Wildlife conservation funding
As an avid longtime hunter and fisherman in central Pennsylvania, I urge Sen. Arlen Specter to support climate change legislation that includes dedicated funding for fish and wildlife conservation and restoration through a 'cap and trade' system and achieves a 2% per year reduction in pollution from carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.
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Hunters and anglers have been, and remain today, the backbone of North America's monumental success in conservation and wildlife management in the last century. Those of us who spend time outdoors are concerned with climate change and its impacts on fish and wildlife. For example, trout populations are declining from increased water temperatures, wetlands critical to waterfowl populations are threatened due to increasing temperatures and sea level rise, and in some areas moose are disappearing due to hot summers.
As a result of the known and predicted impacts to fish and wildlife from climate change, I am asking that Senator Specter back climate change legislation including a 'cap and trade' system that will reduce carbon dioxide pollution by 2% annually, or 80% by 2050, and channel new revenue to natural resource agencies for fish and wildlife conservation activities.
A dedicated revenue stream will enable state fish and wildlife agencies and other key agencies to incorporate climate change science into their work and to conserve America's long and cherished heritage of hunting, fishing and wildlife conservation.
We who hunt and fish believe we have a moral responsibility to confront climate change in order to protect our outdoor heritage and our children's future. Accordingly, I ask Senator Specter to support legislation that reduces greenhouse gas pollution 2% annually through a cap and trade program and provides wildlife conservation funding to help wildlife survive climate change.
Chad J. Gerrick
York
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