River Alert

[Phil Lilley]

Rapid Action Needed:

http://www.friendsoftherivers.org/

Threat to AGFC's Independent Status

... could end the independent authority to protect fish and wildlife and fund itself

Since 1944, Arkansas voters have had the wisdom to give the Game and Fish Commission independent authority to “wisely manage all the fish and wildlife resources of Arkansas while providing maximum enjoyment for the people.”

Now, Arkansas Senate Joint Resolution 11 (SJR-11) proposes to repeal provisions in our State Constitution to eliminate this protection and allow the legislature to control the agency and redirect it’s resources.

Friends believes this would have serious implications for conservation in Arkansas, and strongly opposes this bill.

"Members and interested advocates should take action now, before it is too late to stop this," said Jerry Weber, Friends' president.

Opposing this measure: Friends of the North Fork and White Rivers, Trout Unlimited (White River Chapter), National Wildlife Federation, North Arkansas Fly Fishers, Upper White River Basin Foundation, Arkansas Conservation Coalition, and many many more. (See below for organizational statements.)

Strategy

The bill is currently assigned to the Senate Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs. Friends believes that every effort should be made to stop it there and urges concerned citizens to express their opposition to the members of both the Senate and the House State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committees.

What:

* Call, visit mail or email members of the committees (see details in right panel). Calls and letters are best.

* To prepare for your contact, see summary "Talking Points" at right.

When:

* If possible, contact the committee members over this weekend while they are at home.

* If that is not possible, send a letter immediately, and call them on Monday (this issue could potentially be on Tuesday's Senate committee agenda, April 1)

What's At Stake

Jerry Weber, President of Friends, believes it is a wrestle over money, not authority. "I believe this is a direct attempt by a few of our the Legislator's to grab the funds AGFC is entitled to as a result of the natural gas leases it signed, and the royalties it will receive from Chesapeake Energy,” he said. “And despite the specific language in Amendment 35 which states these funds are AGFC's, the agency has agreed to share this windfall with the Oil and Gas Commission and ADEQ. The legislature just can't resist trying to take control of these funds," he added.

AGFC gave $3,000,000 to ADEQ to provide more inspectors to monitor gas drilling operations.

Mountain Home's newspaper, The Baxter Bulletin, in an article published March 24, raised the prospect that if passed, the State's funding for implementation of Minimum Flow on the White and North Fork Rivers might be lost, because it could be diverted by the Legislature for other purposes.

What Groups Are Saying

Friends believes that this measure would seriously reduce the effectiveness of the AGFC. Right now, Arkansas has one of the nation's premiere agencies.

"AGFC's constitutional status is the envy of other states. That status gives AGFC continuity in scientific management, seasoned administration and career professionalism," said Steve Wilson, a Friends board member and former AGFC director.

"Imagine the chaos if the control of these resources were transferred to the General Assembly -- especially with term limits in play. Imagine different game and fish regulations in each legislative district; imagine a legislator's pet project being imposed on the AGFC budget regardless of scientific merit," Wilson added.

The National Wildlife Federation agrees. "In 1996, Arkansas taxpayers passed Amendment 75 to the state constitution directing nearly $26 million annually to wildlife protection and management in Arkansas," said Ellen McNulty of the NWF.

"The citizens of Arkansas have always helped support AGFC's mission to wisely manage all the fish and wildlife resources of Arkansas. Adding another layer of politics for dedicated natural resource professionals to wade through would weaken the quality and effectiveness of this agency," she said.

North Arkansas Fly Fishers' President George Peters said, "For over sixty years, this constitutional arrangement has greatly benefited the fish and wildlife of Arkansas. Letting the legislature add a huge element of politics will never be beneficial to the natural heritage of Arkansas."

Dr. John Moore, Executive Director of the Upper White River Basin Foundation, says Missouri and Arkansas are similar in that both states' agencies are constitutionally independent of the Legislature. He said it is crucial to defeat this measure. "If Arkansas places their conservation programs under the partisan politics of legislative control, the state will begin a long downward slide in the quality and effectiveness of fish and game," said Moore.

"My hope is that, to paraphrase Mark Twain, the legislature in the Natural State 'will do the right thing -- gratifying some people and astonishing the rest',” Moore concluded.

[ozark trout fisher]

Rapid Action Needed:

http://www.friendsoftherivers.org/

Threat to AGFC's Independent Status

... could end the independent authority to protect fish and wildlife and fund itself

Since 1944, Arkansas voters have had the wisdom to give the Game and Fish Commission independent authority to “wisely manage all the fish and wildlife resources of Arkansas while providing maximum enjoyment for the people.”

Now, Arkansas Senate Joint Resolution 11 (SJR-11) proposes to repeal provisions in our State Constitution to eliminate this protection and allow the legislature to control the agency and redirect it’s resources.

Friends believes this would have serious implications for conservation in Arkansas, and strongly opposes this bill.

"Members and interested advocates should take action now, before it is too late to stop this," said Jerry Weber, Friends' president.

Opposing this measure: Friends of the North Fork and White Rivers, Trout Unlimited (White River Chapter), National Wildlife Federation, North Arkansas Fly Fishers, Upper White River Basin Foundation, Arkansas Conservation Coalition, and many many more. (See below for organizational statements.)

Strategy

The bill is currently assigned to the Senate Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs. Friends believes that every effort should be made to stop it there and urges concerned citizens to express their opposition to the members of both the Senate and the House State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committees.

What:

* Call, visit mail or email members of the committees (see details in right panel). Calls and letters are best.

* To prepare for your contact, see summary "Talking Points" at right.

When:

* If possible, contact the committee members over this weekend while they are at home.

* If that is not possible, send a letter immediately, and call them on Monday (this issue could potentially be on Tuesday's Senate committee agenda, April 1)

What's At Stake

Jerry Weber, President of Friends, believes it is a wrestle over money, not authority. "I believe this is a direct attempt by a few of our the Legislator's to grab the funds AGFC is entitled to as a result of the natural gas leases it signed, and the royalties it will receive from Chesapeake Energy,” he said. “And despite the specific language in Amendment 35 which states these funds are AGFC's, the agency has agreed to share this windfall with the Oil and Gas Commission and ADEQ. The legislature just can't resist trying to take control of these funds," he added.

AGFC gave $3,000,000 to ADEQ to provide more inspectors to monitor gas drilling operations.

Mountain Home's newspaper, The Baxter Bulletin, in an article published March 24, raised the prospect that if passed, the State's funding for implementation of Minimum Flow on the White and North Fork Rivers might be lost, because it could be diverted by the Legislature for other purposes.

What Groups Are Saying

Friends believes that this measure would seriously reduce the effectiveness of the AGFC. Right now, Arkansas has one of the nation's premiere agencies.

"AGFC's constitutional status is the envy of other states. That status gives AGFC continuity in scientific management, seasoned administration and career professionalism," said Steve Wilson, a Friends board member and former AGFC director.

"Imagine the chaos if the control of these resources were transferred to the General Assembly -- especially with term limits in play. Imagine different game and fish regulations in each legislative district; imagine a legislator's pet project being imposed on the AGFC budget regardless of scientific merit," Wilson added.

The National Wildlife Federation agrees. "In 1996, Arkansas taxpayers passed Amendment 75 to the state constitution directing nearly $26 million annually to wildlife protection and management in Arkansas," said Ellen McNulty of the NWF.

"The citizens of Arkansas have always helped support AGFC's mission to wisely manage all the fish and wildlife resources of Arkansas. Adding another layer of politics for dedicated natural resource professionals to wade through would weaken the quality and effectiveness of this agency," she said.

North Arkansas Fly Fishers' President George Peters said, "For over sixty years, this constitutional arrangement has greatly benefited the fish and wildlife of Arkansas. Letting the legislature add a huge element of politics will never be beneficial to the natural heritage of Arkansas."

Dr. John Moore, Executive Director of the Upper White River Basin Foundation, says Missouri and Arkansas are similar in that both states' agencies are constitutionally independent of the Legislature. He said it is crucial to defeat this measure. "If Arkansas places their conservation programs under the partisan politics of legislative control, the state will begin a long downward slide in the quality and effectiveness of fish and game," said Moore.

"My hope is that, to paraphrase Mark Twain, the legislature in the Natural State 'will do the right thing -- gratifying some people and astonishing the rest',” Moore concluded.

The legislature in control of fish and wildlife. Now that's a nightmare. This measure must be defeated.