Does anyone care that the great state of Mass. is about to lose matching funds from the Feds? Romney is pulling a fast one and getting away with it. I urge you all to write or call your state Reps and state Senators if you live in Mass. and care about the Fish and wildlife.
Here is an article from
www.goal.org 
Press Release
September 29, 2003 Contact Information: James L. Wallace (508) 393-5333
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Declares Massachusetts Ineligible for Federal Aid
On September 29, 2003, the Massachusetts Conservation Alliance received a letter from the United States Fish and Wildlife that had been sent to the Massachusetts Division of Fish and Wildlife. The letter was to inform Massachusetts Director Wayne MacCallum that the State "...is no longer eligible to participate in the Federal Aid in Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Programs."
The letter went on further to say; "In addition to eligibility issues, the State is likely in diversion based on provisions within the FY 2004 budget. In the current Federal Fiscal Year, Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration apportionments to Massachusetts totaling $4,696,755.00 are in jeopardy."
The Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration (Pittman-Robertson) was approved by Congress on September 2, 1937, and began functioning July 1, 1938. This was followed by The Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act, commonly referred to as the Dingell-Johnson act, passed on August 9, 1950. Funds are derived for these programs from excise taxes on sporting arms, ammunition, archery equipment, fishing rods, reels, creels, lures, flies and artificial baits, etc.
These programs were created by and supported by sportsmen across the nation in an effort to help state fish and wildlife agencies professionally manage our natural resources. With these programs, the agencies would not have to rely on general tax dollars to fund their efforts or have to worry about their resources being used as political leverage. Unfortunately, the acts of the latest Fiscal 2004 Budget in Massachusetts has undone sixty years of sportsmen's devotion and hard work.
What sportsmen and conservationists had warned the current administration about since early January 2003 is now becoming reality. With the Federal Aid making up approximately 70% of the Division's budget, this could be the end of the most efficiently run agency in the Commonwealth. Sportsmen, conservationist and the general public are outraged at the destruction of the dedicated Inland Fisheries and Game Fund, as well as the Wildland Aquisition Program, and are calling on the legislature and the current administration to restore what was wrongfully taken.
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