Refuge System Funding

Latest News: February 2, 2010

On February 1, 2010, President Obama made public his budget request for fiscal year (FY) 2011 appropriations for the Department of the Interior, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (FWS) National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS). Congress will begin hearings on the President’s budget in the next weeks. The FY 2011 budget request proposes a $650 million cut for the Department of the Interior over the FY 10 enacted level. The requested funding level for the operations and maintenance (O&M) account for the Refuge System is $499.5 million, a $3.3 million decrease over FY 10, which represents an $18.3 million cut as refuges need at least $15 million annually for fixed costs.

The NWRA and our partners in the Cooperative Alliance for Refuge Enhancement (CARE) are advocating for a $75 million increase for FY 11 and will need the help of Friends and refuge supporters nationwide to urge Congress to increase refuge funding. NWRA is deeply appreciative of the ongoing Congressional support for increasing Refuge System funding which, over the past 3 years, has resulted in a $105 million increase to the operations and maintenance accounts. This came at a particularly important time as refuges were forced to close, curtail popular recreational programs and ultimately eliminate 20% of their workforce due to crippling funding shortfalls following the Refuge Centennial of 2003. Unfortunately, if funding for the Refuge System is cut this year and next, refuges nationwide will be forced to dust these plans off the shelves.

More details about what was in the President's budget request including the Land and Water Conservation Fund priorities

Read our Press Release

Read about NWRS budgets in previous fiscal years

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