The House on Tuesday passed a bill that would reauthorize a slate of conservation grant programs that fund Chesapeake Bay restoration efforts, assistance for producers that lose livestock to endangered predators, and wetlands conservation projects.
An amended version of the Senate-passed America's Conservation Enhancement (ACE) Reauthorization Act was overwhelmingly approved by the House, 366-21, on Wednesday. It extends through fiscal year 2030 the North American Wetlands Conservation Act, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the Grant Program for Losses of Livestock Due to Depredation by Federally Protected Species, along with a slew of other conservation programs.
The Senate in May voted to advance the measure, though that version would have upped funding for several conservation programs, including the Chesapeake Bay Program and the Fish and Wildlife Service's Chesapeake Watershed Investments for Landscape Defense program. The House's amended version keeps funding for these programs at current levels.
Authorization for ACE programs expired Sept. 30.
In a release, Chesapeake Bay Foundation Federal Director Keisha Sedlacek urged the House and Senate to "quickly reconcile their differences in funding levels and send this important bill to President Biden's desk."
“With the 2025 deadline fast approaching and a new presidential administration about to take office, the Bay restoration effort is at a critical juncture," Sedlacek said. "Renewing the ACE Act will ensure the Bay jurisdictions and their federal partners have the resources and authority they need to tackle coming challenges.
For more news, go to www.agri-pulse.com.
