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A coalition of more than 3,000 organizations and businesses have supported the need for such funding by officially endorsed Teaming with Wildlife. In response to this support, in October 1998 Congress introduced legislation that would meet the goals of TWW but with a different funding source.
Known as the Conservation and Reinvestment Act (CARA), H.R. 701 and S. 25 would dedicate a portion of federal income from offshore oil and natural gas leases for a variety of purposes, including the goals of TWW. CARA enjoys strong bipartisan support in the House and Senate (about 120 sponsors) and offers a tax-free alternative to the original TWW proposal.
Under CARA, New Jersey would receive more than $25 million annually in new federal funds. Of this, $14 million would be earmarked for air and water quality programs, coastal restoration, wetlands protection, and other programs that aid in the conservation of our natural heritage.
More than $4 million would be dedicated to building new outdoor recreation facilities, such as ball fields, picnic areas, trails, campgrounds and neighborhood parks. Roughly $6 million would go to ensuring that wildlife species in New Jersey remain abundant for all of us to enjoy.
The sponsors of CARA and H.R. 798, a similar bill known as Resources 2000, are negotiating a compromise bill that should be released from the House Resources Committee late in October 1999.
On September 21st, a letter was sent to House and Senate leaders asking them to commit to supporting this legislation. Spearheaded by New Jersey's Governor Whitman, the letter was signed by the chief executives of 40 states.
Please check the Teaming With Wildlife website or the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies for updates on CARA or call Kate McGuire at (609) 292-1244 if you would like to know how you can get involved in supporting CARA.
A summary of CARA follows:
Background
Since the mid-1950s, 100 percent of the revenue collected from oil and gas leases beyond the area regulated by Section 8(g) of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lands Act (generally over 6 miles from shore) has been sent to the Federal Treasury ($4.59 billion estimated for 2000). Conversely, onshore federal revenue accrued from oil and gas development is generally shared 50/50 with the states where development occurs. The House and Senate proposals would send nearly half of the OCS revenue that's currently going to the U.S. Treasury back to the states to permanently fund the following programs:
Title I: Coastal Impact Assistance
H.R. 701 and S. 25: 27% (c. $1.24 billion) of annual OCS revenue would go to coastal states and communities for impact assistance associated with federal OCS activity off their shores (applicable to all coastal states including Great Lakes states). A few conservation examples of OCS-associated impacts eligible for impact assistance funds include air quality, water quality, fish and wildlife and wetlands. Other impact-related projects, such as onshore infrastructure and public service needs, will also be eligible.
Title II: Land-based Recreation
H.R. 701: 23% of annual OCS revenue (capped at $900 million) would fund land-based recreation
H.R. 701: 10% (c. $459 million) of annual OCS revenue would be used to fund state-level wildlife conservation and related recreation and education, essentially the goals of Teaming with Wildlife.
S. 25: 7% (c. $321 million) of annual OCS revenue would be used to fund state-level wildlife conservation and related recreation and education, essentially the goals of Teaming with Wildlife.
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