Overview
Title
To establish the Wildlife Movement and Movement Area Grant Program and the State and Tribal Migration Research Program, and for other purposes.
ELI5 AI
The bill wants to help animals like deer and birds move safely by giving money and help to states and tribes to fix their homes and paths. It also tries to make sure animals don't get hurt by cars and wants everyone to work together to make it happen.
Summary AI
The bill S. 4953 aims to set up the Wildlife Movement and Movement Area Grant Program and the State and Tribal Migration Research Program. It seeks to enhance and protect wildlife habitats and migration corridors across the United States by providing financial and technical support. The bill involves various stakeholders, including state and tribal wildlife agencies, federal departments, and private landowners, to promote collaboration and achieve program goals. It ensures projects are funded that improve habitat quality, reduce human-wildlife vehicle collisions, and more, with specific provisions to support big game movements and research.
Published
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AnalysisAI
The "Wildlife Movement Through Partnerships Act" is a legislative proposal that seeks to bolster wildlife conservation efforts across the United States. The bill aims to do this by establishing two primary programs: the Wildlife Movement and Movement Area Grant Program and the State and Tribal Migration Research Program. It seeks to provide financial and technical assistance to state and tribal wildlife agencies, as well as other entities, to enhance habitat connectivity, promote wildlife migration, and to study and map wildlife movement areas.
Summary of Significant Issues
A major concern with the bill is the vague language around funding, particularly the authorization of appropriations. Terms like "such sums as are necessary" are repeatedly used, which might lead to unlimited spending and raises questions regarding financial oversight and accountability. This issue is prominent in multiple sections. Additionally, there is a lack of specific guidelines for fund allocation within programs like the State and Tribal Migration Research Program, potentially leading to favoritism or inefficient use of resources.
Furthermore, terms such as "connectivity," "movement area," and "prudent and necessary" are not clearly defined, which could result in varied interpretations and challenges in implementing the bill effectively. The absence of clearly outlined accountability or performance metrics compounds this issue, leaving room for potential misuse of funds.
Impact on the Public
For the general public, this bill could represent a positive step toward maintaining biodiversity and supporting the ecosystems that many people benefit from, either directly or indirectly. Enhanced wildlife corridors and better-managed habitats can lead to healthier environments, which may ultimately support outdoor recreation, tourism, and activities that many people enjoy.
However, the broad language around fund allocation without clear limits may lead to concerns over financial efficiency and effectiveness in using taxpayer dollars. Without set boundaries, there is a risk that public funds could be spent without sufficient oversight, possibly impacting public confidence in governmental financial management.
Impact on Specific Stakeholders
State and Tribal Agencies: These agencies stand to gain the most from this bill, receiving potential funding and support for their conservation efforts. However, the lack of clarity in fund distribution could lead to disputes over allocations or why certain projects are prioritized over others.
Environmental and Wildlife Organizations: Nonprofit organizations focused on wildlife conservation could benefit from potential partnerships and funding opportunities to pursue various habitat improvement projects. Yet, the ambiguity in terms and scope might pose challenges as they aim to align their efforts with the provisions of the bill.
Landowners and Local Communities: The bill encourages collaboration with landowners, which could result in positive synergy where conservation projects align with local interests. However, this depends heavily on how well stakeholders can engage without feeling imposed upon, given the emphasis on voluntary changes in practices.
Federal Agencies and Policymakers: The requirement for interagency coordination could enhance synergy across federal bodies but the lack of specific guidelines about coordination might result in inefficiencies or overlaps with existing frameworks.
Overall, while the bill presents an ambitious approach to wildlife conservation, the substantive issues related to clarity, funding, and accountability might need addressing to ensure successful implementation and to maximize the positive impact on all stakeholders.
Issues
The authorization of appropriations across several sections does not specify clear budget limits, using vague language such as 'such sums as are necessary'. This could lead to potential unlimited spending and raises concerns about financial accountability. This issue is present in Sections 4(i), 5(c), 8(b), and 9(d).
The lack of specific criteria or guidelines for fund allocation in the 'State and Tribal Migration Research Program' (Section 5) might result in inefficiencies, favoritism, or disputes over fund distribution.
The terms like 'connectivity', 'movement area', and 'prudent and necessary' used throughout various sections (e.g., Sections 2, 4, 6, 8) are broad and lack precise definitions, leading to potential ambiguity in implementation and interpretation.
The complex language and broad scope of the 'Requirement; savings provision' in Section 10 might be difficult for the general public to understand, particularly terms like 'Federal organic Acts' and 'abrogates', leading to varied interpretations and legal challenges.
The absence of specified accountability or performance metrics in Sections 2, 4, and 5 could result in potential inefficiencies or misuse of funds, as there are no clear measures to ensure the effective use of the appropriations.
The requirement for interagency coordination in Section 9 lacks details about which federal agencies are involved and how often they should meet, potentially leading to inconsistent and inefficient coordination efforts.
The provision for priority funding in Section 4(f), particularly towards certain eligible recipients, could be perceived as favoring specific entities, raising concerns about fairness and objectivity.
There is potential for overlapping responsibilities and redundancies with existing state or federal agencies in Sections 7 and 8, which could waste resources.
Sections
Sections are presented as they are annotated in the original legislative text. Any missing headers, numbers, or non-consecutive order is due to the original text.
1. Short title Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The first section of this Act states that its official name is the “Wildlife Movement Through Partnerships Act”.
2. Purpose Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The purpose of this Act is to offer financial and technical support to enhance the habitats of migratory big game and other wildlife species, ensuring they can move freely. This involves working with state and tribal wildlife agencies, and aligning with specific programs like Secretarial Order 3362, a wildlife crossings pilot program, and the Department of Agriculture's Migratory Big Game Initiative.
3. Definitions Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
This section of the bill defines key terms, including big game, which refers to large native mammals like deer and elk regulated by state and tribal authorities, and connectivity, which describes how wildlife moves in its habitat. It also lists who qualifies as an eligible recipient for certain funding or projects, including state agencies, Indian Tribes, nonprofits, educational institutions, and others, and explains what is meant by federal land, the Foundation, and relevant agencies involved. The section defines movement area as zones used by wildlife for travel and migration, and it details terms such as Secretary and wildlife.
4. Wildlife Movement and Movement Area Grant Program Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The Wildlife Movement and Movement Area Grant Program establishes a nonregulatory initiative to fund projects that improve habitats for wildlife movement, including securing land leases and reducing collisions with vehicles. The program prioritizes collaboration with landowners, state, and tribal governments, offers funding with a federal cost share of up to 90%, and provides special considerations for projects benefiting disadvantaged communities.
5. State and Tribal Migration Research Program Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The State and Tribal Migration Research Program is a new initiative that will give money to state wildlife and fish agencies and Indian Tribes to study migration patterns in wildlife. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will oversee the funds, and Congress has allowed for necessary funding from 2025 to 2030.
6. Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The Partners for Fish and Wildlife Act was amended to clarify that the Secretary will carry out the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program and allow funds to be used to help other federal agencies with efforts to conserve migration corridors or seasonal habitats on private and Tribal lands. Additionally, the program was reauthorized to continue from 2025 through 2030.
7. USGS Wildlife Cooridor Mapping Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section mandates that the Secretary of the Interior, through the Director of the United States Geological Survey, continue supporting a team that helps map and research important wildlife movement areas. This team works with states, Indian tribes, and federal agencies to use data from GPS and other scientific sources for their mapping efforts.
8. USGS existing efforts Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section outlines the responsibilities of the Director of the United States Geological Survey (USGS) to collaborate with various agencies and Indian Tribes to enhance maps of wildlife movement areas while protecting sensitive information and preventing illegal activities like poaching. Additionally, it mandates annual reports on these efforts and includes a funding provision for projects between 2025 and 2030, ensuring at least half of the funds are used to improve habitats and connectivity for wildlife.
2. Authorization of appropriations Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
There is a plan to allocate the necessary funds to support this Act from 2025 to 2030. At least half of the funds each year must be used for projects aimed at enhancing wildlife connectivity by upgrading habitats in areas where big game and other wildlife move.
9. Coordination Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section outlines the appointment of a Senior Executive Service employee by the Secretary to coordinate activities related to big game movement, advising various government and tribal entities, and maintaining activity summaries. It also details the coordination needed between federal agencies and other partners and authorizes necessary funding through 2030.
10. Requirement; savings provision Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section states that the funds from the Act cannot force involuntary changes in agricultural or forestry practices and must respect existing rights like those for energy and water. It also ensures that the Act does not alter the authority of states or Indian Tribes over fish and wildlife, affect private property or privacy rights, limit public access to outdoor activities, impact military readiness, create or change federal land designations, or affect other federal conservation laws.