Newsgroups: bit.listserv.biosph-l
Date:         Tue, 26 Jan 1993 18:51:58 EST
Reply-To:     "Norman C. Saunders" <NYS@NIHCU.BITNET>
From:         "Norman C. Saunders" <NYS@NIHCU.BITNET>
Subject:      State Wildlife Funding Announced

Fish and Wildlife Service
For Release: January 19, 1993


Hugh Vickery  202-208-5634


            Interior Secretary Lujan Announces Apportionment
             of $351.8 Million For State Wildlife Projects


     Secretary of  the Interior Manuel Lujan today announced $351.8 mil-
lion raised  from Federal  excise taxes on hunting and fishing equipment
will be apportioned to the states for fish and wildlife-related projects
in the United States and territories this year.

     "Hunters and  fishermen continue  to fund  the lion's share of this
Nation's conservation  efforts," Lujan  said.  "Without the excise taxes
they pay  on hunting  and fishing equipment, states would not be able to
pay for  many of  the fish  and wildlife restoration and recreation pro-
jects the public has come to take for granted."

     The revenues  are made  available to  the states through Interior's
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

     A total  of $156.9  million will be apportioned to the states under
the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act, commonly referred to as the
Pittman-Robertson program,  after its  congressional sponsors.   Another
$194.9 million  will be passed along under the Federal Aid in Sport Fish
Restoration Act, often called the Dingell-Johnson/Wallop-Breaux program.

     Excise taxes  collected from manufacturers and importers of angling
and hunting  equipment are  paid to  the U.S. Department of Treasury and
then transferred  to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for distribution
to the states.

     "This money  will be  spent for everything from building boat ramps
to restoring  vital wetlands to establishing hunter education and safety
programs," said  Mike Hayden,  Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife
and Parks.   "It  not only  conserves wildlife  and wildlife habitat but
also helps everyone enjoy the great outdoors more."

     Fish and  Wildlife Director  John Turner said, "These programs have
long been the model of enlightened self-interest, ever since anglers and
hunters lobbied  Congress to  impose the  taxes.   They reflect the deep
love and  respect American  sportsmen have  for wildlife and our natural
heritage."

     The $156.9  million for  wildlife restoration  and hunter education
programs for  fiscal year  1993 comes  from an  11-percent excise tax on
sporting arms and ammunition, a 10-percent tax on pistols and revolvers,
and an 11-percent tax on certain archery equipment.

     The $194.9 million for sports fish restoration for fiscal year 1993
results from  a 10-percent  excise tax on fishing equipment and a 3-per-
cent tax  on electric  trolling motors and sonar fish finders.  In addi-
tion, the  "Wallop-Breaux" legislation  of 1984  increased the  tax base
for sport fish restoration to include a portion of the Federal motorboat
fuels tax and import duties on fishing tackle and pleasure boats.

     The Federal Aid program allows states to set the priorities and de-
velop projects  based on  their own  wildlife resource  needs.  Up to 75
percent of every Sport Fish Restoration and Wildlife Restoration project
is funded  through these apportioned excise taxes while the remaining 25
percent is funded through state matching funds.

     Also in fiscal year 1993, $32.2 million will be used to fund hunter
education and  safety programs.   These  programs for  beginning hunters
teach safe  handling of  firearms and  archery  equipment,  respect  for
wildlife, ethical  outdoor behavior,  wilderness survival,  and  how  to
avoid hunting  accidents.   To date, more than 20 million hunters, about
700,000 per year, have graduated from state hunter education programs.

  ====================================================================

This press  release has  been brought to you compliments of The Osprey's
Nest, a  computer bulletin  board for birders and other amateur natural-
ists in  the Washington,  DC area.   The Osprey's Nest may be reached 24
hours per day at 301-989-9036 and answers the phone at 300 to 9600 baud.

The Osprey's  Nest is not associated in any way with the U.S. Department
of the  Interior or  with the  U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  Opinions
expressed in  these press releases are not necessarily those of the sys-
tem operator of The Osprey's Nest.
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