Westerman’s bill on wildlife to draw look
State-led conservation focus of hearing by House panel
WASHINGTON — One U.S. House of Representatives committee will begin consideration of legislation this week that would support wildlife and habitat conservation through state-led efforts.
Members of the House Natural Resources will meet Wednesday to discuss the America’s Wildlife Habitat Conservation Act, nearly a week after Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Ark., and Republican colleagues announced the measure. Westerman, a licensed forester, serves as the committee’s chairman and the bill’s lead sponsor.
The crux of the America’s Wildlife Habitat Conservation Act is an annual $320 million investment in grant funding for state-led wildlife habitat conservation efforts and resources for enacting state wildlife action plans. States and territories develop such plans for conserving wildlife and habitat spaces.
This program would utilize funds from previously approved spending in the Inflation Reduction Act and the 2021 infrastructure law. The bill only has funding to support the grants for five years.
During a news conference Thursday, Westerman of Hot Springs said local and state governments are better suited to implement “proactive habitat conservation” than federal agencies.
“This is a logical and forward-thinking solution to restore and maintain habitat for America’s wildlife,” he said.
The legislation would provide states with the ability to develop recovery strategies for species listed under the Endangered Species Act as threatened or likely candidates for such designation.
The bill’s supporters argue the move would provide states with a more active role in designing effective regulations and ensuring proper management.
“We have to improve species conservation efforts by empowering state- and local-led efforts and avoid a one-size-fits-all approach to species recovery,” Rep. Dan
Newhouse, R-Wash., told reporters.
Newhouse is chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus, whose membership includes lawmakers interested in rural policy issues. Westerman serves as one of the caucus’ vice chairs. Rep. Rick Crawford, a Republican from Jonesboro, is also a caucus member.
“What works to recover a species in my state of Washington may not work in the great state of Arkansas or Georgia or Montana,” Newhouse said.
“We know that the best stewards of the land are those whose communities rely on a healthy landscape.”
A bipartisan coalition has introduced legislation with a similar goal to Westerman’s bill.
The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act dedicates $1.4 billion for conservation efforts with the intention of following state wildlife action plans.
The House passed a previous version of the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act in June 2022, but the full Senate did not consider the matter.
Westerman opposed the legislation during the previous Congress.
“We had some real concerns about it,” he said Thursday.
“A lot of the goals in RAWA are goals that we like, but it was a $1.3 billion-peryear bill that was permanent, mandatory spending with no offsets. That can’t fly in the House right now.”
Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich. — the leading voice in the House supporting the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act — serves on the House Natural Resources Committee.
Westerman said he has spoken to Dingell about his proposal.
“I think as we get into the details more that more of my friends across the aisle will come along to support this bill,” Westerman told reporters.
“It’s not just sending money out of the door from D.C.; it’s got provisions in it that will actually work to take place and good things to happen to wildlife habitat.”
The House committee’s Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee will hold Wednesday’s hearing to consider the matter.
Westerman expressed hope about a full committee markup on the bill “soon after that.”