STATE WILDLIFE AGENCIES TO RECEIVE MORE THAN $600 MILLION FOR SPORT FISH

STATE WILDLIFE AGENCIES TO RECEIVE MORE THAN $600 MILLION FOR SPORT FISH
AND WILDLIFE RESTORATION

Interior Department Secretary Dirk Kempthorne announced today that more
than $600 million will be distributed to 56 state and territorial wildlife
agencies to fund conservation efforts, shooting ranges and hunter
education. This funding results from an excise tax paid by firearm,
ammunition, archery and angling equipment manufacturers as well as boat
motor fuels through the Federal Aid in Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration
programs.

“Since establishment of these federal programs more than a half century
ago, manufacturers of firearms, ammunition, archery, fishing and boating
equipment have paid more than $10.5 billion in excise taxes, which has been
used by state wildlife agencies to maintain and restore fish and wildlife
resources, educate hunters and fund sport shooting ranges nationwide,” said
Kempthorne.  “By paying these excise taxes, the manufacturers and sportsmen
and women continue to provide critical funding for wildlife conservation in
North America.”

The Wildlife Restoration apportionment for 2007 totals nearly $267 million,
with more than $50 million tagged for hunter education and shooting range
programs.  The Sport Fish Restoration apportionment for 2007 totals more
than $349 million.  Federal Assistance funds pay up to 75 percent of the
cost of each eligible project while the states are required to contribute
at least 25 percent.

“In the 1930s, after an era of massive habitat degradation and commercial
hunting had decimated game populations, sportsmen stood up and said, ‘We
want to restore the numbers of game and we know someone has to pay to do
it,’” said H. Dale Hall, Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
“Then they suggested something that was virtually unprecedented, the
establishment of a tax.”

“In 1937 sportsmen called for passage of the Federal Aid in Wildlife
Restoration Act, and in 1950, the Federal Aid in Sportfish Restoration Act.
As the Wildlife Restoration Act approaches its 70th anniversary in
September, it’s an ideal time to take stock of the extraordinary
accomplishments of these two programs,” Hall added.

Wildlife Restoration Act funding is made available to states through a
formula based on land area, including inland waters and the number of
hunting license holders in each state.  States use the money to manage
wildlife populations, conduct habitat research, surveys and inventories,
and administer hunter education programs.

More than 62 percent of Wildlife Restoration funds are used to buy,
develop, maintain, and operate wildlife management areas.  Since the
program began, 68 million acres of land have been purchased and more than
350 million acres managed for wildlife.

Numerous species such as the wild turkey, white-tailed deer, pronghorn
antelope, American elk and mountain lion have increased in population due
to improved research and habitat management funded by Wildlife Restoration.
In the program’s history, more than 9 million landowners were provided
management assistance for wildlife and fish.  State wildlife agencies have
improved more than 26 million acres of habitat and developed more than
43,000 acres of waterfowl impoundments.

Sport Fish Restoration is funded by the collection of excise taxes and
import duties on sport fishing equipment, motorboat and small engine fuels,
and pleasure boats.   Sport Fish Restoration funds are allocated to the
states based on a formula that includes the land and water area, inland
waters and the Great Lakes and marine coastal areas where applicable, and
the number of fishing license holders.  States use the funds to pay for
stocking fish; acquiring and improving sport fish habitat; providing
aquatic resource education opportunities; conducting fisheries research;
and the construction at boat ramps, fishing piers, and other facilities for
recreational boating access.

States have bought about 150,000 acres for public fishing areas and
maintained more than 15 million acres since the program began.

Please visit the Service’s Division of Federal Assistance Website at
<http://federalaid.fws.gov> for state-by-state funding allocations.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency
responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and
plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American
people. The Service manages the 95-million- acre National Wildlife Refuge
System, which encompasses 547 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small
wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national
fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resources offices, and 81 ecological services
field stations. The agency enforces Federal wildlife laws, administers the
Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores
nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat
such as wetlands, and helps foreign and Native American Tribal governments
with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Assistance
program, which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes
on fishing and hunting equipment to State fish and wildlife agencies.STATE WILDLIFE AGENCIES TO RECEIVE MORE THAN $600 MILLION FOR SPORT FISH
AND WILDLIFE RESTORATION

Interior Department Secretary Dirk Kempthorne announced today that more
than $600 million will be distributed to 56 state and territorial wildlife
agencies to fund conservation efforts, shooting ranges and hunter
education. This funding results from an excise tax paid by firearm,
ammunition, archery and angling equipment manufacturers as well as boat
motor fuels through the Federal Aid in Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration
programs.

“Since establishment of these federal programs more than a half century
ago, manufacturers of firearms, ammunition, archery, fishing and boating
equipment have paid more than $10.5 billion in excise taxes, which has been
used by state wildlife agencies to maintain and restore fish and wildlife
resources, educate hunters and fund sport shooting ranges nationwide,” said
Kempthorne.  “By paying these excise taxes, the manufacturers and sportsmen
and women continue to provide critical funding for wildlife conservation in
North America.”

The Wildlife Restoration apportionment for 2007 totals nearly $267 million,
with more than $50 million tagged for hunter education and shooting range
programs.  The Sport Fish Restoration apportionment for 2007 totals more
than $349 million.  Federal Assistance funds pay up to 75 percent of the
cost of each eligible project while the states are required to contribute
at least 25 percent.

“In the 1930s, after an era of massive habitat degradation and commercial
hunting had decimated game populations, sportsmen stood up and said, ‘We
want to restore the numbers of game and we know someone has to pay to do
it,’” said H. Dale Hall, Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
“Then they suggested something that was virtually unprecedented, the
establishment of a tax.”

“In 1937 sportsmen called for passage of the Federal Aid in Wildlife
Restoration Act, and in 1950, the Federal Aid in Sportfish Restoration Act.
As the Wildlife Restoration Act approaches its 70th anniversary in
September, it’s an ideal time to take stock of the extraordinary
accomplishments of these two programs,” Hall added.

Wildlife Restoration Act funding is made available to states through a
formula based on land area, including inland waters and the number of
hunting license holders in each state.  States use the money to manage
wildlife populations, conduct habitat research, surveys and inventories,
and administer hunter education programs.

More than 62 percent of Wildlife Restoration funds are used to buy,
develop, maintain, and operate wildlife management areas.  Since the
program began, 68 million acres of land have been purchased and more than
350 million acres managed for wildlife.

Numerous species such as the wild turkey, white-tailed deer, pronghorn
antelope, American elk and mountain lion have increased in population due
to improved research and habitat management funded by Wildlife Restoration.
In the program’s history, more than 9 million landowners were provided
management assistance for wildlife and fish.  State wildlife agencies have
improved more than 26 million acres of habitat and developed more than
43,000 acres of waterfowl impoundments.

Sport Fish Restoration is funded by the collection of excise taxes and
import duties on sport fishing equipment, motorboat and small engine fuels,
and pleasure boats.   Sport Fish Restoration funds are allocated to the
states based on a formula that includes the land and water area, inland
waters and the Great Lakes and marine coastal areas where applicable, and
the number of fishing license holders.  States use the funds to pay for
stocking fish; acquiring and improving sport fish habitat; providing
aquatic resource education opportunities; conducting fisheries research;
and the construction at boat ramps, fishing piers, and other facilities for
recreational boating access.

States have bought about 150,000 acres for public fishing areas and
maintained more than 15 million acres since the program began.

Please visit the Service’s Division of Federal Assistance Website at
<http://federalaid.fws.gov> for state-by-state funding allocations.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency
responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and
plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American
people. The Service manages the 95-million- acre National Wildlife Refuge
System, which encompasses 547 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small
wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national
fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resources offices, and 81 ecological services
field stations. The agency enforces Federal wildlife laws, administers the
Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores
nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat
such as wetlands, and helps foreign and Native American Tribal governments
with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Assistance
program, which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes
on fishing and hunting equipment to State fish and wildlife agencies.