Westlands Loan Conservation Act  

Bill Numbers: S. 272 – Sen. Coleman (R-MN)

Position: Support

The Wetlands Loan Conservation Act would amend the Acts popularly known as the Duck Stamp Act and the Wetlands Loan Act in order to authorize appropriations to promote the conservation of migratory waterfowl and to offset or prevent the serious loss of important wetlands and other waterfowl habitat essential to the preservation of such waterfowl.

Essentially, it will provide funds to purchase conservation lands now at today’s prices and help offset them with an incremental increase in the Duck Stamp over the next few years.

Talking Points:

• The Wetlands Loan Act calls for authorization of funds earmarked for conservation of migratory waterfowl and their habitat in the amount of $40 million per year for the fiscal years 2009 through 2018.
• A portion of the annual authorization will be generated by the sale of migratory bird hunting stamps. From 2009-2015, the price of a stamp will go to $22, from 2016-2022, the prices goes to $29 and after 2023, it goes to $35. Any money in excess of $15 goes towards paying off the initial loan.
• The Wetlands Loan Act will make migratory bird hunting stamps more accessible to the public by allowing any persons to obtain them more easily on-line.