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Bush Announces Plan to Increase - Protect U.S. Wetlands
From Robert Longley,
Your Guide to U.S. Gov Info / Resources.
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Restore and create over 1 million wetland acres by 2010
Dateline: 04/26/04
On Earth Day 2004, the USDA released figures showing that, for the first time in modern history, America has reversed the annual net loss of wetlands. The United States was losing almost 500,000 acres of wetlands per year 30 years ago. According to the USDA, that loss is down dramatically and overall, we are nearing the Bush Administration's national goal of "no net loss" of wetlands.
Also on Earth Day, the White House released details of President Bush's new national goal -- moving beyond a policy of "no net loss" of wetlands to have an overall increase of wetlands in America each year.
Highlights of President Bush's wetlands conservation strategy include:
Restore, Improve, and Protect:Through a combined effort, the Departments of the Interior, Agriculture and Transportation, EPA, Army Corps of Engineers, and NOAA will, over the next five years:
Restore and create at least 1 million acres of wetlands;
Improve the quality of at least 1 million acres of wetlands;
Protect at least 1 million acres of wetlands.
The benefits of these outcomes are to be enhanced by further efforts to improve associated uplands and river habitat so that, for example, ducks not only will have the wetland they need for food, but good dry land habitat nearby for nesting.
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