WILMINGTON — Senator Thomas R. Carper has signed onto a bipartisan wildlife conservation bill, the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act, that will dedicate $1.4 billion annually to locally led efforts to help at-risk wildlife species nationwide.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

“Delawareans can be proud that Senator Carper is among the first to champion the historic Recovering America’s Wildlife Act,” said Jen Adkins, Executive Director of the Delaware Nature Society. “This commonsense, cost-effective approach will address the wildlife crisis at the scale necessary, creating jobs that protect the First State’s outdoors heritage.”

The bill would send $11.5 million to the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, which the agency will use to implement its wildlife action plan. The plan identifies 692 priority species, including the Atlantic horseshoe crab, Delmarva fox squirrel, and Bethany beach firefly.                                               

“Saving the thousands of at-risk wildlife species will require bold, bipartisan leadership,” said Collin O’Mara, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation and the former secretary of the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. “We are so grateful to Senator Carper for leading the way on the historic Recovering America’s Wildlife Act. This bill will have an immediate impact – saving species, creating jobs and protecting our way of life in Delaware and all across the country.”

A similar bill passed the House last session with support from Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester. Senator Chris Coons backed its Senate companion last session, which passed out of committee but never received a floor vote, despite having 47 bipartisan cosponsors.   

Federally recognized tribal nations would share $97.5 million annually to fund wildlife conservation efforts in the lands they manage. 

“Wildlife conservation is an issue that unites all Americans. We hope the entire Delaware delegation will join Senator Carper in backing this commonsense bill and getting it across the finish line,” said Adkins.