198 Matching Results

Search Results

PILT (Payments in Lieu of Taxes): Somewhat Simplified: This report explains Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT), with an analysis of the five major factors affecting the calculation of a payment to a given county. It also describes the effects of certain legislative changes to PILT in 2009 and 2012.
PILT (Payments in Lieu of Taxes): Somewhat Simplified: This report explains Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) payments, with an analysis of the five major factors affecting the calculation of a payment to a given county. It also describes the effects of certain legislative changes in PILT in 2009 and 2012.
Fish and Wildlife Service: Compensation to Local Governments: The Refuge Revenue Sharing Fund (RRSF) was enacted in response to the concern of local governments regarding losses to their tax base due to the presence of federally owned land under the jurisdiction of the Fish and Wildlife Service. This report outlines recent history of RRSF payment levels. It examines the RRSF and describes how the fund differs in its treatment of reserved and acquired lands under the jurisdiction of FWS. The report also examines the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program in detail.
Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint Drought: Species and Ecosystem Management: Drought in the Southeast has brought congressional attention to an ongoing interstate water conflict among Alabama, Florida, and Georgia over water allocation and management of the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint basin. This report details the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint ecosystem, consultation under the Endangered Species Act, consultations in 2008, what endangered species need, and related figures.
Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint Drought: Species and Ecosystem Management: Drought in the Southeast has brought congressional attention to an ongoing interstate water conflict among Alabama, Florida, and Georgia over water allocation and management of the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint basin. This report details information on the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint ecosystem, consultation, events, and related figures.
Fish and Wildlife Service: FY2015 Appropriations and Policy: This report contains the appropriations and policy during the Fiscal Year 2015 on fish and wildlife service.
Endangered Species: Continuing Controversy: No Description Available.
Fish and Wildlife Service: FY2013 Appropriations and Policy: The annual Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriation funds agencies and program in three federal departments, as well as numerous related agencies and bureaus. Among the more controversial agencies represented in the bill is the Fish and Wildlife Service, in the Department of the Interior. This report analyzes the Fish and Wildlife Services funding levels contained in the FY2013 appropriations bill.
Fish and Wildlife Service: FY2012 Appropriations and Policy: The annual Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriation funds agencies and program in three federal departments, as well as numerous related agencies and bureaus. Among the more controversial agencies represented in the bill is the Fish and Wildlife Service, in the Department of the Interior. This report analyzes the Fish and Wildlife Services funding levels contained in the FY2012 appropriations bill.
PILT (Payments in Lieu of Taxes): Somewhat Simplified: This report explains Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT), with an analysis of the five major factors affecting the calculation of a payment to a given county. It also describes the effects of certain legislative changes to PILT in recent years.
Fish and Wildlife Service: Compensation to Local Governments: This report describes the key features of NRWF: the lands under FWS jurisdiction, the eligibility of most of those lands for NRWF payments, the source of revenue for the fund, the payment formula for calculating an individual county's payments, the PILT payments available for certain FWS lands, some exceptions to normal authorized payment calculations, changing authorization levels, and falling annual appropriations. It concludes with a review of options for changes in the program.
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge: Background and Issues: This is a report from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge about background and issues.
The Northern Right Whale: This report summarizes the fact that northern right whale is the most endangered among all the whale species. The National Marine Fisheries Service is taking extra measures to protect these whales from any negative human interactions.
PILT (Payments in Lieu of Taxes): Somewhat Simplified: This report explains Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT), with an analysis of the five major factors affecting the calculation of a payment to a given county. It also describes the effects of recent legislative changes to PILT.
PILT (Payments in Lieu of Taxes): Somewhat Simplified: Under current federal law, local governments are compensated through various programs for losses to their tax bases due to the presence of most federally owned land. Some of these programs are run by specific agencies, and apply only to that agency's land. The most widely applicable program, while run by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), applies to many types of federally owned land, and is called "Payments in Lieu of Taxes" or PILT. The level of payments is calculated under a complex formula.
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species: Its Past and Future: This report discusses the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). It is divided into six sections: Introduction, Background, CITES and the Endangered Species Act, Implementation, Upcoming Events, and Appendices.
Ecosystems, Biomes, and Watersheds: Definitions and Use: This paper describes the meaning and applications of ecosystem and of the related terms watershed and biome. It discusses the pros and cons of all three as organizing principles for land management, and the major issues that are likely to arise in the debate over ecosystem management.
The Listing of a Species: Legal Definition and Biological Realities: The 103d Congress will debate the reauthorization of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) 2 which expired on October 1, 1992. The Act has recently generated controversy, even though it passed in 1973 with virtually no opposition. Much of the debate concerns specific actions that would jeopardize particular species or populations. However, the controversy has been fueled by the discrepancies between two sets of legal definitions and the subtle biological realities that they approximate
The Steel Jaw Leghold Trap: Issues and Concerns: Steel jaw leghold traps are used in 47 States in the United States to capture furbearing animals (Florida and Rhode Island have prohibited use except with special permit for nuisance animals, and New Jersey has banned all uses). In addition to use by the fur industry, these traps are employed by State agencies in game management (e.g., to control predators and diseases). The leghold trap issue pits animal welfare groups opposed to the pain and suffering of trapped animals against supporters of the trap who maintain that alternatives are not cost effective and/or efficient.
Mahoganies: International Protection?: This report is on The issue for 18 mahogany species is whether any qualifies for regulation under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). (1) Pessimists on this issue say "yes," while optimists see the abundance of species in parts of their range and therefore say "no." Both camps question the accuracy of data supplied by the other side. Both agree that the presence of mahogany trees may provide local governments with an incentive to retain rain forests, especially since mahogany cultivation has not been particularly successful.
Non-Indigenous Species: Government Response to the Brown Tree Snake and Issues for Congress: Species found abundantly outside of their normal range can represent an ecological and economic hazard as great or greater than the most far-reaching efforts to protect an endangered species.
Mexican Wolf: Federal Protection: Mexican wolves were extirpated from the United States by the 1940s as part of the Predatory Animal and Rodent Control program (PARC); wild wolves are believed to exist in secluded areas in Mexico. Listed on the endangered species list in 1967, Mexican wolves exist in the United States only in captivity. The Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is currently developing plans to reintroduce the wolves into their historic habitat. The plans are controversial, and the species' conservation may be debated during reauthorization of the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
The Northern Goshawk: Future Endangered Species?: The northern goshawk was listed in January 1992 as a candidate species (Category 2) for possible future listing under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) throughout its range in the United States. Category 2 species are those for which there are not adequate data to justify a listing proposal under ESA at that time.
PILT (Payments in Lieu of Taxes): Somewhat Simplified: This report explains Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT), with an analysis of the five major factors affecting the calculation of a payment to a given county. It also describes the effects of recent legislative changes to PILT.
Endangered Species: Continuing Controversy: The Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA) has been one of the most controversial of all environmental laws. Undoubtedly, the controversy stems from the strict substantive provisions of this law compared to many other environmental laws which tend to be more procedurally oriented or to permit greater administrative discretion. As a result of the ESA’s standards, the Act often plays a role in disputes in which all sides agree that a given species is not the center of the debate.
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge: Background and Issues: This report discusses the ongoing debate about whether or not to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) for energy development. The report discusses arguments for and against such development and related pieces of legislation. It does not analyze specific proposals to develop or protect the Refuge. Rather, it provides basic material for analyzing possibilities and implications of the major issues that have been the focus of the legislative debate over its fate.
The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill: Coastal Wetland and Wildlife Impacts and Response: The explosion of the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico on April 20, 2010, and the resulting oil spill began a cascade of effects on the coastal areas of the Gulf and on the wealth of species that inhabit those areas. This report addresses the importance of wetlands in general, the ecology of the coastal wetlands in the Gulf, impacts of oil spills on wetland habitats, response options, the implications of hurricane season for the spill's impacts, and cleanup and recovery issues. The emphasis is on the nearshore environment, although a few species found in deeper waters will be mentioned. In addition, some lessons from past spills such as the Exxon Valdez in Alaska will be discussed, along with issues that may arise as response and recovery transition to restoration of the Gulf.
Bee Health: The Role of Pesticides: This report briefly describes recent scientific research and analysis regarding the potential role of pesticides among the factors affecting the health and well-being of bees.
Avian Influenza in Poultry and Wild Birds: This report discusses the congressional agriculture committees that have held hearings on avian influenza preparedness, and appropriators have increased funding for surveillance and other preparedness activities for poultry and wild birds.
The Endangered Species Act (ESA) in the 113th Congress: New and Recurring Issues: This report discusses oversight issues and legislation in the 113th Congress that address Endangered Species Act (ESA) implementation and management of endangered and threatened species.
Gray Wolves Under the Endangered Species Act (ESA): Distinct Population Segments and Experimental Populations: This report looks at the distinct population segments (DPSs) process as it is applied to the gray wolf. It also reviews experimental populations of wolves under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and their protections.
Bee Health: Background and Issues for Congress: Bees, both commercially managed honey bees and wild bees, play an important role in global food production. In the United States alone, the value of insect pollination to U.S. agricultural production is estimated at $16 billion annually, of which about three-fourths is attributable to honey bees. Worldwide, the contribution of bees and other insects to global crop production for human food is valued at about $190 billion. Given the importance of honey needs and other bee species to food production, many have expressed concern about whether a "pollinator crisis" has been occurring in recent decades. This report details selected bee species, the importance of bee pollination, changes in bee populations, managed honey bees, wild bee species, factors affecting bee health, identified future needs, issues for Congress, and related figures/
Proposed Changes to Regulations Governing Consultation Under the Endangered Species Act (ESA): This report discusses the purpose of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), which is threefold: to provide a means to conserve ecosystems upon which endangered and threatened species depend; to provide a program to protect those species; and to take steps to achieve the purposes of related treaties and conventions.
Federal Efforts to Control Invasive Plant and Animal Species: No Description Available.
Endangered Species Act Amendments: An Analysis of S. 1180 and H.R. 2351: Because of wide-spread interest in possible amendments to the Endangered Species Act (ESA), CRS has received numerous requests for an analysis and critique of S.1180 and H.R. 2351. This report analyzes those bills. HR. 2351 was introduced on July 31, 1997 and S. 1180 on September 16, 1997. Each bill is discussed under various topic headings. The Senate bill will be described first, since it has been reported.
The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill: Coastal Wetland and Wildlife Impacts and Response: The explosion of the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico on April 20, 2010, and the resulting oil spill began a cascade of effects on the coastal areas of the Gulf and on the wealth of species that inhabit those areas. This report addresses the importance of wetlands in general, the ecology of the coastal wetlands in the Gulf, impacts of oil spills on wetland habitats, response options, the implications of hurricane season for the spill's impacts, and cleanup and recovery issues. The emphasis is on the nearshore environment, although a few species found in deeper waters will be mentioned. In addition, some lessons from past spills such as the Exxon Valdez in Alaska will be discussed, along with issues that may arise as response and recovery transition to restoration of the Gulf.
The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill: Coastal Wetland and Wildlife Impacts and Response: This report addresses the importance of wetlands in general, the ecology of the coastal wetlands in the Gulf, impacts of oil spills on wetland habitats, response options, the implications of hurricane season for the spill's impacts, and cleanup and recovery issues.3 The emphasis is on the nearshore environment, though a few species found in deeper waters will be mentioned. In addition, some lessons from past spills such as the Exxon Valdez in Alaska will be discussed along with issues that may arise in the years after the leak from the deepwater well is capped.
The Endangered Species Act and "Sound Science": This report provides a context for evaluating legislative proposals through examples of how science has been used in selected cases, a discussion of the nature and role of science in general, and its role in the Endangered Species Act (ESA) process in particular, together with general and agency information quality requirements and policies, and a review of how the courts have viewed agency use of science.
Legislative Maps of ANWR: No Description Available.
Legislative Maps of ANWR: No Description Available.
Resource Protection: A Comparison of H.R. 701/S. 2567 and Three Other Senate Bills (S. 25, S. 2123, and S. 2181) with Current Law: No Description Available.
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR): Legislative Actions in the 110th Congress: This report provides information on Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) and its Controversies for the 110th Congress.
Guns, Excise Taxes, and Wildlife Restoration: As a result of the recent debate over guns, gun rights, and gun-related violence, there has been a marked increase in sales of many weapons as well as ammunition. Through an excise tax on firearms and ammunition, such sales have a marked beneficial effect on funding for state wildlife programs through the Wildlife Restoration Program (also known as Pittman-Robertson or P-R). This report examines these taxes, their allocation, and their use. It also examines the effects of sequestration of this account, pursuant to the Budget Control Act of 2011 (BCA, P.L. 112-25).
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR): Votes and Legislative Actions, 95th Congress through 110th Congress: This report provides a summary of legislative attempts to address issues of energy development and preservation in the Refuge from the 95th Congress through the 110th Congress, with emphasis on the 108th through 110th Congresses. The analysis below covers, first, the economic and geological factors that have triggered new interest in development, followed by the philosophical, biological, and environmental quality factors that have triggered opposition to it. That analysis is followed by a history of congressional actions on this issue, with a focus on those in the 107th Congress through the 109th Congress.
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR): Controversies for the 108th Congress: This report addresses the controversies of the 108th in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
African Elephant Issues: CITES and CAMPFIRE: The conservation of African elephants has been controversial recently on two fronts: the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES, to which the United States is a party), and a Zimbabwean program for sustainable development called CAMPFIRE, which is partially funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Two controversies have sprung up recently about the African elephant. One is the changing status of this species under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), of which the United States is a signatory. The other is over a program in Zimbabwe called "CAMPFIRE." The partial funding of this program by the U.S. Agency for International Development has been criticized by animal welfare groups and some conservation groups, though it has been supported by other conservation groups as well as many hunting organizations.
Conservation and Reinvestment Act (CARA) (H.R. 701) and a Related Initiative in the 106th Congress: This report compares existing law with H.R. 701, as passed by the House(HP) and H.R. 701, as reported by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee (SCR). Both versions, also known as the Conservation and Reinvestment Act (CARA), would have created a new fund, the CARA Fund. Both bills would have created and funded a new coastal energy impact assistance program, amended and funded the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), funded the Urban Park and Recreation Recovery Program and the Historic Preservation Fund, increased funding for wildlife conservation, funded land restoration and easement programs, and funded the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) Program.1 The SCR version would also have funded additional programs to protect natural and cultural resources.
ANWR and FY2006 Budget Reconciliation Legislation: This report briefly discusses the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) and FY2006 budget reconciliation legislation, which is considered under expedited procedures that, in particular, limit debate and amendments in the Senate.
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES): Background and Issues: The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) has been ratified by 167 nations, including the United States. It regulates the international trade in animals and plants that may be threatened by trade.
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR): A Primer for the 114th Congress: This report discusses the history of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), the basic issues in the debate over wilderness versus development, the Native interests, and the energy and biological resources at stake.

198 Matching Results

Search Results

Add Filters