The Obama administration is distributing $1.1 billion in tax revenue from the purchase of firearms to help states with environmental programs.
The Interior Department’s Fish and Wildlife Service made the announcement Monday, saying the money is from excise taxes paid on firearms, bows and ammunition. Excise taxes on sportfishing tackle, some boat engines and small engine fuel also were included.
“State wildlife agencies play an essential role in the conservation of America’s wildlife, while also generating billions of dollars for the nation’s economy through increased hunting and fishing opportunities,” said Dan Ashe, the director of the Fish and Wildlife Service. “It’s fitting that those very sporting activities help sustain wildlife, their habitats and the agencies that manage them. Our role in administering these funds reflects our long-standing partnership with the states across a broad spectrum of wildlife conservation issues.”
The revenue is collected for land and environmental restoration projects under two laws: The Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration and Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration acts.
The announcement was made as the White House convened a roundtable discussion on environmental conservation and restoration, where industry groups announced $2 billion in new spending on restoration projects.
“These investments highlight the ability to leverage the administration’s work to encourage private investment in the health and restoration of our natural resources and the significant opportunities for the private sector to invest in conservation across the country,” the White House said.
The administration also used the meeting to announce $20 million by the departments of the Interior and Agriculture “to build on the administration’s conservation priorities.” The federal dollars would be used to help promote new technologies and tools to benefit farmers, ranchers and landowners, the White House said.
The Agriculture Department would make part of the money available for grants for deploying new technologies used in restoration. The White House said the Interior Department would make changes to 35-year-old regulations governing environmental mitigation to improve habitats.
“The revised policy seeks to improve the design and placement of mitigation on the landscape and by doing so, improve the overall health of species and habitats at risk,” according to the White House.
