Statement: Recovering America’s Wildlife Act is a big win for nature in Florida

The bipartisan bill will allow state and tribal wildlife agencies to intervene before species become endangered

Environment Florida

St. Petersburg, FL — Reps. Jeff Fortenberry, a Republican from Nebraska, and Debbie Dingell, a Democrat from Michigan, introduced the bipartisan Recovering America’s Wildlife Act on Thursday. The bill earmarks $1.397 billion annually for state fish and wildlife agencies, as well as $97.5 million to tribes, to carry out wildlife conservation efforts such as protecting and enhancing natural warm-water refuges for Florida manatees. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has identified 690 species in need of conservation measures, including gopher tortoises and Florida panthers.

Jenna Stevens, Environment Florida state director, issued the following statement: 

“There are 3 billion fewer birds in the skies in North American today than in 1970, and globally, one million species are at risk of extinction, according to the United Nations’ biodiversity conference. Wildlife continue to face old challenges like habitat loss and fragmentation, but species are increasingly dealing with newer threats like climate change and invasive species. The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act will give our wildlife the support it badly needs.

“The act is exactly the kind of proactive legislation we have to implement to help nature recover and thrive in the 21st century. It’s no surprise that this is a bipartisan effort because Republicans and Democrats all understand that it’s much harder to bring species back from the brink than it is to address their decline before things get out of hand.

“We are blessed in this country with beautiful open spaces and iconic wildlife species that are the envy of the world. We have a responsibility to protect this brilliant inheritance and pass it on to the next generations. This bill is a major investment toward that end.”