Weekly News Roundup- May 10, 2013

 Want to know what National Wildlife Federation was up to this week? Here is a recap of the week’s NWF news:

NWF: Inexcusable for EPA Nominee to be Denied Fair Vote

May 9– Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Republicans announced a boycott of today’s hearing on the confirmation of Gina McCarthy as Environmental Protection Agency administrator.

Larry Schweiger, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation, said on Thursday:

“Given Gina McCarthy’s long record of non-partisan public service, it’s inexcusable for her nomination to be politicized by senators prioritizing industrial polluters over public health protection. She’s answered every question put to her and her record of protecting America’s wildlife, clean air and water, and public lands is rock-solid. The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee should set aside partisanship and instead serve the American people by giving Gina McCarthy the clean up-or-down confirmation vote she deserves.”

Take Action to support a speedy decision.

 

Sportsmen Back Sensible Fracking Regulations

May 8 – As the Interior Department prepares to release new federal fracking regulations, a sportsmen’s coalition is urging officials to make sure the rules will adequately protect air and water quality, fish and wildlife.

The update to oil and gas drilling methods on federal and tribal lands is the first in about 30 years, Sportsmen for Responsible Energy Development noted Tuesday. Meanwhile, the process of hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” has significantly changed, opening previously inaccessible land to development.

“The reality is the technology and methods have changed since the original rule was put in place. Today, millions of gallons of fluids and chemicals are injected underground at high pressure,” said Brad Powell, Senior Policy Director for Trout Unlimited’s Sportsmen Conservation Project. “We know there are a lot of good companies doing the right thing. But it’s critical to have safeguards in place. We can’t run the risk of contaminating groundwater or surface water and endangering people, fish and wildlife.”

Learn more about the negative environmental effects of hydraulic fracturing here.

 

National Wildlife Federation Expert Appointed to New Committee on Climate Change and Natural Resources

May 8 – The National Wildlife Federation’s Director of Climate Change Adaptation, Dr. Bruce Stein, has been selected to serve as a member of the newly-established federal Advisory Committee on Climate Change and Natural Resource Science by Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell.

Bruce Stein“We urgently need to understand how climate change will impact wildlife and their habitats, so that we can take appropriate actions to enhance their chances for survival,” said Stein. “The Department of the Interior is working hard to improve the scientific basis for wildlife conservation in an era of global warming, and I am honored to have been invited to serve on this new Advisory Committee.”

“Responding to climate change and its effects on our natural and cultural resources is an important priority for the nation,” said Secretary Sally Jewell. “This committee embodies our commitment to working closely with our partners to strengthen our efforts to develop sound science that will help inform policymakers, land managers and the public in making important resource management decisions.”

The new committee will provide guidance on the Interior Department’s climate change adaptation science initiatives, including the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center and the recently established Department of Interior Climate Science Centers.

Read Bruce Stein’s profile and learn more about NWF’s climate-smart conservation work.

 

Senator Chambliss Honored for Farm Bill Conservation Leadership

May 8 – Georgia Wildlife Federation, the state’s oldest and largest conservation organization, and National Wildlife Federation, the nation’s largest conservation organization, today recognized U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) in his Capitol Hill office with a Conservation Service Award for his leadership in promoting natural resource conservation in the Farm Bill. Presenting the award were Todd Holbrook, president and CEO of Georgia Wildlife Federation and Matt Nichols, chairman of GWF, with Jim Lyon, vice president for Conservation Policy for National Wildlife Federation.

Farm

In presenting the award, Holbrook cited Senator Chambliss’ leadership in last year’s Farm Bill floor debate, when the Senator successfully sponsored an amendment to re-attach basic natural resource protections to crop insurance premium subsidies. The protections—called conservation compliance—require subsidy recipients to forgo draining wetlands (Swampbuster) or farming highly erodible lands without a soil conservation plan (Sodbuster).

“Senator Chambliss’ leadership on this issue has been critical to protect our natural resources and Georgia taxpayers’ wallets,” said Holbrook.

Click here to learn more about the Farm Bill and how it effects America’s wildlife habitats.

 

 

Planting the Seeds for Gardening With Kids

May 8– Spring isn’t just a beautiful time to enjoy the outdoors, it is also a great time to get outside with your kids and start your own family garden. A new guide, titled “Get Your Family’s Garden Growing”released by the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) shows just how easy and fun it can be to garden with your kids. The new guide is part of the National Wildlife Federation’s Be Out There movement and is being released in celebration of May is Garden for Wildlife Month.

Download the full guide at www.beoutthere.org/garden and get more tips and advice for parents. For more information on Gardening for Wildlife Month, visit the Garden for Wildlife website.

 

Report: Advancing Landscape-Scale Conservation in North America’s Coastal Temperate Rainforests

Grizzly and Cub

May 6- North America’s resource managers and conservation practitioners protect and preserve our lands, waters, and wildlife in the face of land use change, development pressure, and now, climate change. To help ensure our resource managers and conservationists will be able to protect and preserve the places and wildlife we cherish in light of climate change, National Wildlife Federation worked with the North Pacific Landscape Conservation Cooperative (NPLCC) and University of Washington Climate Impacts Group to identify climate change-related challenges, needs, and opportunities for conservation in North America’s coastal temperate rainforests and coasts. The 195 resource managers, conservation practitioners, and researchers we engaged requested four types of support to address the challenges they face: decision-support systems and tools; collaboration and other capacity-building activities; new or different science, data and information; and, science communication and outreach.

Download the full report: Advancing Landscape-Scale Conservation: An Assessment of Climate Change-Related Challenges, Needs, and Opportunities for the NPLCC (pdf)

Read the Wildlife Promise blog: 4 New Insights for Climate-Smart Conservation

 

And now here are highlights from NWF in the news:

For more visit www.nwf.org/news