[BCNnet] Overcome this Bird Conservation Threat

[Donald R. Dann]

BCNnet friends

 

Your help is needed.   Governor Blagojevich recently eliminated 87 experienced professionals in the Department of Natural Resources, positions vitally important to bird conservation.  Although the budget deficit has required all state agencies to have their budgets cut between 3 and 4 %, he has disproportionately reduced the DNR’s budget 14%!

 

Recently, Lieutenant Governor Pat Quinn announced the Conservation Initiative to provide additional funding for conservation programs, and to restore some funds to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. The measure is essential for managing, protecting, and maintaining Illinois’ natural resources for present and future generations.  Please do your part.  Many thanks,

 

Donnie  

 

Donald R. Dann

On behalf of the Executive Committee

Bird Conservation Network

Ph/Fx: 847-266-2222

Cell: 847-997-1011

Email: donniebird at yahoo.com 

 

 

Background: 

The Conservation Initiative would provide approximately $25 million to conservation programs and natural resource agencies by closing a 20 year-old tax loophole that is unnecessary and redundant.  The landfill gas subsidy stems from the 1980s Retail Rate Law.

The Conservation Initiative would fund programs like Conservation 2000 at the Departments of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program which: 

* Invest in restoration to improve water quality, wildlife habitat and populations, and reduce problems from 
        sediment and other pollutants; and, 
* Provide adequate funding for staff and programs so that Illinois residents and visitors can enjoy Illinois’ 
        natural areas and take part in healthy outdoor activities.   

Funding from the Illinois Conservation Initiative through the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program would conserve and restore more than 20,000 acres of Illinois land.  Providing the state match for this program would leverage an additional $40 million in federal funding. 


To support the Conservation Initiative, please: 

1.        Visit Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn’s website to sign an on-line petition, and to learn more 
        (www.Conservation2005.il.gov); 

2.        Contact your state legislators via mail, e-mail or telephone to let them know that you support the         
        Conservation Initiative.  To find the mail and e-mail addresses of your state senator and representative, point 
        your browser here (http://www.elections.state.il.us/DLS/Pages/DLSAddressCrit.asp), and enter your home 
        address or zip code + 4; and, 

3.        Sign up for e-mail action alerts to keep abreast of developments regarding the Conservation Initiative and 
        other water quality related topics.  http://www.state.il.us/ltgov/forms/action_reg.aspx 
  
Thanks for taking action on this important initiative.   

* * * 

Marc Miller, Senior Policy Advisor 
Office of Lieutenant Governor Pat Quinn 
Room 214 State House 
Springfield, IL 62706-4700 
Phone  217-557-5625 
Fax  217-524-6262 

 

 

*******************************  From the Illinois Environmental Council:*********************************

 

Last week the Department of Natural Resources

eliminated 87 staff positions. The Illinois

Environmental Council and Partners for Parks and

Wildlife attempted a last ditch effort to save the

jobs by pushing for an additional $2 million to be

appropriated to DNR to support those jobs through the

end of the fiscal year. There wound up being a

supplemental appropriation bill that passed last week,

but we were unable to get money included for these

positions. 

 

In the meantime, Representative Mike Boland has

introduced HB 214, which would make the appropriation

and restore the positions. Also, Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn

has proposed eliminating the Retail Rate tax credit

for landfill operators generating electricity from

landfill gas (worth $25 million), and using some of

the money to save these jobs, with the remainder going

to fund Conservation 2000 and the Conservation Reserve

Enhancement Program (CREP).

 

You can TAKE ACTION by sending a letter to Governor

Blagojevich, Budget Director Filan, and your State

Senator and Representative in support of HB 214!

Please go to

http://www.illinoisactionproject.org/showalert.asp?aaid=612.

 

 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://screamer.ece.iit.edu/pipermail/bcnnet/attachments/20050130/d027a779/attachment.htm