Growing Greener Coalition Opposes Senate Amendment Taking $150 Million From Game Commission Fund That Threatens Federal Wildlife Funding

On September 14, the Growing Greener Coalition sent an open letter to members of the House opposing a Senate-passed amendment to House Bill 1300 that would transfer $150 million from the Pennsylvania Game Fund to the Clean Streams Fund saying the Senate proposal would threaten federal wildlife funding to the state.

Hunting and fishing groups like the PA Chapter of the Backcountry Hunters and Anglers and the PA Federation of Sportsmen and Conservationists have also opposed the move.

The text of the Coalition's letter follows--

The partner organizations of the Growing Greener Coalition, on behalf of our hundreds of thousands of supporters and hundreds of allied organizations across the Commonwealth, urge you to oppose HB 1300 as it is written. 

HB 1300 proposes the transfer of $150 million from the Pennsylvania Game Fund, which funds Pennsylvania Game Commission operations and programs, to the Clean Streams Fund.

The water quality projects supported by the Clean Streams Fund are important to the well-being of Pennsylvanians, and the Coalition strongly encourages members of the General Assembly to establish stable funding for the Fund. 

However, taking from the Game Fund is neither prudent nor sustainable.

The Coalition urges legislators to consider the Game Commission’s full impact on the Commonwealth—the benefits provided both to the general public and sportsmen and women. 

The Commission provides vital services ranging from wildlife conservation and habitat restoration to disease monitoring and control, from providing outdoor recreational opportunities to assisting private landowners in achieving better conservation outcomes.

For the Commission to remain a vital force, it is imperative that it have the resources necessary to continue their efficient and effective programmatic work—the resources provided by the Game Fund. 

Diverting money away from the Game Fund would be devastating: (1) the loss of the $150 million means the disinvestment of $150 million in the work and the evisceration of Commission staffing and expertise; and (2) this loss most likely triggers the stripping away of federal Pittman-Robertson funds, which constitute a large portion of the Commission’s budget.

Pennsylvania received nearly $42 million in federal Pittman-Robertson funds in 2023. Pennsylvania’s eligibility for these funds is dependent on the Commission’s ability to control revenue derived from state sales of hunting and fishing licenses. 

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service strictly enforces the eligibility requirements. For example, this year the Service withheld $22 million from Minnesota due to a violation of federal conditions.

Again, the Growing Greener Coalition urges you to oppose HB 1300 as written. It just doesn’t make sense as it would both damage state finances and crush the Commission’s ability to carry out its work.

Click Here for a copy of the letter and the list of organizations supporting it.

Visit the Growing Greener Coalition website to learn more about funding environmental restoration in Pennsylvania.

NewsClip:

-- Lancaster Farming: Game Commission Braces For Impact Of $150 Million Transfer Out Of Game Fund

Related Article:

-- PA Chapter Backcountry Hunters & Anglers Oppose Transfer Of $150 Million From Game Fund To Clean Streams Fund In Senate Budget Bill; Could Make State Ineligible For Federal Wildlife Funds  [PaEN]

[Posted: September 15, 2023]  PA Environment Digest