Important progress in the U.S. Senate for the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act

More wetlands throughut the nation will be restored at protected, helping waterfowl like Blue-winged Teal, if the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act pass. Photo by Patrick Comins.

April 8, 2022 — One of the most important environmental bills in a generation has cleared a hurdle in the U.S. Senate.  The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee approved the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act on Thursday, April 7, and is sending the bill to the full Senate for consideration.

The bill authorizes $1.3 billion to be distributed annually nationwide to help states carry out their federally-mandated wildlife action plans. It would bring almost $12 million a year to Connecticut for the protection of birds and other wildlife.

Among other things, the funding would help state officials and conservation groups make progress in reversing the 30 percent drop in bird population that has occurred over the last 50 years.

“We’ve been saying that this bill is a game changer for Connecticut’s birds and other wildlife,” Patrick Comins, Connecticut Audubon’s executive director, said this week. “I’m cautiously optimistic that both houses will pass the bill and that it will become law.

“The Piping Plovers, Blue-winged Warblers, New England Ccottontails, wood turtles and other wildlife here will benefit immensely.”

Earlier this year the House Natural Resources Committee voted to send the bill to the full House of Representatives for a vote.

The bill, which has support from members of both political parties, will now await consideration in the House and Senate.

The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act has been proposed in Congress for several years but until this year it had never made it out of committee. 

The Connecticut Audubon Society and its grassroots advocates collaborated with conservation groups throughout the country to support the legislation.

Connecticut Audubon has been pushing for the passage since at least 2018. It was the first recommendation in the 2021 Connecticut State of the Birds report — titled “Three Billion Birds Are Gone. How Do We Bring Them Back?” — and was included in the 2020 and 2019 reports as well.