Date:         Mon, 17 Jul 2000 10:38:45 -0500
Reply-To:     EJ Williams <EJ_Williams@MAIL.DNR.STATE.GA.US>
Sender:       Georgia Birders Online <GABO-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         EJ Williams <EJ_Williams@MAIL.DNR.STATE.GA.US>
Subject:      CARA Update
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

CARA Update

Items in this update:

- CARA Moving Ahead in Senate
- Highlights and Details of Senate Agreement

CARA MOVING AHEAD IN SENATE

Today, Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Frank 
Murkowski (R-AK) and Ranking Democrat Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) announced they 
have reached agreement after weeks of negotiations on a compromise version 
of HR 701 that will head to the Energy committee next week for a markup and 
vote. The markup will take place next Tuesday in 366 Dirksen Senate Office 
Bldg (time TBA) and may run into Wednesday. The committee has not yet 
determined if it will be covered by webcast. We will keep you posted.

THIS COMPROMISE IS A VERY SIGNIFICANT AND COMES JUST IN TIME TO KEEP THE 
CARA BALL ROLLING IN THE SENATE. WE ARE VERY PLEASED WITH THE AGREEMENT. IT 
INCLUDES MANY OF THE WILDLIFE TITLE CHANGES WE REQUESTED. NOW WE NEED TO 
MAKE SURE CARA GETS OUT OF THE ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE.

PLEASE ASK YOUR SENATORS TO URGE THEIR COLLEAGUES ON THE SENATE ENERGY AND 
NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE TO SUPPORT THIS COMPROMISE WITH NO AMENDMENTS 
OTHER THAN THOSE SUPPORTED BY BOTH MURKOWSKI AND BINGAMAN. STAY TUNED FOR 
ACTION ON MONDAY.

The agreement, which will be called the Conservation and Reinvestment Act, 
uses HR 701 as a base and includes several substantial changes, many of 
which came from Sen. Bingaman's bill, S. 2181 and other OCS reinvestment 

bills.

TITLE III HIGHLIGHTS
-       $350 million
-       formula: 2/3 population, 1/3 land area
-       75:25 state/federal match (no 90:10 phase-in match)
-       minimum floor for state funding raised from 1/2% to 1%
-       includes conservation strategy language
-       gives priority to "species with the greatest conservation need"
-       maintains 10% recreation funding cap
-       includes law enforcement funding with 10% cap
-       2% for FWS administration of fund
-       2.25% for Indian tribes
-       no funding for NAWCA

OTHER COMPROMISE HIGHLIGHTS
-       Title I (Coastal Programs) funding was slightly reduced and divided 
into three coastal programs, including a new coral reef protection program.
-       Title II fully funds the Land and Water Conservation Fund at $900 
million (50/50 federal/state split). Projects in the federal of side of 
LWCF, similar to the House bill, will receive automatic funding like the 
rest of CARA, but will go through the annual appropriations process for 
project approval.
-       Annual funding for the entire CARA bill is CONTINGENT upon Congress 
spending the full $450 million for federal LWCF projects. This is a safety 
mechanism to ensure that federal LWCF funds are fully appropriated.
-       Endangered species habitat funding was removed, however $100 
million was provided for conservation easements through Forest Legacy and 
Farm and Ranchland Protection programs which will in many cases will 
preserve land inhabited by endangered species.
-       Historic preservation funding increased from $100 million to $150 
million.
-       Federal and Indian lands restoration was reduced from $200 million 
to $125 million and is now focused primarily on national parks.
-       Funding for the Youth Conservation Corp and Forest Service rural 
assistance has been added.
-       Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) is fully funded.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sara Marinello, Deputy Campaign Director
International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies
Tel. (202) 624-7890 / Fax (202) 624-7891
Email: saram@sso.org

Check out our web site at http://www.teaming.com!