The Greasy Part of an American Conservation Success Story

Fossil fuel extraction is currently underway on millions of acres of land purchased with conservation tax dollars, but due to Federal inaction and lack of State accountability, the royalties from those resources aren't being credited back to the Federal taxpayer, much less to conservation of our natural resources.

In violation of Federal law and the mores of transparency, tens of thousands of oil and natural gas wells are currently dredging up resources for energy on lands purchased specifically for the conservation of wildlife.  Due to the presence of big energy in States and cronyism within Wildlife Management circles, money that otherwise could bolster conservation across the Nation is going out the window, allocated to State general funds, paying for roads, bond funds, anything else, but seldom are these resources going back to conservation.  

Not to mention the huge elephant in the room:  Why is this level of extraction occurring in the first place on Conservation land????

The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program is touted as one of the world's greatest conservation programs.  Taxes on hunting and fishing equipment total hundreds of millions of dollars a year in the United States. For over 80 years, the program has collected this money and apportioned it back to States who buy land, among other things, to provide hunting and fishing opportunities.  It's touted as a user pay/user benefit system wherein hunters' investment is realized in hunters' opportunities.  That's all well and good, but a lot of States and opportunist firms have figured out how to make lots of money off this system.  

 Arkansas alone has 780,000 acres of shale plays within Federally-acquired, State-held Wildlife Management Areas with around 920 active gas wells pulling out natural resources.  How much of that money is going back to the Federal government, per Federal regulations?  None.  How much of the royalties from that natural gas is going back to conservation?  None.  Who is even keeping track?  Nobody.  

Kentucky has 130,000 pillaged acres, containing 1200 oil and gas wells, and even 5 coal mines on these conservation lands.  Oklahoma has 112,000 acres of extraction within Federally-acquired, State-held Wildlife Management Areas, and right at 3,400 active extraction wells!  It goes on and on.  The Federal government is not protecting the investment of conservationists, and States aren't abiding by their responsibility to credit royalties back to conservation.  

When we begin thinking about environmental justice, the question of power comes into focus very quickly.  If powerful private extractors, as well as powerful State and Federal cronies do not call out inaction or work to maintain transparency, this type of failure of a great Federal conservation program will occur.  

The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program is credited with bringing back healthy populations of White-Tailed Deer and Pronghorn Antelope around the United States.  Unfortunately, we should also credit this program with one of the most efficient programs for purchasing fossil fuel extraction land in the United States as well, supporting State coffers for their highway programs.  

We must ask the hard questions and protect open spaces that have no advocate except for outdoors enthusiasts who access them.  Our national conservation landscape will die from a million cuts if we let eroded Federal programs like the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program
and plundered Wildlife Management Areas go unaddressed.  

Speak up, and ask your local politicians if they know the status of Wildlife Management Areas in your area.  Ask if there is extraction going on in local State-managed Wildlife Management Areas, and if so, why.  Finally, ask those same politicians and legislators if the sale of those fossil fuels are going back to conservation.  

Additional States and their Permitted and Active Oil and Gas Wells on Wildlife Management Areas purchased through the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program

Alabama - 1300 Wells and 2 Coal Mines

Florida - 250 Wells

Indiana - 223 Wells

Michigan - 90 Wells

New Mexico - 170 Wells

North Carolina - Stone's Creek Wildlife Management Area

North Dakota - 40 Wells

Ohio - 1230 Wells

Pennsylvania 4500 Wells

West Virginia - Over 4000 Wells