Izaak Walton League of America

A new report released by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service shows that for every $1 appropriated by Congress to run the Refuge System, nearly $5 is generated in local economies. Wildlife refuges generated $2.4 billion in 2011.

Water resources legislation passed by the U.S. House of Representatives yesterday fails to remove counterproductive constraints on Upper Mississippi River restoration projects, increases subsidies for industries, and weakens environmental review of river projects nationwide.

A report from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which will guide development of a new rule clarifying the Clean Water Act’s role in safeguarding "waters of the United States," documents the connectivity of wetlands and streams to downstream waters.

More than 1,600 organizations representing tens of millions of birders, hikers, hunters, anglers, boaters and other conservationists and outdoor enthusiasts delivered a collective letter to congressional appropriators today urging them to restore funding to popular and effective fish and wildlife conservation grant programs.

Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) took two critical steps to begin restoring Clean Water Act protections for streams, wetlands, and other critical waters. The agency announced that it initiated the process of revising regulations on implementing the Clean Water Act and released a report synthesizing the peer-reviewed science documenting the connections between waters.

The Izaak Walton League of America announced today that it has hired Mike Leahy as the organization’s new Conservation Director. Leahy will lead planning and implementation of the League’s national conservation work. He brings to the position more than 18 years of experience at the federal, state, and local levels working on conservation of wildlife, forests, and grasslands; roadless areas; access to public and private lands; and more.

The Izaak Walton League of America, one of the nation’s oldest and most successful conservation organizations, named Scott Kovarovics as Executive Director this week. Kovarovics brings more than 20 years of managerial and advocacy experience to the position as well as a passion for defending outdoor America for future generations.