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Friends of Eastern Neck ask Kent County to press federal representatives to maintain Fish & Wildlife staffing
Summary
Friends of Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge told commissioners federal staffing cuts threaten refuge operations; commissioners voted to send a letter to the county's congressional delegation seeking a meeting and expressing concern.
Representatives of the Friends of Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge told Kent County commissioners on April 15 they are worried about staffing cuts at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that could force operational changes at the refuge and asked the county to urge federal representatives to maintain staffing.
William Burton, president of the Friends of Eastern Neck, and vice president Bonnie Ford described volunteer support and ongoing repair projects at the refuge and said federal staff reductions at the Blackwater field office have already reduced on-site presence. "The US Fish and Wildlife staff based at Blackwater has already been cut to the bone. Any further cuts could make it impossible for them to manage the behind-the-scenes work that keeps refuge habitats healthy," Bonnie Ford said.
Friends officials listed possible local consequences of continued federal cuts: closure of the lodge (visitor center and indoor restrooms), reduced volunteer programs, increased invasive plants, reduced hunting and conservation work, and greater vulnerability to vandalism. They said more than 70,000 visitors use the refuge annually and that the refuge supports local tourism and businesses.
Commissioners discussed sending letters to U.S. Rep. Harris and the state's two U.S. senators and ultimately approved a motion directing staff to prepare and send a letter to all three federal representatives asking for a meeting and expressing county concerns. Commissioner motion language asked the board to prepare a letter "to all 3 of our representatives at the senate level and the congress level and express our concerns about the future of the budget as well as a future meeting." Friends said they would provide a draft template letter for commissioners to use and staff asked for an electronic copy for the county clerk.
The motion passed unanimously; the board requested the Friends provide an editable electronic template and county staff said they would forward the letter to kentcounty@kentgov.org so county stationery could be used.
