Conservation Corner: June 12, 2000

Counties To Get Financial Assistance
by James L. Cummins

Recently, the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved landmark bipartisan legislation which will increase funding for conservation and recreation. The "Conservation and Reinvestment Act (CARA)" was approved by a 315 to 102 vote. The legislation is now in the U.S. Senate for consideration.

"On a bipartisan basis this Congress has approved one of the most comprehensive conservation bills in decades. I'm hopeful the Senate will continue this bipartisan effort and approve this landmark legislation," said U.S. Representative Don Young (R-Alaska), the Chairman of the House Committee on Resources who sponsored the legislation along with Reps. Bennie Thompson (D-MS), Chip Pickering (R-MS), Ronnie Shows (D-MS) and Gene Taylor (D-MS).

Funding for the important programs under CARA would be derived from a portion of Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) revenues. CARA would provide annual funding in the amount of $900 million for coastal states, such as Mississippi, for coastal conservation and another $900 million for state and federal conservation programs.

Also, $350 million will go into wildlife conservation and education. In addition, $125 million will be provided to match grants to local governments to rehabilitate recreation areas and facilities and provide for the development of improved recreation programs, sites and facilities.

For historic preservation, $100 million will go to fund programs of the Historic Preservation Act, and $200 million will go toward funding for a coordinated program on Federal and Indian lands, such as the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, to restore degraded lands, protect resources that are threatened with degradation and protect public health and safety. $150 million will go toward providing funding for conservation easements to aid in the recovery of endangered and threatened species.

Of special importance, is up to $200 million of the annual interest generated from the CARA Fund will match, dollar for dollar, the amount appropriated during the Congressional Appropriations process for the Payment In Lieu Of Taxes program, or PILT as it is commonly called. The PILT program is considered a major "underfunded mandate" and it is extremely important to over 2,000 public land jurisdictions in 49 states that rely upon the PILT program to provide some equity for the services they provide. The money goes to counties where federal lands, such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S.D.A Forest Service, exist.

The PILT program was conceived in 1976. Funds are used to offset costs incurred by counties for services provided to the users of the public lands. These include items like education, solid waste disposal, law enforcement, search and rescue, recreation and other important uses.

James L. Cummins is Executive Director of the Mississippi Fish and Wildlife Foundation in Stoneville, Mississippi. Known as "Wildlife Mississippi," the Foundation is a non-profit, conservation organization founded to conserve, restore and enhance fish, wildlife and plant resources throughout Mississippi.