2004 RESOLUTIONS

RECOGNITION AND SUPPORT TO ENFORCE THE ELIMINATION OF BEAR-BAITING

WHEREAS, the North Carolina Wildlife Federation advocates safe, ethical hunting; and,

WHEREAS, the North Carolina Wildlife Federation advocates harvest, bag, and creel limits based upon scientific based principles as well as wildlife management; and,

WHEREAS, baiting of bear is illegal in North Carolina; and,

WHEREAS, the practice of baiting bear with blocks of candy prior to hunting season circumvents the law and is deemed unethical sportsmanship; and,

WHEREAS, ingesting large quantities of sugar is unhealthy to bears leading to tooth decay, hair loss, disorientation and possible reproductive and intestinal problems; and,

WHEREAS, the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission is resolved to strictly enforce the illegal practice of baiting bear, especially by the use of candy blocks.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the North Carolina Wildlife Federation gathered in convention at the Research Triangle Park, NC on March 20, 2004 formally recognize and applaud the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission’s strong interpretation of bear baiting in any form as an illegal practice.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the North Carolina Wildlife Federation encourages full enforcement of this wildlife violation in order that this practice is completely eliminated so that this game species may thrive within the state.

CLEAN WATER AUTHORITY RESTORATION ACT (H.R. 962 S.473)

WHEREAS, the Clean Water Act was passed overwhelmingly by Congress in 1972 in order to protect the nation’s waters by protecting them from pollution, filling and destruction; and,

WHEREAS, protection from pollution, filling and destruction of wetlands and streams under the Clean Water Act is critical for a myriad of resources, including, but not limited to, clean drinking water, flood control, commercial fishing, and wildlife habitat that supports outdoor recreation and the economy; and,

WHEREAS, in North Carolina alone, a 2001 US Fish & Wildlife Service report states hunting, fishing and wildlife watching activities added  $2.4 billion to the state’s economy; and,

WHEREAS, in North Carolina more than 70% of the species listed as endangered, threatened or of special concern depend on wetlands for survival and the majority of marine fish species rely on coastal wetlands at some life stage; and,

WHEREAS, the 2001 U.S. Supreme Court ruling, Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County (known as the SWANCC decision) only eliminated Clean Water Act protections for “isolated, non-navigable, intrastate” waters where the only connection to other water bodies is through use by migratory birds; and,

WHEREAS, the Bush administration issued a guidance memorandum to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Army Corps of Engineer field staff that effectively no longer protects approximately 20 million acres of wetlands vital for waterfowl, fish and other aquatic habitat–dependent species; and,

WHEREAS, the Bush administration has committed to a no net-loss wetlands policy which is impossible and hypocritical given the guidance to no longer protect isolated wetlands, especially since no definition of said terminology is provided within federal guidelines; and,

WHEREAS, the majority of states, the US House of Representatives, and the overwhelming majority of public citizen comment to the EPA was in opposition to any weakening of the Clean Water Act; and,

WHEREAS, recently the Bush administration halted drastic rulemaking that could have removed the Clean Water Act protection from as much as 60 percent of the nations’ waterways, in effect – extensively broadening the SWANCC ruling; and,

WHEREAS, the January 2003 guidance is still in effect, exposing millions of acres to unfettered destruction and pollution; and,

WHEREAS, the Clean Water Authority Restoration Act (H.R. 967 & S.473) has been introduced and would reaffirm Congress’ original intent to protect “the chemical, physical and biological integrity of all the nation’s waters”; and,

WHEREAS, these amendment bills offer no new protection under the Clean Water Act, rather they restore the protections afforded the nation’s water resources and clarify the Clean Water Act’s broad intent to protect all  “waters of the United States” whether or not these waters are “isolated” or navigable bodies.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the North Carolina Wildlife Federation gathered in convention at the Research Triangle Park, NC on March 20, 2004 urges each member of the NC Congressional Delegation to cosponsor and do everything within their wherewithal to ensure the passage of the Clean Water Authorization Restoration Act (H.R. 962 & S.473).

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the North Carolina Wildlife Federation urges the NC Congressional Delegation to urge the Bush administration to enforce the Clean Water Act to the full extent of the law, and in doing so, thereby heeding the sporting and wildlife enthusiasts’ voice urging protection of the nation’s valuable wildlife habitats.

NUTRIENT SENSITIVE WATERS

WHEREAS, surface waters of North Carolina are essential to the well-being of respective marine resources; and

WHEREAS, surface waters of North Carolina are essential to environmental system integrity; and

WHEREAS, surface waters of North Carolina are being reduced in area by development; and

WHEREAS, excess nutrients are being introduced into surface waters of North Carolina by stormwater runoff and wastewater runoff; and

WHEREAS, excess nutrients are directly related to anoxic problems occurring in North Carolina surface waters; and

WHEREAS, anoxic areas of North Carolina surface waters are expanding; and

WHEREAS, the numerous programs in North Carolina that are intended to identify and protect Nutrient Sensitive waters of the state are failing to accomplish the preservation of the integrity of certain water systems.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Directors of the North Carolina Wildlife Federation gathered in convention at the Research Triangle Park, NC on March 20, 2004 urges the North Carolina Environmental Management Commission to follow the recommendation of the USEPA to create Nutrient Sensitive Waters standards for all the surface waters of the state, or, in the alternative, conduct a judicious study to determine the best way to proactively preserve the integrity of our water systems and prevent nutrient impairment of the these water systems. 

STATE WILDLIFE GRANTS PROGRAM FUNDING

WHEREAS, the populations of many species of wildlife have fallen dramatically over the past 30 years due in large part to the lack of focus of federal resources on the conservation of these species prior to their decline; and,

WHEREAS, North Carolina’s wildlife habitats support 664 wildlife species including 115 mammals, 393 birds, 85 amphibians and 71 reptiles which according to the 2001 US Fish & Wildlife Service Report of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation provided 2,168,000 NC recreationists a wildlife-watching experience, which contributed $826.9 million annually to the state economy and supported over 20,500 jobs in North Carolina; and,

WHEREAS, the amount of federal dollars needed to protect or restore populations of these species is far greater than would have been required to prevent their decline in the first place, placing an undue and great burden on taxpayers; and,

WHEREAS, there are presently over 1000 flora and fauna species on the Federal Threatened and Endangered Species list, showing that our nation clearly needs a program to address problems early on to avoid costly, intensive measures for the recovery of these species; and,

WHEREAS, the United States laws and policies place the primary responsibility for implementing wildlife management programs in the hands of the 50 States, yet effective implementation depends on Congress providing consistent and adequate funding to the states; and, 

WHEREAS, state wildlife agencies like the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, provide the foundation for our nation’s wildlife conservation; and, 

WHEREAS, the lack of non-game species funding mechanisms puts pressure on game species funding; and,      

WHEREAS, while dedicated monies from excise taxes placed on hunting and fishing equipment ( from Pittman-Robertson and Wallop-Breaux legislation) have effectively supported many game species programs and habitat acquisitions, there has been a serious gap in federal funding for the many species of wildlife not addressed by hunting and fishing fees or the aforementioned excise taxes; and,

WHEREAS, the federal government has heeded advice and concerns from the conservation community, as evidenced by creation of the State Wildlife Grants program to address non-game wildlife species that are not on the federal Threatened and Endangered Species list; and,

WHEREAS, the State Wildlife Grants program is proactive and helps prevent wildlife species from becoming endangered, thereby saving wildlife and saving costly taxpayer dollars in the long term; and,

WHEREAS, each and every state is using these funds in a variety of creative ways to stop the decline of wildlife populations and their respective conservation needs. In NC, program monies have supported the state’s Partners In Flight program, research and management activities for small mammals, reptiles and amphibians, as well as stream restoration initiatives; and,

WHEREAS, adequate and consistent funding is essential to fulfilling the shared federal and state responsibility for our Nation’s wildlife; and,

WHEREAS, the State Wildlife Grants program is non-regulatory and allows States to work cooperatively with landowners and other conservation partners to proactively plan and implement state wildlife strategies; and,

WHEREAS, the State Wildlife Grants program has strong, broad-based coalition support, and the sporting enthusiasts, the tourism industry and the conservation community are among over 3000 groups from across the nation that support this initiative.

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the North Carolina Wildlife Federation gathered in convention at the Research Triangle Park, NC on March 20, 2004, recognizes the many benefits of conserving all wildlife and thereby supports the State Wildlife Grants program and urges the federal government to fully fund this program every year at appropriate levels to accommodate the needs of all in order to conserve wildlife and its habitat across the country.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the North Carolina Wildlife Federation urges the North Carolina Congressional Delegation to be fully aware of the benefits the State Wildlife Grants program affords the state and thusly advocate and support its optimum level of funding.

STORMWATER RULES FOR PROTECTION OF AQUATIC WILDLIFE HABITAT

WHEREAS, North Carolina’s annual rainfall and snowfall ranges from 40 to 55 inches in most of the state and more than 90 inches in the southwest part of the state - the rainiest in the eastern United States; and, 

WHEREAS, while most of the rainwater seeps into the ground in natural areas, in most paved or developed areas, water runs off into drains, and then is funneled into creeks, rivers, and eventually our lakes and estuaries (affecting salinity levels) damaging important aquatic wildlife habitat; and,

WHEREAS, some rainwater runoff is natural, excessive stormwater runoff damages our rivers and estuaries by transporting toxic residues, oils, sediment and other pollutants that harm fish and other aquatic wildlife; and,

WHEREAS, stormwater that runs off paved or developed areas moves faster than normal, scouring stream banks, silting river bottoms which smothers fish and shellfish, and degrades wildlife habitat; and, 

WHEREAS, North Carolina’s urban areas are growing proportionally faster than the population.  In the last two decades, the state’s population has grown by about 42%, but the total area of paved and developed land has grown by about 82%; and,

WHEREAS, scientific studies have shown that paved surfaces produced in a watershed lead to rapid declines in water quality unless stormwater pollution is carefully controlled and enforced; and,

WHEREAS, stormwater pollution from rapid growth along North Carolina’s coast now results in significant closures of shellfish beds after virtually every storm.  Roughly 80% of the pollution in North Carolina’s coastal waters comes from stormwater runoff; and,

WHEREAS, in the mountain regions, stormwater runoff warms streams, which destroys valuable trout habitat; and,

WHEREAS, North Carolina’s development can be accomplished in a way that reduces and manages stormwater pollution; and,

WHEREAS, properly managed detention and retention basins hold and slow down stormwater runoff allowing sediment to settle out; and,

WHEREAS, development setbacks or buffers from creeks and rivers, such as grasses, trees, and riparian wetlands, allow a natural filtering process that cleans pollutants from runoff; and,

WHEREAS, construction plans that limit pavement help protect the ground’s capacity to absorb water, therefore reducing runoff and allowing recharge of shallow groundwater supplies; and,

WHEREAS, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has mandated stormwater rules in phases with Phase I stormwater rules issued in 1990 applying to North Carolina’s biggest urban areas: Raleigh, Durham, Charlotte, Winston-Salem, Greensboro, and Cumberland County.  These local governments have already established strong programs to reduce stormwater runoff; and,

WHEREAS, the federal Phase II rules were issued by the EPA in 1999 applying automatically to smaller, rapidly urbanizing areas.  In North Carolina these include 123 cities and 33 counties.  States are required to designate additional communities as needed to protect water quality; and,  

WHEREAS, the North Carolina Environmental Management Commission (EMC) voted in July 2003 to issue state Phase II rules, and modified these in December 2003 to require that designated local governments that directly own or operate storm sewer systems establish programs to control stormwater pollution, and to require that new development in all other designated communities control its stormwater pollution; and,  

WHEREAS, the rules do not limit dense development but simply require dense developments to manage their stormwater runoff; and

WHEREAS, in January 2003, the North Carolina Rules Review Commission rejected the Phase II rules and returned them to the EMC, leaving North Carolina without effective state Phase II rules, and placing local governments and the state in violation of the federal Clean Water Act,

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the North Carolina Wildlife Federation gathered in convention at the Research Triangle Park, NC on March 20, 2004 supports the proper use of stormwater rules in NC to protect the integrity of all aquatic wildlife and its habitat.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the North Carolina Wildlife Federation urges the North Carolina General Assembly to endorse strong Phase II rules that will allow and require local governments and the state government to protect water quality in our communities and protect valuable aquatic wildlife habitat around the state.