URGENT: Help Stop the Dike Removal at the Willapa National Wildlife Refuge

[huntrights]

Help Stop the Dike Removal at the Willapa National Wildlife Refuge


This is an urgent request for help from Washington State sportsmen, waterfowl hunters, and conservation minded citizens.  I will post it in the Hunting Activism & 2nd Amendment Issues and Waterfowl forums.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are planning to remove the dikes at the Willapa National Wildlife Refuge.  This is something we do not want to have happen.  A friend that is closely involved in the issue has provided the following summary information to explain why we don’t want the dikes removed.

“1.  Many of these refuges (including Willapa) were purchased for the specific purpose of "Waterfowl Conservation" and the law states that the original purpose of the proclamation justifying the purchase cannot be changed, altered, or degraded.
 2.  The primary source of funding for many of these refuges was monies from the sale of waterfowl stamps (52% in the case of Willapa National Wildlife Refuge) per the "Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Act".
 3.  Much of the WNWR was procured via condemnation from unwilling sellers under the authority of the Migratory Bird Act" specifically for the conservation of "Waterfowl" (ducks, geese, brant).  This proclamation states waterfowl and references no other wildlife species.
 4.  The dike removals and creation of marine estuarine habitat at other sites such as Nisqually and South Bend have had a devastating effect on waterfowl utilization of at least a 90% reduction. 
 5.  Waterfowl do use our natural marine estuarine habitats but not nearly in the densities that they utilize the freshwater habitat and short grass fields behind these dikes.  Diversity of habitats is the key.
 6.  Since the completion of alterations at other sites there has been no marked improvement in utilization by waterfowl or other wildlife species.
7. Stopping the dike removals has the support of many organizations;  Cranberry Growers Association, several Washington State County Farm Bureaus, Washington State Farm Bureau, Discovery Coast Audubon Society, Pacific County Commissioners, Delta Waterfowl Foundation, and the Washington Waterfowl Association to name a few.”

Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler has introduced language into the Interior Appropriations portion of the Omnibus Appropriations bill that would prohibit the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from using any of these monies to remove the dikes at the Willapa National Wildlife Refuge.  If this language is accepted it would eliminate these funds as a possible source of funding for the removal these dikes.

The House appears to be willing to accept the language into the bill but it will be an uphill battle to get it through the Senate.  To help get this language into the bill, please contact Senator Patty Murray via her website; she is the representative that will play a key role in getting this through.  Your message to her can be as simple as the following:

“Please support the insertion of the language proposed by Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler into the Interior Appropriations portion of the Omnibus Appropriations bill regarding the Willapa National Wildlife Refuge."

It is as simple as that for you to make a contribution in stopping the removal of these dikes and the loss of this very important freshwater habitat.  You can only make a difference if you get involved; Senator Murray will be more likely to support this language insertion if enough people contact her.  If you can get family and friends to do the same, it would be very helpful.

Senator Murray’s web contact form:

http://murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contactme

Thank you in advance for your help.

[Special T]

They pulled that non sence up here in Skagit County.  Fricken DU got involved and thought it was a good idea. Du has gotten involved in some of this salmon restoration BS... Call and raise hell its complete BS

[blackdog]

The local legislators in the 19th have asked that these funds not be used for dike removal.

[ICEMAN]

Good god I do not see the end to any of this insanity.

[huntrights]

Get your friends and family to write to Senator Murray, I've provided the simple message and the link to get it to her; it just needs to come from all of you.  I wrote Senator Murray immediately once I heard Congresswomen Jamie Herrera Beutler's proposal would help prevent the destruction of this important waterfowl habitat.  We need to help our representative help us; please send those emails to Senator Murray.

[huntrights]

There are additional related posts in the Waterfowl forum that are worth reading.

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,88394.0.html

[huntrights]

Your voice has made a difference.  Thank you.  However, keep this on your radar; the battle is not over.  Please be ready to write your representatives when the call comes again.


December 21, 2011
Congress Approves Federal Protection for Willapa National Wildlife Refuge
U.S. Fish and Wildlife directed to not breach dikes
 
Washington, DC – Today Jaime Herrera Beutler commended the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate for recently approving temporary federal protection for the Willapa National Wildlife Refuge in Pacific County, Washington.  Jaime fought for this specific protection that directs the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to refrain from flooding the refuge until at least April of 2012.
 
This protection for Willapa was part of the 2012 federal appropriation bill that was passed by overwhelming bipartisan majorities in Congress last week.  Specifically, the bill’s conference report contains language directing the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife to refrain from removing the levee systems on the Lewis Point, Porter Point and Riekkola units, allowing it more time to address strong community concerns over this management alternative that would flood the refuge.  The measure was approved by the House on Friday, December 16 (passed 296-121) and Senate on Saturday, December 17 (passed 67-32).   
 
“This is good news for the folks of Southwest Washington who care about the future of this refuge,” said Jaime.  “It’s clear that the proposal to permanently alter this valued community treasure does not have the public fully behind it.  I will continue to do whatever it takes so that this permanent change doesn’t move forward without the support of this community.
 
“I’ve been glad to take this issue to Congress for the folks of Pacific County, but we secured this protection because of the collaborative work of many.  Senator Hatfield, Representative Blake and Representative Takko, Pacific County Commissioners Jon Kaino, Norman Cuffel, and Lisa Ayers, recreationalists, hunters, cranberry growers, and local citizens deserve credit for making their voices heard.
 
“I’ll continue working hard so that residents of Southwest Washington are the ones who shape the future of this refuge they care so deeply about.”
 
Background:
 
In early 2011, Jaime became aware that the USFWS was pursuing controversial management alternatives that would flood and permanently alter the Willapa National Wildlife Refuge – and the Pacific County Community largely knew nothing about it. 
 
Jaime worked with USFWS to extend the public comment period, and in March personally hosted a listening session in Ilwaco for hundreds of Pacific County residents to ask questions and express concerns.  Despite the lack of local support, however, USFWS officials were readying plans to breach the dikes in preparation for their preferred management alternative.
 
She helped lead a bipartisan coalition of elected officials and citizens to successfully convince the Salmon Recovery Funding Board to cancel funding for the dike breach in May.  The Army Corps of Engineers subsequently cancelled the permits to demolish the dikes.  Yet efforts to move forward with this change to the refuge are not dead, and Jaime continues to hear from concerned citizens who want to preserve the refuge as it has been for nearly 75 years.
 

[Wenatcheejay]

Thank you for your work jshunt.

 

(Letter sent)

[huntrights]

You bet.  I will try to keep my fingers on the pulse of what's happening in our community and try to keep people informed.  One of our biggest weaknesses is that many never hear of these issues until it is too late.