America’s Conservation Enhancement Act includes several key provisions for Wyoming.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY), chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW), released the following statement on the president’s signing of S. 3051, America’s Conservation Enhancement (ACE) Act, into law. The new law includes several important provisions for Wyoming.
“President Trump has signed the most significant wildlife conservation and sportsmen’s law in decades,” said Barrasso. “The ACE Act will help protect elk, mule deer, bison and so many more amazing species in Wyoming. The law establishes a task force to address the growing problem of chronic wasting disease. It will compensate ranchers for lost livestock from predator attacks and help combat dangerous invasive species. Conservationists, hunters, anglers, and farmers all agree that the ACE Act is a win for the people of Wyoming and America’s wildlife. It’s a great example of what can be accomplished when Republicans and Democrats work together to get something done.”
Among other actions, the ACE Act will:
- Commission a study by the National Academy of Sciences regarding the pathways and mechanisms of the transmission of CWD in the United States;
- Establish a CWD task force to develop an interstate action plan for state and federal cooperation relating to the disease;
- Establish a program to provide grants to states and Indian tribes to compensate livestock producers for losses due to predation by federally protected species such as wolves or grizzly bears;
- Authorize the director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to issue depredation permits to livestock producers to allow for the taking of black vultures or common ravens under specified circumstances during calving or lambing season;
- Establish a Theodore Roosevelt Genius Prize for technological innovation to reduce –human-predator conflict using non-lethal means;
- Authorize funds to combat the threat of invasive species; and
- Encourage partnerships among public agencies and other interested parties for promoting fish conservation.
Background Information:
On September 16, 2020, the ACE Act passed the Senate unanimously in the form of a substitute amendment that was negotiated with the House of Representatives.
On January 9, 2020, the ACE Act initially passed the Senate.
On December 17, 2019, the EPW Committee unanimously passed the ACE Act at a business meeting.
On December 12, 2019, Barrasso and Carper introduced the ACE Act. Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), John Boozman (R-AR), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and Martin Heinrich (D-NM) are cosponsors of the bill.
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