Click here to watch Mr. Nesvik’s testimony.  

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY), chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW), welcomed the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s Chief Game Warden Brian Nesvik to the committee. Mr. Nesvik was testifying before the committee at a legislative hearing on S. 1514, the Hunting Heritage and Environmental Legacy Preservation (HELP) for Wildlife Act. For more information on the bipartisan HELP for Wildlife Act click here.

During Barrasso’s opening statement, he welcomed back Mr. Nesvik, who has previously testified before the committee. “I will also note that Brian Nesvik, chief game warden with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department is testifying today in support of this bill. I had the honor of spending time with Brian on two occasions in 2009, including Thanksgiving. At the time, he was deployed to Kuwait as commander of the 2nd-300th Field Artillery unit with the mission of running convoy operations into Iraq. I thank Mr. Nesvik for coming before this committee to testify again,” said Barrasso.

In his written testimony, Mr. Nesvik highlighted several ways the bipartisan HELP for Wildlife Act will promote wildlife conservation.

One specific provision of the bill would reauthorize the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) until 2023. NAWCA plays a critical role in protecting wetland habitat, especially migratory birds, while also growing and strengthening the economy.

“Each year, NAWCA-funded conservation and restoration projects directly support 7,500 jobs; employing and supporting landowners, contractors, biologists, engineers, manufacturers and suppliers,” said Nesvik. “In addition, wetland habitats create opportunities for recreational activities such as hunting, fishing, wildlife watching, and photography which generate billions of dollars in the U.S. economy every year.”

The HELP for Wildlife Act will also address the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s decision to delist the gray wolf in Wyoming. This provision “provides the state with needed predictability while still protecting and ensuring accountability for maintenance of a recovered wolf population,” said Nesvik.

Nesvik also testified that the legislation’s many sportsmen’s provisions will help promote wildlife conservation in Wyoming. “Money spent on hunting, fishing and the recreational shooting sports directly contribute to funding wildlife conservation and management.”

For more information on Mr. Nesvik’s testimony, click here.

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