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NFC: Fw: [Updates] Some (hopefully) Useful/Interesting Information While Congress Is Out
Some (hopefully) Useful/Interesting Information While Congress Is Out
IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO SIGN ON FOR RIVER FUNDING FOR FY’01
American Rivers is again accepting sign-ons for the River Budget:
National
Priorities for Local River Conservation in FY 2001. As of November 1,
more
than 400 river conservation organizations, community groups, recreation
organizations, and others had added their names to the list of groups
supporting the budget (see http://www.amrivers.org/rbudget2001list.html
for
the full list of sign on groups as of November 1).
To see the final River Budget for FY’01 visit
http://www.amrivers.org/rbudget.html. To sign on in support, contact Suzy
McDowell at smcdowell at amrivers_org.
Note – the River Budget for FY’01 went to the printers in late October.
All
groups that sign on to the River Budget after November 15 will be listed
on
an addendum sheet to be inserted in the printed documents and added to
the
online list of sign on groups.
VISIT YOUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS OVER WINTER RECESS AND URGE THEM TO FULLY
SUPPORT RIVER BUDGET INITIATIVES
Members of Congress are home until early January and NEED TO HEAR FROM
YOU.
This is a great opportunity to focus their attention on river funding in
the
next fiscal year.
Legislators will begin developing appropriations bills for FY'01 early in
2000.
For more on visiting your Members during recess in support of increased
funding for river conservation and restoration, see
http://www.amrivers.org/rbudgetvisit.html.
CONGRESSIONAL SCHEDULE
The second session of the 106th Congress is scheduled to resume on
January
24, 2000. The President will deliver his State of the Union speech on
January 27, 2000. The dates for Congress’ winter and spring recesses are
February 21-25 (President's Day) and April 17-28 (spring recess). Members
usually return to their district offices during recess, providing you
with a
good opportunity to meet face to face with your elected officials and
urge
them to support conservation initiatives important to your community. For
more information on setting up a meeting with your Members of Congress
during recess, visit http://www.amrivers.org/rbudgetvisit.html or contact
Suzy McDowell at smcdowell at amrivers_org.
WILD ATLANTIC SALMON ENDANGERED LISTING
Based on biological evidence that wild Atlantic salmon in eight Maine
rivers
are in danger of extinction, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the
National Marine Fisheries Service have jointly proposed listing the wild
stocks of this species in the Gulf of Maine as endangered under the
Endangered Species Act. A species is designated as endangered when it is
at
risk of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range.
Although significant efforts have been made to recover the species under
Maine's conservation plan, the Fish and Wildlife Service and National
Marine
Fisheries Service believe that existing measures to protect wild salmon
are
no longer enough to ensure their survival.
For more information on the listing, visit
http://northeast.fws.gov/newsrel/mesalmon.html or contact Mary Colligan
(978)-281-9116 or Paul Nickerson (413) 253-8615. The notice appeared in
the
Federal Register on Wednesday, November 17, Vol. 64, No. 221, pp.62627.
The
1999 Status Review is available at
http://news.fws.gov/salmon/asalmon.html.
NATIONAL RIVER CLEANUP WEEK SCHEDULED FOR JUNE 3-10, 2000
The ninth annual National River Cleanup Week will be held June 3-10,
2000.
Every year, National River Cleanup Week promotes the importance of
keeping
rivers and streams clean and encourages cleanups of local waterways.
In 1999, more than 30,000 volunteers participated in the cleanup
experience
that helps communities focus attention on neglected waterways and
simulates
cleanups of blighted areas. Civic clubs, businesses, paddlesport
enthusiasts, fishing groups, outfitters, and conservation groups join
together in many areas to organize and execute cleanups of their streams.
America Outdoors coordinates National River Cleanup Week by assisting
local
groups with information about how to conduct a successful cleanup. Groups
that register their cleanups with America Outdoors are also eligible to
receive free trash bags if their cleanups fall during the specified week.
America Outdoors also provides educational materials and safety tips on
waterway cleanups.
For more information, please contact America Outdoors at 423-558-3595 or
amoutdoors at aol_com.
The Bureau of Land Management and the US Forest Service provide agency
support for National River Cleanup Week. The Associate National
Coordinators
are American Rivers, American Whitewater Affiliation, Professional
Paddlesports Association, and American Canoe Association.
IS THE BLUE PIKE BACK?
The Native Fish Conservancy is working in partnership with the US Fish
and
Wildlife Service to determine if a fish caught by some fishers in
Ontario,
Canada is a Blue Pike, a species believed to be extinct. In October, the
Native Fish Conservancy set up a $500 minimum reward for the first fisher
to
provide a recently caught, live frozen Blue Pike or Hybrid.
The blue pike was an endemic fish of the Great Lakes region in the United
States and Canada. It was once commonly found in the waters of Lake Erie,
Lake Ontario, and the Niagara River. Due to the combined impacts of
commercial and sport fishing, habitat degradation, and increased
pollution,
the blue pike is believed to have gone extinct in 1970.
To learn more about the NFC and the Blue Pike, visit
http://www.nativefish.org
********************
Suzy McDowell
Outreach Coordinator
American Rivers
1025 Vermont Ave, NW, #720
Washington, DC 20005
202-347-7550 x3040
smcdowell at amrivers_org