[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},"mediaId",6186180,"mediaKeyId","5078073-cbc5b472f23df114407d37e213e40631","parentId",5078073,"title","States and subcommittee debate deadlines and oversight for State Wildlife Action Plans","audioSeconds",2794,"startMs",1658000,"endMs",4452000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5078073-cbc5b472f23df114407d37e213e40631&start=1658&end=4452","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5078073-cbc5b472f23df114407d37e213e40631/thumbnail_1658000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6186180/States-and-subcommittee-debate-deadlines-and-oversight-for-State-Wildlife-Action-Plans","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6186180-7847a29d7f87a8cf461471f9ec12fee5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771162588&Signature=nqTK4R~msPc~TX7c41IZaBdQRPbFKuLtygbAVQoA~bhBrs8oic8U3r5jMAHCSMvUStqR9HrQD3A1m86kpk8pLsOlT9~P-1xShzS8cQqX7ylsMCKhsPHnE9NMhiO-wXHX3rtpNOkpdAYjs3KSnzI2JRnqYitFqtvHefwduF31oTtpINiXXXpohyh9jHPGS-iwB3nNV8VcKrornn62jRxXTWPngr0lyvAXVbakN1cnd~r0cKB~e3Vf4v7kuUd5aHPJ472K18-9wsy-N64wqjm3WpC1zY3-8O~kkmFJTouoH2u9EzdRsRwa3yOnQESTS-jYQiET1B2n-~7aeLQ7zM-~ow__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources","date","2025-06-26T12:26:16.543Z","article","The House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries heard June 26 on HR 1676, the Making SWAPs Efficient Act, which would set a 180‑day deadline for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service approval of state wildlife action plans (SWAPs) after peer review.

Colonel Roger Young, executive director of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, told the committee that states have experienced long delays — in some cases 18 months or more — when submitting SWAPs and that a six‑month deadline would bring needed predictability. \"This bill would bring certainty to an uncertain process and provide accountability for a process that the Service has said they are committed to undertaking,\" Young said.

The nut graf: witnesses and members agreed on the need for efficiency, but some expressed concerns that a hard deadline could reduce federal oversight capacity if staffing or resources at the Service are cut. Dave Michael of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said the Service supports efforts to improve predictability and has worked with the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies on guidance and digital tools to speed reviews, but he cautioned some reviews require extra time to meet statutory requirements.

Members noted that 45 to 47 SWAPs were due this year and that the review process involves a regional peer review team and subsequent Service approvals. Michael described steps the Service now takes — technical assistance before submission, digital forms to reduce errors, and regional review teams — and said the average review time is about six months while acknowledging variability. He recommended continued collaboration between the Service and states to streamline the process.

Several members and witnesses raised staffing and budget concerns. The ranking member and others noted recent personnel changes at Interior and proposed budget cuts to programs that could reduce the Service’s capacity to complete reviews in a timely way; Michael said the Service would provide written follow‑up on personnel questions and collaborate on technical fixes to the bill.

Background and next steps: supporters urged committee approval of HR 1676 to provide states with certainty for program implementation; the Service asked to work with the sponsor on language to preserve oversight and operational flexibility.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Legislative Hearing | Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee","oneSentenceSummary","The subcommittee debated HR 1676, the Making SWAPs Efficient Act, which would require the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to approve state wildlife action plans within 180 days or allow them to be deemed approved.","taxTitle","Natural Resources: House Committee, Standing Committees - House & Senate, Congressional Hearings Compilation, Legislative, Federal","taxId",1983,"location","","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6186193,"House subcommittee hears bipartisan support to reauthorize snow water forecasting program",4678,1316000,5994000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5078073-cbc5b472f23df114407d37e213e40631&start=1316&end=5994","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5078073-cbc5b472f23df114407d37e213e40631/thumbnail_1316000.jpg","/articles/6186193/House-subcommittee-hears-bipartisan-support-to-reauthorize-snow-water-forecasting-program","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6186193-ac86a96af0d2c8ddec7e07768c4f65f4/orig.mp4?Expires=1771162588&Signature=YozeNmkDsK~9VMidDzaDSbxXV9gd6JEMQ9QGH-TEP5-0zBa279bizz-sxTM1lFxtdECPOlseZZsicWeJ6R2TnwzqKMbjq4HN5CYjIUMdZAcYKUGQmELPih~eRyc~3hmwtbKLe-m6XbEYmNWAfnXXo4CY-HPvH2uDkYaJP8tX8jsq8FZh5IEtATxOzPQnXOpM6kJNT9X11MkIPeRWzNwJNxzrDvlQ9uVy2A-63TSe0ciEuVCypc75CS7u3fAHfumDXsqiS-COfqehJL~UwFE8KC~6eEMf~VcimjtAdEZ30sc6McnzF2W34L42e1r8S~O8S3N03RhtC1hHTERhRwM5~A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries heard bipartisan testimony June 26 supporting HR 3857, the Snow Water Supply Forecasting Reauthorization Act, which would extend and fund the Bureau of Reclamation program that helps Western water managers forecast runoff from mountain snowpack.

Supporters said accurate snowpack measurement is essential to operations for reservoirs, irrigation, municipal water systems and ecosystem management. \"Approximately 95% of our water supply comes from our snowpack,\" Candace Hasenjager, director of the Utah Division of Water Resources, told the subcommittee, noting Utah has used airborne snow observatory (ASO) pilots funded through the program.

The nut graf: witnesses described the law's practical uses — improving reservoir operations, reducing uncertainty for water users and integrating emerging tools such as LIDAR, satellite remote sensing and ASO. They said those technologies can produce high‑resolution maps of snow volume and characteristics that complement existing SNOTEL stations.

Representative Michael Hurd (R‑Colo.), sponsor of HR 3857, opened remarks stressing the centrality of mountain snow to Western water systems and the bill's encouragement of new monitoring methods. \"We can say goodbye to the days of determining snowpack by hiking a mountain on foot and using a measuring stick,\" Hurd said, citing LIDAR and satellite imagery as means to build 3D models of snow depth and quality.

Utah's Hasenjager described two ASO pilot projects in the Colorado River and Great Salt Lake basins, saying the surveys extend coverage to low‑elevation and smaller tributary areas that SNOTEL misses. She said the resulting data allows better operational decisions for flood control and storage and helps local managers \"fine tune their operations\".

Dave Michael, acting deputy director for operations at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, testified in support of the bill’s intent to modernize forecasting tools, and noted federal‑state cooperation on data and guidance. He told the panel the Service and states have worked on guidance and digital data forms to reduce errors and speed reviews when states submit plans related to water and wildlife programs.

Committee members asked how the new tools would change reservoir operations and cited Forecast‑Informed Reservoir Operations (FIRO) as a related approach; witnesses said higher‑resolution snow maps reduce uncertainty in inflow estimates and better inform release decisions. Members from Western states emphasized that improved forecasting can protect water supply for agriculture, municipalities and ecosystems amid drought variability.

Background and next steps: the bill would reauthorize the Bureau of Reclamation Snow Water Supply Forecasting Program to continue pilots and expand use of remote sensing. Witnesses urged continued federal funding and technical partnerships to scale pilots. The subcommittee requested follow‑up information from the witnesses and said it would hold the hearing record open for additional questions.","The House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries heard bipartisan testimony June 26 supporting HR 3857, the Snow Water Supply Forecasting Reauthorization Act, which would extend and fund the Bureau of Reclamation program that helps Western water managers forecast runoff from mountain snowpack.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6186185,"Witnesses urge Congress to codify and expand wildlife confiscations network to aid law enforcement",3069,1736000,4805000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5078073-cbc5b472f23df114407d37e213e40631&start=1736&end=4805","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5078073-cbc5b472f23df114407d37e213e40631/thumbnail_1736000.jpg","/articles/6186185/Witnesses-urge-Congress-to-codify-and-expand-wildlife-confiscations-network-to-aid-law-enforcement","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6186185-4a69626aa4b80e08b8a2acc6ae4c0140/orig.mp4?Expires=1771162588&Signature=WiqqOH0YAhYps9IlozkPY3hx2NdZ-4FF0A9e61q5XXB1z0FdttWSRm0D7zPWDvA2pv-lZ~z-A4lLdiM02vakdKYoTon8WcElPIfsMwuNDoLMF9NUYVS8oseu6cqKvDeTHZb7TcyEcdjVVKEi4dim0DtulL0C9~~gKlcqoUbTcmyjVL~PMWWdmDOG6Y0YKrIw2upOai9HtK8RdDI296SQ4kdzZEiWDeeThHQvLGszR6NsMwgm~sQJfcdW1OcE8YU9vUN9fnN3s7Gm2Q0aJ~6wi-cDUDTSjLORW3nRPt7Dkb9fUe4hHHlWYMrLLVKf5Wf1en25ZR55bab8S2-dEOJHqg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Witnesses told the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on June 26 that HR 3538, the Wildlife Confiscations Network Act, would transform a Southern California pilot into a national, congressionally authorized network to place and care for confiscated live wildlife.

AZA Executive Vice President Craig Hoover described a pilot with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that has helped place more than 4,600 animals in long‑term care and assisted over 135 trafficking cases. \"The network increases support for law enforcement by providing a single point of contact and coordinated system to ensure the care and welfare of confiscated live wildlife,\" Hoover said.

The nut graf: witnesses and members framed the bill as a practical response to rising live‑animal interdictions at ports and borders that create logistical and welfare challenges for law enforcement. The Service testified it supports the goals of HR 3538 but raised concerns that some draft provisions could constrain officers' ability to place animals quickly and safely.

Dave Michael of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service described enforcement pressures: over the last six years the Service reported nearly 1,200 cases involving about 73,000 live animals, including thousands intercepted at ports and borders. He said the Service lacks capacity to permanently care for seized animals and relies on partner facilities.

Members pressed about the universe of qualified facilities. Michael said the agency works with a range of organizations and called for flexibility so officers can place animals quickly. Hoover noted the pilot network includes zoos, aquariums, sanctuaries, universities and wildlife rehabilitation facilities — and that more than a third of current partners are not AZA‑accredited. He and other witnesses warned that without a coordinated network law enforcement faces difficult options, including euthanasia, returning animals to the country of export, or attempting to care for animals themselves.

Committee members and witnesses also discussed public‑health and national‑security risks tied to wildlife trafficking, including zoonotic disease risk and links between wildlife trafficking and other illicit activity. Hoover gave specific cost examples for long‑term care, saying lifetime care for a tiger cub is estimated at about $1.2 million and for a black‑handed spider monkey about $1.1 million, and urged federal support to sustain placements.

Background and next steps: witnesses requested authorization and operational funding to scale the network nationally; the Service said it would work with the sponsor to refine language to preserve officers' placement authority.","The subcommittee heard that HR 3538, the Wildlife Confiscations Network Act, would formalize a pilot that links law enforcement with vetted facilities to care for seized live wildlife. Proponents said the program reduces burdens on officers, improves animal welfare, and helps combat trafficking that funds transnational crime.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6186190,"Panel backs reauthorization of Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund",3694,1358000,5052000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5078073-cbc5b472f23df114407d37e213e40631&start=1358&end=5052","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5078073-cbc5b472f23df114407d37e213e40631/thumbnail_1358000.jpg","/articles/6186190/Panel-backs-reauthorization-of-Sport-Fish-Restoration-and-Boating-Trust-Fund","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6186190-8ef704d4491d9912f55396523be3a6dc/orig.mp4?Expires=1771162588&Signature=RmdglC6yPK94VDunCGvHdhexrZMzSk1i~q-odDlOBEpD1guRjlnmzOPK8PIY~ygoH0DFTnNVnkucH6yLuX6DMhKesCHq~SMpIcLBi1to8kaMwexrsmS~we9x3b9Ts1CaSPIgajCjVD4eTuHh8obymdRUKoLdmQPQdfJ8-VoBA9lD126ehKHXusJ45YEc5LBkG~sejBIIWV0b89R7wJJMl91CJlenCc0zNH8Te8WsSXmi52F1aDEbr3mAeAd--IM~Ms6LozEQO0qAP2vXtm2WAiSFTYBbyR7oRE0ae41h80EWQD8F6l-qLYgzHQ-mrPFb0jdXsdxKLQGf1nu~mJJVBw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries took testimony June 26 on HR 3858, the Sport Fish Restoration, Recreational Boating Safety and Wildlife Restoration Act, which would reauthorize the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund through 2030 and make technical adjustments to excise tax categories and grant priorities.

Sponsor Representative Debbie Dingell (D‑Mich.) and industry representatives described the program as a decades‑long, user‑funded conservation partnership that invests excise taxes from fishing equipment and motorboat fuels into hatcheries, public access and education. \"This trust fund continues to safeguard our environmental heritage and improve access to the outdoors for all Americans,\" Dingell said.

The nut graf: witnesses emphasized the program’s measurable outputs — 320 hatcheries, more than a billion sport fish stocked annually, and roughly 9,000 boating and fishing access areas — and said reauthorization is needed to avoid interruption of grants and operations. Mike Shields, president of American Fishing Wire, told the committee his company and the broader industry support the excise tax funding model and see direct benefits when funds go back to state agencies for habitat and stocking work.

Dave Michael of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service told the panel the Service supports reauthorization and described the fund’s historic contribution: over $12 billion to states and territories over 75 years. He said the program pairs industry and agencies to maintain fisheries access and education programs that reach hundreds of thousands annually.

Dingell noted the bill also includes proposals to reduce the excise tax on certain aerated bait bucket units and to add alternative marine fuels priorities under grant programs, which she argued would modernize the program to support domestic fuel options and industry competitiveness.

Members from coastal states described the program’s economic and recreational importance. Representative Magaziner (RI) and others cited local spending, license counts and the number of annual fishing trips as evidence of the program’s return on investment. Industry testimony included local examples of hatchery visits and restoration projects paid in part with program funds.

Background and next steps: witnesses urged the subcommittee to reauthorize HR 3858 to avoid disruption of the trust fund. No formal markup occurred; the subcommittee requested written follow‑up from witnesses.","Witnesses told the House Natural Resources Subcommittee that HR 3858 would preserve a long‑running excise‑tax funded conservation program that supports hatcheries, boating access and fisheries restoration, and that the fishing industry and states rely on continued funding and stable administration.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

States and subcommittee debate deadlines and oversight for State Wildlife Action Plans

House subcommittee hears bipartisan support to reauthorize snow water forecasting program

Witnesses urge Congress to codify and expand wildlife confiscations network to aid law enforcement

Panel backs reauthorization of Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund