State DNR to get record distribution

$36.5 million coming through federal program

Wisconsin will receive $36.5 million for conservation programs and projects in 2015, part of a $1.15 billion apportionment of excise tax revenues to states from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Both the Wisconsin and national sums are records in a mechanism that dates to 1937.

The funding comes from the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration and Sport Fish Restoration programs, also known as Pittman-Robertson and Dingell-Johnson, respectively, for the laws that established them.

Under the programs, the federal government collects excise taxes on firearms, ammunition, archery equipment, fishing tackle, electric boat motors and motorboat fuel and distributes it to the states for use by fish and wildlife agencies.

Distributions of theWildlife Restoration funds have soared in recent years as sales of firearms and ammunition have increased in the U.S.

This year the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will send $808.5 million— the most in history — in Wildlife Restoration and $346.5 million in Sport Fish Restoration to the states. State shares are determined by formulas that include population, geographical size, and hunting and fishing license sales.

Wisconsin will receive $24.9 million from the wildlife fund and $11.6 million from the fish fund.

The funds support fish and wildlife conservation and recreation projects that benefit all Americans, the USFWS said in a statement announcing the distributions. The money can be used to pay for staff salaries, research projects, habitat work, shooting ranges, hunter education and boat ramps, to list some examples.

“These funds are the cornerstone of state-based efforts that are critical to the preservation of America’s wildlife and natural resources,” said Dan Ashe, USFWS director. “But they are also the fuel for a massive financial engine that benefits outdoor recreationists, hunters, boaters and anglers, equipment manufacturers and retailers, and local and regional economies. Their value cannot be overstated in providing opportunities for the next generation of Americans to get outdoors, experience our wild places and learn the importance of conserving our natural heritage.”

Since inception, the programs have generated more than $15 billion to conserve fish and wildlife resources and support outdoor recreation opportunities for the American public. Pittman-Robertson has been in place since 1937, DingellJohnson since 1950.

While Wildlife Restoration funds hit a new high this year, Sport Fish Restoration funds peaked at $404 million in 2009 and have declined slightly since.

State fish and wildlife agencies have matched the federally distributed funds with more than $5 billion over the years, mostly through hunting and fishing license revenues. States are required to provide a 25% match to the federal funds.

When contacted last week, officials with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources were not prepared to discuss specific plans for the record distribution. The federal announcement of the state’s share comes as the DNR is considering potential impacts of a proposed state budget that would cut positions in science, education and outreach, many of which are paid by PittmanRobertson and Dingell-Johnson funds.

The department’s fish and wildlife team is reviewing the apportionments and will be discussing and making recommendations on priorities and projects, said Bill Cosh, DNR spokesman. The proposals will be reviewed by agency leadership before submittal to the USFWS, Cosh said, and the agency will share additional details as they become available.

To learn more about the federal programs, visit

fws.gov.

wsfrprograms.