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PUBLIC TRUST VS. PUBLIC TROUGH

Good news first. . . Congress has moved in a non-partisan effort to prevent further high level abuses by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) of monies earmarked for but diverted from fish and wildlife restoration programs. According to a press release issued by the National Wilderness Institute on March 16, the U.S. House Committee on Resources voted unanimously (36 to 0) to approve legislation to halt further abuses. Bad news. . . over $45 million from the FWS' Federal Aid grant program have been misapplied at tax payers' expense.

Millions of dollars from the legally and long established Pittman-Robertson (P-R) and the Dingell-Johnson (D-J) Acts seem to have been used for highly questionable trips to Japan, Brazil, Italy, France and other parts of the global village. Additionally, funds were diverted to unauthorized projects such as spotted owl, bear, blackfooted ferret and marine mammal programs. Monies from these funds are excise taxes on hunting and fishing equipment. The specific purpose and intent of which is to finance improvements and restoration projects for fish and wildlife in the United States.

Three conservation groups as well as members of Congress have called for the resignation of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Director, Jamie Clark. The National Wilderness Institute, Texas Wildlife Association and the United Sportsmen of Pennsylvania want Clark to step down.

Investigations over the past year have exposed Clark's flagrant and repeated abuse of her position. Four auditors of the Government Accounting Office have labeled the FWS' Federal Aid Program as the most poorly managed program they have seen in their combined 160 years of experience.

Attempts by Jamie Clark to place blame elsewhere have resulted in a "goodbye letter" from former head of the Federal Aid program, Bob Lange. Mr. Lange is quoted in his letter as "Also I think it is fair to say I have avoided being scapegoated, though there was a mighty effort at this." As things have heated up around this continuing investigation, Mr. Lange was assigned to an office which had no telephone, no computer, or office key. It is unclear if Mr. Lange has officially retired. Agency folks could or would not confirm his official situation.

Unwilling to accept Congressional financial limits on and criticism of the National Biological Survey, Director Clark established slush funds labeled "Director's Conservation Fund," "National Administrative Grants," and "Operation Grants." It appears millions of dollars were siphoned off of the P-R and D-J sportsmen funds to achieve goals Congress has disallowed.

Some of these diverted funds appear to have financed almost 70 trips to Canada. Especially interesting is the subject of one of these Canadian meetings. The topic focused on how to reintroduce wolves into the Eastern United States. Those discussions included bringing an end to the clearing of ice on the Saint Lawrence Seaway. This would facilitate travel by the wolves from Canada into the Northeastern United States. To allow for commerce in this area ice must be cleared. I guess most of us have been around long enough now to have learned that "commerce" is irrelevant and despised in many quarters.

There are many other aspects of this picture for which space here does not allow. However, a careful read of the National Wilderness Institute's (NWI) web page will get your civic attention. Its address is: www.nwi.org. Our country owes these folks at NWI a debt of gratitude. They focus continually on what is ethical and reasonable in natural resource management.

How unfortunate for an agency whose strong suit was intended to be sound science. Now it seems the careers and reputations of many fine agency folks are at risk. Intimidation and manipulation of employees have become the management style. Personal philosophies and goals of upper management supercede any and all laws, which would prevent abuse and maintain balance.

This country would be far better served by public servants who do not mistake the public's trust for a public trough from which to finance their personal agendas.

There seems to be no end to this Administration's willingness to condone, encourage and employ folks who give new meaning to phrases such as….the end justifies the means. Americans, including agency folks who deplore these actions, should take heart that Congress, in a non-partisan way, is seriously attempting to set things straight.

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