Tell Congress to Pass a Budget that Supports Protected Species and their Habitats

Dear Friend,

President Trump has issued his Administration’s proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2019 and it again includes debilitating cuts to a number of our nation’s environmental agencies and programs.

Here are just some of the proposals that could negatively impact manatees and their aquatic habitat:

• elimination of the Marine Mammal Commission, a science-based agency that works to ensure that protections for marine mammals, including manatees, are effective and scientifically supported.
• zero funding for National Estuarine Research Reserves, which protect 29 estuaries of national significance throughout the nation.
• a 20% reduction to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) budget and elimination of funding for key FWS research programs. The proposal would also reduce by 50%, funding related to listing new species for protection under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
• cuts of nearly a billion dollars from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) budget, including a 7% cut to NOAA’s climate research programs. These cuts would reduce that agency’s ability to conduct atmospheric and marine research to better understand hurricane development, and eliminate satellite programs to monitor the development of harmful algal blooms.
• elimination of the National Sea Grant College program and coastal zone management grants.
• a 20% decrease in funding for the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the lead scientific agency that conducts ecosystem mapping, energy and mineral resource research, and water use monitoring.
• cuts of over 25% to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) overall budget. This would include cuts to grant programs that help states monitor toxic substances and inspect contaminated sites; elimination of more than a dozen climate change-related programs, and loss of more than 3,000 EPA staff.
• elimination of programs that help farmers reduce nonpoint source agricultural runoff into the nation’s waters.

Your members of Congress need to hear from you to know that the programs on the chopping block are valued by the American people.

Congress has also not finalized the budget for this year (Fiscal Year 2018) but must do so by March 23rd. There are a number of dangerous riders that members of Congress could try to add to the must-pass budget legislation, including language that would undermine the Endangered Species, Clean Air, and Clean Water Acts. For example, one proposal would make it more difficult for citizens to bring suits to enforce these laws.

What You Can Do:

Please call your U.S. Senators and Representative today and ask them to support wildlife and the environment by 1) supporting a budget that maintains funding for natural resources and key agencies at current levels or greater; 2) opposing any riders that undermine the Endangered Species Act or other bedrock environmental laws.

1. Enter your zip code to get contact information and call your U.S. Representative now.
   
2. Get contact information and call your U.S. Senators now.

Research has found that calls from constituents are most effective in swaying elected officials, but if you are unable to call, you may also submit a letter using our template.   

Thank you for helping to protect manatees and other imperiled species!