Contact:

Matt Dempsey Matt_Dempsey@epw.senate.gov (202) 224-9797

Katie Brown Katie_Brown@epw.senate.gov (202) 224-2160

Inhofe Applauds Committee Passage of North American Wetlands Conservation Act

Washington, D.C. - Senator James Inhofe (R-OK), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, today welcomed the approval in the EPW Committee of S. 2282 the North American Wetland Conservation Act (NAWCA) reauthorization, which passed in today's Business Meeting in a voice vote with overwhelming bipartisan support. Senator Inhofe and Chairman Barbara Boxer (D-CA) are sponsors of the bill.

"I am pleased that today the EPW committee passed bipartisan legislation that will continue the highly successful North American Wetland Conservation program," Senator Inhofe said. "The reason NAWCA is so effective is that these projects are not top down regulations from the federal government; they are partnerships between private organizations and the federal government who work together voluntarily to protect and restore millions of acres of wetlands. In Oklahoma, NAWCA is responsible for 12 projects that have conserved 26,869 acres of wildlife habitat and leveraged $11.3 million in partner contributions. This success speaks for itself and both Democrats and Republicans can agree that this how environmental conservation should be achieved. I would like to thank Chairman Boxer her efforts on this bill today and I hope it will be considered by the entire Senate soon."

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