A large bill that increases public land access for hunting and dedicates funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund to secure additional access in the future is one step closer to becoming reality. On Feb. 12, the Natural Resource Management Act (S. 47) passed in the Senate with a 92-8 vote.
Although containing a diverse range of Natural Resource topics from a historical significance study of George W. Bush’s childhood home and a national volcano early warning system, this bill supports several actions to increase opportunities for sportsmen and women such as:
- A national policy that facilitates hunting opportunities on federal lands
- Increased use of federal lands for shooting ranges
- Designated allocation of the Land and Water Conservation Fund with 3% or $15 million of annual appropriations for the purpose of securing access for hunting, fishing, recreational shooting, and other outdoor related activities
- Authorized transportation of archery equipment through National Parks
- Dedication of special days for youth, military, and veterans for hunting opportunities.
S. 47 also supports wildlife conservation through many avenues such as:
- Increased protection from invasive, or non-native, species that can cause damage to an environment
- Dedicated policy for wildlife corridors in California to facilitate species migration across fragmented habitat
- Increased protection for various wilderness and conservation areas
To read more about the bill and its actions for wildlife conservation, click here. The process to become law is a lengthy one, so more updates will follow in the coming motnhs.
Source: Congress.gov
