory, and incentive-based program. Every dollar of federal money allotted to NAWCA must be matched by one dollar or more from non-federal sources and state fish and wildlife agencies. This amount of federal investment is often tripled or quadrupled by private funds.
Since NAWCA’s enactment in 1989, conservation partners, from small landowners to large corporations, have leveraged the federal share of NAWCA with over $3.44 billion in partner funds. Over 4,400 corporate, small business, non-profit, state and local entities have tripled NAWCA dollars with matching funds with an average partner match of 3:1. From 1990 to 2010, the program has assisted in funding 2,038 wetland conservation projects in all 50 states, Canada, and Mexico, affecting over 26 million acres of essential wildlife habitat.
H.R. 2208 would reauthorize NAWCA until September 30, 2017.
Congressman Rob Wittman represents the First District of Virginia. He serves on the House Natural Resources Committee and the House Armed Services Committee where he is the Chairman of the Readiness Subcommittee, and is a member of the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission.
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