This week, conservation champions from across the country spoke for the oceans.

"The benefits of investing in nature FAR outweigh the costs," Dr. Polasky #GulfHearing

— Sara G-R K (@Sara_GRK) June 6, 2013

At the National Wildlife Federation, we couldn’t agree more.

In a hearing yesterday, Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) and Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS) examined progress towards restoring the Gulf of Mexico three years since the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion. The witnesses recognized the urgent need:

Rachel Jacobsen, Acting Secretary for Fish, Wildlife and Parks for DOI, "The time to start restoration is now." #Gulfhearing

— Restore the Delta (@RestoreDelta) June 6, 2013

Sen. Landrieu, Gulf restoration is important "not just for our states, but for the Nation." #GulfHearing

— Sara G-R K (@Sara_GRK) June 6, 2013

"The Gulf is one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world and harbors over 15,000 species," @SenatorWicker #gulfHearing

— Sara G-R K (@Sara_GRK) June 6, 2013

There’s a reason that the Senate Commerce Committee has jurisdiction over the oceans. Every witness acknowledged how integral the health of the marine environment is to national economic prosperity.

"Jobs and the environment go hand-in-glove here [in the Gulf]," @NOAA's Lois Schiffer #GulfHearing

— Sara G-R K (@Sara_GRK) June 6, 2013

"Our economy is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the environment" says George Neugent, Monroe County, FL Mayor. #Gulfhearing

— Restore the Delta (@RestoreDelta) June 6, 2013

"The environmental interest is also the people's interest," @SenBillNelson #GulfHearing

— Sara G-R K (@Sara_GRK) June 6, 2013

Tomorrow is World Oceans Day.

But our lives are tied to the fate of our natural resources every day. So to Senator Whitehouse’s point (and Senator Landrieu’s, Senator Nelson’s, and Senator Wicker’s too!), speak up for the environment. Government officials just might join the conversation.

Taken by Sara Gonzalez-Rothi Kronenthal, NWF

Last week the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council released a draft plan for restoring the Gulf in the wake of the BP oil disaster. While there is much to like in the recent draft, the Restoration Council is also under enormous outside pressure to approve development projects that in some cases can actually cause further harm.

Speak Up In Person!

Now is the public’s opportunity to have its voice heard and let the Council know that we want BP’s oil spill fines to be used solely on projects that help restore the Gulf. The Restoration Council will be holding listening sessions in each of the five Gulf States.

Let the Council know that:

• We appreciate that the Ecosystem Restoration Council’s Draft Initial Plan further elaborates on the requirements of the RESTORE Act that the Council-selected Restoration Allocation (30%) will be dedicated solely to ecosystem restoration projects. The Council should maintain an environmental restoration focus.

• The Impact-Based State allocations, 30% of the RESTORE Act dollars, should not fund projects that will do harm to the environment. The Final Plan should require that provides a net environmental gain.

• The Draft Plan indicates the Council will seek further public comment on a project list. The Final Plan must ensure that the public is granted the opportunity to comment and participate in all phases of plan and project development. It’s important for stakeholders to provide input on the projects that will inevitably affect people in the Gulf and throughout the nation.

**Click here alerts@nwf.org to RSVP for one of the upcoming public meetings**

Have your voice heard! Attend the public meetings and let the Council know you want the Gulf ecosystems restored. Our livelihoods depend on it. (Photo credit: Flickr / Infrogmation)

June 5, 2013
Spanish Fort, AL – 6:00 pm CST
The Tensaw Theater at 5 Rivers
Alabama’s Delta Resource Center
30945 Five Rivers Boulevard
Spanish Fort, Alabama

June 10, 2013
Galveston, TX– 6:00- 8:00 pm CST
Texas A&M University, Galveston
200 Seawolf Parkway, Bldg 3007
Galveston, TX 77554

June 11, 2013
Mississippi – 6:00 pm CST (registration begins at 5:00 pm CST)
Mississippi Coast Coliseum and Convention Center
2350 Beach Blvd
Biloxi, MS 39531

June 12, 2013
Belle Chasse, LA – 6:30 pm CST (doors open at 6:00 pm CST)
Belle Chasse Auditorium
8398 Louisiana Hwy 23
Belle Chasse, LA 70037

June 17, 2013
St. Petersburg, FL – 5:30–9:00 pm EST
Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commissions’ Fish & Wildlife Research Institute
100 Eighth Ave. SE
St. Petersburg, FL 33701

Click here to learn more about the RESTORE Act and how it can help the Gulf of Mexico.

Click here to view the embedded video.

It’s difficult to quantify the harm in an environmental disaster. The Gulf is enormous and oil gushed from over a mile below the surface of the ocean. Because water and wildlife move, it would be near-impossible to find every bit of damage. Researchers found evidence of Deepwater Horizon oil in pelican eggs in Minnesota last year! To compound matters, the impacts are far-reaching into parts of the ecosystem that scientists don’t know much about. For instance, a substantial amount of the oil moved southwest of the Macondo well and settled into a deep underwater canyon.

But for multinational oil companies like BP, the profits are obvious, and they are high.

BP’s 2012 annual report indicates that Chief Executive Bob Dudley, who spoke at the CERAWeek Energy Industry conference yesterday about just about everything but trial, made $2.67 million last year. In the three years since the spill, BP has netted close to $40 billion, even after covering the cost to cap the well, run ubiquitous “our beaches are open” commercials, pay individual claims and pay the largest corporate criminal penalty by the Department of Justice.

Anchor-handling tugboats battle the blazing remnants of the off shore oil rig Deepwater Horizon. U.S. Coast Guard photo.

The law that governs oil spills is clear: since profits from offshore drilling are so high and the consequences are so dangerous, unsafe drillers who spill must compensate for all damage and face penalties. This helps discourage putting profits over safety.

Unbelievably, on the day of our panel, the Washington Post ran an editorial arguing that BP should not face severe penalties. The editorial posed the question, “How much is too much for BP?” In what must be a tagline meant for an April Fool’s Day piece, the editorial continued, “A bill anywhere near that large is impossible to justify.” This is precisely why polluters engage in willful blindness to legal requirements: environmental laws are viewed as somehow less legitimate than tax evasion, racketeering, or labor laws. But crime is crime.

Testimony from the trial shows that this multi-billion dollar corporation had an “every dollar counts” mentality that led them to take egregious safety risks to cut costs, resulting in the loss of eleven lives and over 172 million gallons of crude oil spilled in one of the most productive ecosystems in the world. Misplaced sympathy for BP’s liability is akin to taking pity on Ponzi schemers facing punitive damages for their crimes. BP made calculated business decisions to take dangerous shortcuts in search of profit. The only way to prevent such behavior in the future is to balance the scales of justice so that the reward no longer justifies the risk.

Almost three years after the spill began, the Gulf’s dolphins are still dying in high numbers. Ask the Department of Justice to hold BP fully accountable so we can restore the Gulf of Mexico!

Transocean Pleads Guilty to Violating CWA and Will Pay $1.4 Billion

January 3 - The Department of Justice announced today that Transocean will plead guilty to violating the Clean Water Act and other statutes and pay $1 billion in civil penalties and $400 million in criminal penalties for its role in the 2010 Gulf oil disaster.

“This is an important step to get money flowing into the Gulf of Mexico,” said John Kostyack, vice president for wildlife conservation at the National Wildlife Federation. “Environmental restoration is critical to the well-being of the communities and ecosystems of the Gulf. In passing the bipartisan RESTORE Act, Congress recognized that a healthy ecosystem supports a healthy economy, both regionally and nationally. These are the first funds that will be directed under that historic statute, potentially beginning the largest ecosystem restoration project in U.S. history.”

Farm Bill Extension Falls Short

January 2 - After failing to pass a five year Farm Bill this past year, Congress has extended the 2008 Farm Bill for nine months as part of the fiscal crisis deal. In addition to preventing new farmers from enrolling in the Conservation Stewardship Program, the extension lacks funding for critical renewable energy programs and delays the implementation of sodsaver, a policy that would reduce federal subsidies for farmers who convert native grassland into cropland.

“It is disappointing that Congress was unable to pass a five year Farm Bill in time,” said Julie Sibbing, Director of Agriculture and Forestry Programs for the National Wildlife Federation. “Passing a nine month extension delays much needed reforms and cuts a key incentive program for farmers wanting to implement conservation measures on their land. America’s farmers, taxpayers and wildlife deserve more than this Band-Aid fix.”

• Related: What the Fiscal Cliff Deal Means for Wildlife

TIME OUT: A New Year’s Resolution for the Whole Family

December 31 - One of the most popular New Year’s Resolutions is to “spend more time with my family”. National Wildlife Federation says one of the best ways to keep that resolution all year long is to head outdoors where families can enjoy time together while improving the physical and mental health of their children.

In 2013 resolve to Be Out There and spend more time in the company of Mother Nature. By doing this, families can recapture an essential part of childhood that is being lost; the part that makes outdoors the favorite play space. It’s easier than you think to work into a family routine and National Wildlife Federation’s Be Out There program will be there throughout the year with activities, ideas and inspirations to get more green time into kid’s lives.

And here are highlights from NWF in the News:

• Reuters: Nebraska environment report favors revised Keystone XL pipe plan
• PNS: Fiscal Cliff Deal Includes a Reprieve for Wind Tax Credits
• PNS: ‘Be Outside’ Pledges in MT Aim for Outdoor Fun Every Week
• The News Star: Birds of a feather
• Reuters:  EPA faces legal battles, might take easy confirmation road

For more, visit www.nwf.org/news

An oiled brown pelican floats in the Gulf during the height of the 2010 oil spill. Photo credit: Louisiana Governor’s office.

A 3-mile oil slick detected in the Gulf last month has been confirmed as oil from the 2010 Gulf oil disaster, according to Coast Guard reports. The slick illustrates what NWF has said all along—that the long-term effects of the spill are unknown and ongoing, and that BP must be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law until the ecology and economy of the Gulf has been restored.

Drilling experts are claiming it’s unlikely that BP’s Macondo well is leaking again and the Coast Guard feels the residual oil “does not pose a risk to the shoreline,” but the slick is nonetheless a cause for concern for the wildlife and ecosystem of the Gulf—especially considering recent media reports suggesting BP has proposed a settlement offer that is significantly less than half of what it would face at trial.

Alarmingly, BP is attempting to once again shirk responsibility for causing the largest environmental disaster in U.S. history, purportedly offering a sum less than $20 billion. An amount so low would be inadequate to repair the Gulf and would allow the oil giant – which netted $25.7 billion in 2011 – to escape paying what is required by law, what it can afford and what is fair in a case with such egregious environmental damage.

Hold BP Accountable for Ongoing Effects to Wildlife and Habitat

Yesterday, NWF called on Attorney General Eric Holder to ensure BP is held fully responsible for its involvement in the 2010 Gulf oil disaster. We continue to not only monitor the spill’s effects on the ecosystem, but to follow up on holding BP responsible. Because despite BP’s advertising campaigns to the contrary, the Gulf is still reeling from the oil disaster.

We may not know the full impact of the oil on the Gulf for years to come, but we do know that the oil:

• Continues to show up on beaches in the form of tar balls and tar mats;
• Severely impacted bird nesting habitat;
• Negatively affected endangered sea turtles;
• Is probably at least partly responsible for a spate of dolphin deaths;
• Sped marsh erosion in heavily impacted areas;
• May have harmed plankton, a key link in the ocean food web.

It’s time for BP to stop stalling, pay up and make the Gulf whole. The sooner full payment happens, the sooner environmental and economic restoration can begin for this region. We owe it to our Gulf of Mexico – one of our national treasures – to make sure BP does right for the people, wildlife and habitat of this region.

Please like & tweet this post to help spread the word that despite BP’s big money propaganda, the Gulf’s not clean and the job’s not done!

Transportation Package Delivers Progress for Wildlife, Taxpayers

June 28 – Congressional negotiators have reached a deal on a wide-reaching transportation bill that includes the RESTORE Act, landmark legislation to direct BP fines and penalties to Gulf Coast restoration.

“More than two years into the worst oil disaster in America’s history, Washington is finally delivering on its promise to make the Gulf whole again. Once BP’s fines and penalties have been established, the RESTORE Act will represent one of the most important investments in natural resources in America’s history, a critically-needed commitment to Gulf Coast ecosystems and the people who depend on them,” said Larry Schweiger, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation. “All of us now have the responsibility to make sure every dollar is invested in restoring the Gulf’s impacted communities and wildlife habitat.”

Read NWF’s joint statement with our Gulf Coast restoration partners here.

House Interior Appropriations Bill Slashes Conservation Funding

June 28 – The House Appropriations Committee today voted for an Interior Appropriations bill that slashes funding for conservation and continues a month-long assault on Clean Water Act protections for healthy wetlands, clean streams, and drinking water for 117 million Americans.

The deep funding cuts approved in the bill will undermine conservation, public land management, and the outdoor recreation economy. The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), which conserves public land essential for fish and wildlife as well as hunting, angling, and outdoor recreation, will be cut from $345 million in the current fiscal year to approximately $66 million in FY 2013. Funding to operate and maintain National Wildlife Refuges, which not only conserve wildlife but generate $1.7 billion in economic activity and support 27,000 private sector jobs, is cut from $486 million to $437 million.

National Wildlife Federation, Earth Networks Partner on Weather and Nature Education

June 27 -The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) has announced that it will incorporate weather and climate data into its Eco-Schools USA program as part of a partnership with Earth Networks, owner of the popular WeatherBug national weather monitoring programs. The WeatherBug web, mobile web and mobile applications will soon include additional content on the outdoors and wildlife.

The partnership brings together two institutions with a strong pedigree of observing and advocating for the health of the planet and its atmosphere and provides a broad network to amplify NWF’s message about conservation and the benefits of connecting more kids with nature. WeatherBug Schools Programs are already used in thousands of K-12 classrooms nationwide, and a reported 22 million online users get weather information from WeatherBug’s website and applications.

And here are highlights from NWF in the News:

• The New York Times: Court Backs E.P.A. Over Emissions Limits Intended to Reduce Global Warming
• Metro Times: Crude awakening
• Ville Platte Gazette: Conservations hail RESTORE’s passage as vital for Louisiana coast
• Outdoor Life: Big Win for Outdoorsmen: Senate Moves to Pass RESTORE Act
• Petoskey News: Fracking rules need more teeth in Michigan and Ohio, wildlife federation says
• Chicago Tribune: Hog wild: Feral pig population explodes in U.S

For more, visit www.nwf.org/News

Congress Passes Gulf RESTORE Act

More than two years into the worst oil disaster in U.S. history, Congress passed the RESTORE Act today, which ensures that money from BP’s oil spill fines will be dedicated to Gulf Coast restoration.

This is a HUGE win for brown pelicans, dolphins and sea turtles that are still being impacted by the oil spill disaster that began in April 2010.

>> Share this photo on Facebook and help spread the good news to your family and friends

Why was this bill so important? Under the Clean Water Act, BP could face as much as $20 billion in fines for its responsibility in the oil disaster.

National Wildlife Federation and our members and supporters have been fighting for two years to make sure the Gulf gets the help it deserves. Thank you so much to everyone who helped make this a reality!

Keystone XL Provision Rejected

The icing on the cake is that the legislation passed today does NOT include language that would have forced approval of the Keystone XL tar sands oil pipeline. This was a very real threat and would have put endangered whooping cranes and swift foxes at risk of toxic oil spills, while also driving a rapid expansion of habitat-destroying tar sands operations that could put the lives of thousands of Canada’s wolves and caribou at risk.

This tremendous victory for wildlife is a testament to how Americans can hold our elected officials accountable to protecting America’s wildlife.

Let’s go celebrate!

What would you do if, in one day, you lost everything?  I’m not just talking about your personal possessions; I’m talking about your entire community – your church, your grocery store, your school.  The folks you meet in the video below, Warrenetta Banks and John Taylor, have lived out this scenario every day since Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005 and have chosen to respond with passion and dedication to recovery – advocating for smart, green urban planning on one side of the levee and a healthy wetland ecosystem on the other side of the levee.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Warrenetta and John are both lifelong residents of the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans.  In the years since catastrophic flooding, they’ve helped their community recover to be one of the “greenest” in the nation – solar panels, community gardens, LEED certified homes are typical encounters as you walk down the street.  That’s on one side of the levee.

Residents like Warrenetta and John understand all too well that the wetland ecosystem on the other side of the levee is critical to their future and safety.  Healthy wetlands serve as a buffer to storm surges and winds and help the levees do their job to protect communities.  National Wildlife Federation is one organization working closely with the Lower Ninth Ward Center for Sustainable Engagement and Development  (where Warrenetta and John work) to plan and gain funding for restoration of the 400 acres cypress swamp bordering the community (featured in the video) as well as the entire 58,000 acres wetland ecosystem the swamp is connected to, which once buffered much of the Greater New Orleans area from storms and provided important wildlife habitat.

Without healthy wetlands, coastal communities like the Lower Ninth Ward remain very vulnerable to disasters.  Urgent funding is needed for restoration.  The RESTORE Act, legislation now making its way through the U.S. Congress, will use a portion of Clean Water Act penalties from the BP disaster to fund projects that will restore Gulf Coast ecosystems, including wetlands that protect communities and provide critical habitat for Gulf wildlife.  Right now, you can make a difference in the future of the Gulf Coast.  Learn more about the RESTORE Act and share your voice!

Send a message to your members of Congress, urging them to pass legislation to restore the Gulf today.

New Student Guide Offers Steps for Peer to Peer Campus Sustainability Training

March 30 – NWF and the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) have released a new step-by-step guide to creating student peer-to-peer sustainability education programs—often known as “Eco-Rep” programs—on college campuses. Authored by Champlain College Sustainability Director Christina Erickson, “Student Sustainability Educators: A Guide to Creating and Maintaining an Eco-Rep Program on Your Campus” takes readers through the design, implementation and evaluation stages of an Eco-Rep program.

House Attacks on Wildlife, Air and Water Wouldn’t Close Budget Gap

March 29 – The U.S. House of Representatives today is expected to pass the budget plan written by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI). A National Wildlife Federation analysis shows the plan would gut investments in natural resources that already make up only a tiny fraction of federal spending.

“The vast majority of Americans believe the federal government has a fundamental responsibility to help ensure that our air is clean, our water is safe to drink and our treasured National Parks, refuges and other public lands are protected for this and future generations,” said Josh Saks, legislative director of the National Wildlife Federation.

EPA Proposes Historic Limits to Industrial Carbon Pollution

March 27 – Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the first-ever national carbon pollution limits for new power plant smokestacks. These long-awaited new air pollution standards are essential for reining in the climate change-causing carbon pollution that is increasingly endangering the nation’s public health and wildlife.  The new air pollution standards are the result of a 2007 Supreme Court ruling that found carbon dioxide and other air pollution from cars, power plants, and other sources is subject to the Clean Air Act. Despite that ruling and a subsequent 2011 Supreme Court ruling reinforcing the decision, it is expected that a number of big polluting utilities and coal interests will fight the standard.

Warming Winters Threaten America’s Outdoor Traditions

March 27 – Near-record warmth in the winter of 2011-2012 left both wildlife and outdoor enthusiasts scrambling to adapt – and it’s just a preview of what’s to come in a warming world, according to a new report from the National Wildlife Federation. On Thin Ice: Warming Winters Put America’s Hunting and Fishing Heritage at Risk tells the stories of how 2011-2012’s warm winter impacted hunters and anglers across America and details the steps we need to take now to protect those traditions for future generations.

Hill Ads Praise 76 Senators for Passing Gulf Restoration Amendment

March 27 – Capitol newspapers will run full-page color ads this week by six Gulf restoration advocacy groups thanking the 76 Senators who approved legislation to dedicate 80 percent of the Clean Water Act fines from the parties responsible for the Gulf oil spill to restoring the Gulf.

The ad copy says:

“On behalf of our members nationwide, we thank the 76 Senate leaders who voted in favor of restoring the ecosystems and economies of the Gulf region by passing the RESTORE Act as an amendment to the transportation bill.

And here are highlights from NWF in the News:

• Politico: EPA hits greenhouse gas emissions from power plants
• Bloomberg: EPA Introduces First Greenhouse-Gas Limits for Power Plants
• The Los Angeles Times: Hunters, anglers report warming winters bad for wildlife
• Erie Times-News: Report examines effect of warmer winters on outdoor economy in Pa., other states
  
• Public News Service (NM): Warming Winters Hurt New Mexico Wildlife
• Public News Service (CO): Carbon Pollution Puts CO “On Thin Ice”
• The Times Picayune: Photos document BP oil still contaminates “cleaned” Louisiana marshes, state officials say
• Michigan Live: U.S. Coast Guard adopts ballast water standards to combat invasive species

For more, visit www.nwf.org/News

Tribes Welcome Home Yellowstone Bison

March 21 – After more than a century’s absence, wild, genetically pure bison have returned to tribal lands on the Great Plains in a homecoming that reunites Native Americans with the iconic species that was a fundamental part of their culture and the prairie ecosystem.

Sixty-three bison from Yellowstone National Park were trucked 500 miles to Fort Peck in Montana’s far northeastern corner. Tribal members from Fort Peck and Fort Belknap hosted Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer and representatives of the National Wildlife Federation and Defenders of Wildlife at the animals’ arrival Wednesday.

Celebrate EXTRA-Ordinary Wildlife During National Wildlife Week, March 19-25, 2012

March 19 – What do the bull shark, wood frog, rhinoceros beetle and pronghorn have in common? They all perform some amazing feats which is why they were selected to be featured during National Wildlife Week, March 19-25. The theme for the week this year is EXTRA-Ordinary Wildlife and will celebrate wildlife and their incredible talents.

Since 1938, National Wildlife Week has been a time to learn about wildlife and nature. This year, children, youth and adults are taking time to explore wildlife through five different lenses (innovative defenses, record breakers, super senses, survive in unusual habitats, and special adaptation). Forty-five wildlife species including plants will be highlighted. The bull shark for example can survive in both fresh and salt water. The wood frog freezes during the winter, then thaws in the spring to mate. The rhinoceros beetle can support 850 times its body weight. The pronghorn is the fastest U.S. mammal, clocking over fifty miles per hour.

Global Climate Change Will Increase Anxiety, Fear and Depression

March 22 – The impact of global climate change on Americans’ mental health has been largely ignored, even though the incidence of mental and social disorders will rise steeply if climate change is not curtailed, adding significant costs to the already $317 billion in annual mental health care expenditures and lost productivity in the U.S., concludes a major new study. “The greatest public costs could come from ignoring the effects,” the report concludes.

Because extreme weather events and disasters will be more severe and more frequent, the U. S. will see a rise in illnesses like depressive and anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress, substance abuse, suicide and violence.

New Guide Helps Parents Overcome Obstacles to Getting Kids Outdoors

March 20 – Spring has sprung but how many kids have noticed? Many may be glued to video games or too busy tweeting to go outside and hear a real tweet. In addition to the lure of electronic gadgets, the great outdoors has lots of competition when it comes to kids. To help parents incorporate more “green time” into their children’s lives National Wildlife Federation’s Be Out There movement has created “Outdoor Play for Every Day: A Parent’s Guide for Overcoming Common Obstacles to Kids and Outdoor Play”.

Most parents intuitively understand that spending time outdoors is good for their kids: it makes them grow lean and strong, enhances imaginations, and gives them time to let off steam and just be a kid.

President Obama’s Dangerous Wrong Turn on Energy

March 22 – Speaking on energy policy yesterday, President Obama said, “You have my word that we will keep drilling everywhere we can, and we will do it while protecting the health and safety of the American people.” Today he heads to Cushing, OK, site of the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline’s southern leg, where he will announce efforts to rush its review, and those of future pipelines. A thorough review process is critical for protecting clean water from flawed oil projects.

The new emphasis on rushing oil companies’ projects comes on the heels of devastating oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico, Yellowstone River, and the Kalamazoo River. A 2010 NWF report found thousands of spills on and offshore have occurred over the last decade, with Oklahoma ranking seventh for most pipeline spills.

New Report: Strong Farm Bill Key to Great Lakes Restoration

March 21 – In a new report issued today, the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition is urging federal public officials to strengthen and support successful farm conservation programs that are vital to restoring the health of the Great Lakes. Read the full report here (PDF).

“Farm conservation programs are essential for Great Lakes restoration,” said Jeff Skelding, campaign director for the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition. “Farm conservation programs are producing results, but there is more work to do. Cutting support for these successful programs now will cause problems to get worse and more costly to solve.”

NWF Supports New Federal Wind-Wildlife Guidelines

March 23 – The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) released the final version of its Land-Based Wind Energy Guidelines to assist federal agencies, wind energy developers, and the public in avoiding and minimizing impact on wildlife and habitat when locating, designing and operating wind energy projects. The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) applauds the Service, who developed the voluntary guidelines from the consensus recommendations of a Federal Advisory Committee composed of wildlife organizations, state and federal wildlife managers, wildlife scientists, and wind energy developers.

“Climate change poses an enormous threat to both the human environment and the earth’s biologic diversity, and for that reason, National Wildlife Federation is pursuing a rapid and responsible transition to clean energy,” says Justin Allegro, manager of the Renewable Energy and Wildlife Program at NWF. “However, poorly planned and designed wind energy activities can have significant adverse impacts to wildlife and habitats. This crucial framework will help lead to wind energy projects that wildlife advocates can feel good about in the short term, and avoid the types of bad projects that impede the growth of needed new energy solutions in the long term.”

Gulf Ads Thank Gulf Senators for Passing Gulf Restoration Amendment

March 23 – Five Gulf state newspapers will run full-page color ads starting today thanking the nine Gulf senators who recently voted in favor of legislation to dedicate 80 percent of the Clean Water Act fines from the parties responsible for the Gulf oil spill to restoring the Gulf ecosystem and economy.

The ads features a “thank you” from 62 Gulf businesses, business groups and restoration advocacy groups to the nine Gulf senators who “led an overwhelmingly bipartisan group of 76 senators to pass the RESTORE the Gulf Coast States Act [to] help repair and strengthen the communities, businesses and environment…still suffering nearly two years after the unprecedented Gulf oil disaster.”

And here are highlights from NWF in the News:

• Television: Naturalist David Mizejewski was on the Today show live with 2 gray wolves as well as 17 TV outlets, via live satellite talking about how gray wolves are being poisoned in Alberta in a misguided plan to protect woodland caribou from energy development. 12.2 million views saw him on Today alone.David and Dr. Doug Inkley have or soon will be heard on 32 radio stations around the country commenting on this unfolding tragedy. They were interviewed by the following stations:
  • WISH-TV, INDIANAPOLIS, IN
  • KUSA/KDVR-TV, DENVER, CO
  • REUTERS TV, NATIONAL
  • WJBK-TV, DETROIT, MI
  • WHAM-TV, ROCHESTER, NY
  • WTVC-TV, CHATTANOOGA, TN
  • KOB-TV, ALBUQUERQUE, NM
  • WYAM-TV, REGIONAL – ALABAMA
  • WXIA-TV, ATLANTA, GA
  • WRAL-TV, RALEIGH-DURHAM, NC
  • WSET-TV, ROANOKE, VA
  • LIFESCRIPT TV, NATIONAL
  • KGUN-TV, TUCSON, AZ
  • WXYZ-TV, DETROIT, MI
  • FOXNEWS.COM, NATIONAL
  • KCTU-TV, WICHTIA, KS
  • XETV, SAN DIEGO, CA
• Radio: Board member, Dr. Lise Van Susteren was our spokesperson in a day long radio tour about NWF’s new report on the psychological toll climate change will have on Americans. These interviews reached millions with this warning and what they can do to fight and prepare for climate change. Dr. Van Susteren was interviewed by the following outlets:
  • POLNET RADIO NETWORK, NATIONAL
  • WTBQ-AM, NEW YORK
  • WHCR-FM, NEW YORK
  • METRO NETWORKS, SEATTLE (SYNDICATED)
  • WICH-AM, HARTFORD
  • NORTHERN NEWS NETWORK, MONTANA (STATEWIDE)
  • WAMV-AM, ROANOKE
  • WALR-FM, ATLANTA
  • USA RADIO, NATIONAL
  • KMA-AM, OMAHA
  • WFIN-AM, TOLEDO
  • WJSS-AM, BALTIMORE
  • WXBR-AM, BOSTON
  • WOCA-AM, ORLANDO
  • WSRB-FM, CHICAGO
  • WDIS-AM, BOSTON
  • KPQ-AM, SEATTLE
  • WCHE-AM, PHILADELPHIA
• 9.9 million viewers saw the story of the reintroduction of pure blood bison on to tribal lands in a story from NBC Nightly News. President Larry Schweiger commented for the report on this great NWF success. News of the bison’s return also ran a total 50 times on other regional TV stations.
• Director of the National Advocacy Center, Adam Kolton was seen on 26 NBC stations nationwide as well as the #2 national newscast in Canada commenting on President Obama’s energy speech.
• Marc Smith was on the radio tour in Minnesota and Wisconsin talking about the latest capture of invasive Asian Carp. He was heard in 5 markets including the #1 wacky rock’in morning show in the Twin Cities.
• The Denver Post (op-ed): Guest Commentary: Appreciating wild creatures during National Wildlife Week
• Public News Service (OH): Pain at the Pump? New Fuel Standards Could Ease the Burden
• Reuters: At Oklahoma oil hub, Obama pledges to speed part of pipeline
• The Washington Post: Stink bugs migrating to the Deep South

For more, visit www.nwf.org/News