[Peace-discuss] this Congress is more supportive of wildlife refuge conservation

[Karen Medina]

[ This Congress is more supportive of conservation of wildlife refuges
than the last Congress. The following is excerpted from updates from
"The Wilderness Society" (a lobbying group).  -karen medina ]

* After eight years of starvation budgets under the Bush
administration, ... Congress just approved a huge boost in funding for
federal conservation programs.

* The Bush administration put some of Utah's most pristine lands on
the auction block for oil and gas leasing, the Department of the
Interior has handed down a report with recommendations aimed to
overhaul the Bureau of Land Management's oil and gas leasing.

* President Obama recently signed a bill that significantly increases
funding for programs and services like National Wildlife Refuges and
wildfire suppression.