The midterm elections last week proved not only successful for the Republican Party, which now holds the majority in both the U.S. House and Senate, but also for state initiatives on conservation. Voters in several states supported funding initiatives that benefit wildlife and the overall environment.

Six states across the country had proposed different ways to bring in more money for conservation efforts, to the tune of several billion dollars. Five of those measures passed — California, Florida, Maine, New Jersey, and Rhode Island. Below is a summary of each state’s ballot measure.

California: Proposition 1, Water Bond. Funding for Water Quality, Supply Treatment, and Storage Projects

The severe multi-year drought in California led to the passage of a $7.5 billion bond to fund water projects in the state. The inclusion of $2.7 billion for water storage projects that would include dam construction was controversial among many environmental organizations. However, a portion of the bond, around $1.5 billion, will fund the protection and restoration of rivers, lakes, and watersheds. The remaining resources will fund various water projects involving wastewater treatment, desalination, and flood protection.

Source: The Sacramento Bee (November 5, 2014)

Florida: Amendment 1, Florida Water and Land Conservation Initiative

Floridians passed a constitutional amendment that will dedicate 33 percent of funds from the existing real estate tax to conservation over the next twenty years. The estimated billion dollars per year generated from the tax will finance the Land Acquisition Trust Fund to acquire, improve, manage, and restore conservation lands including the Everglades and protect and restore water resources and historic sites. Florida Forever, a conservation land purchasing program that experienced deep budget cuts during the recession, is estimated to receive half of the funds. The Florida Chapter of The Wildlife Society actively supported this initiative and worked as part of a larger coalition to get the measure approved.

Source: Miami Herald (November 4, 2014)

Maine: Question 6, Maine Clean Water and Wetlands Bond Issue

Maine voters approved a $10 million bond to fund projects that ensure clean water, protect drinking water and restore wetlands. In addition to funding improvements for wastewater treatment and drinking water supply sources, a portion of the bond — $5.4 million — will be given to municipalities upgrading road-stream crossings. Maintaining stream crossings is important for mitigating habitat fragmentation. Unblocked and well maintained culverts enable fish, turtles, salamanders, and other species to move safely between watersheds.

Source: Bangor Daily News (October 29, 2014)

New Jersey: Public Question No. 2, Open Space Preservation Funding Amendment

New Jersey voters created a permanent funding source for the state to buy and preserve open space. Four percent of New Jersey’s corporate business tax will now be directed towards the state’s open space program; however, some of this money is being redirected from the state’s Department of Environmental Protection and the maintenance budgets of the state parks and fish and wildlife areas. The proportion of the funding is set to increase from four to six percent of the corporate tax by 2019.

Source: NJ.com (November 4, 2014)

Rhode Island: Question 7, Clean Water, Open Space and Healthy Communities Bonds

Rhode Island voters approved a $53 million bond for environmental and recreational purposes. Of that, $3 million will go towards flood protection including restoring and improving the resiliency of coastal habitats, rivers, and streams, while $15 million will fund improvements and renovations to the Roger Williams Park Zoo. The remaining $35 million will fund clean water and community projects including water pollution abatement infrastructure projects, brownfield remediation projects, and local recreation grants.

Source: Rhode Island

North Dakota: Initiated Constitutional Measure No. 5, Clean Water, Wildlife and Parks Trust

North Dakotans rejected the creation of a Clean Water, Wildlife and Parks Trust, that would have set aside five percent of the state’s oil extraction tax revenue for conservation. The North Dakota Chapter of The Wildlife Society actively supported the initiative. Although the measure failed, it has drawn attention to conservation funding in the state. Governor Dalrymple recently proposed increasing funds to the state’s Outdoor Heritage Fund and the state’s House of Representatives plan to introduce a bill to increase funding for state parks.

Source: Grand Forks Herald (November 5, 2014)

Sources: Ballotpedia, Washington Times (October 30, 2014)

Alaskans approved a ballot measure this week to protect the Bristol Bay region from mining developments. The state’s citizens have enabled Alaska’s Legislature to ban proposed mining in the Bristol Bay watershed if the project will harm wild salmon in the fisheries reserve. Prior to this measure, only state and federal agencies reviewed and made final determinations on mining permits.

The measure is in response to the controversial Pebble Mine proposal, which if built would become one of the largest mines in the world. Controversy over the proposed mine’s potential impacts to habitat and wildlife in the area have led many Alaskans to become more vocal about the project. The area supports important populations of waterfowl, ptarmigan, brown bear, moose, caribou, and 46% of the world’s sockeye salmon. It is a world-class destination for both hunting and fishing.

The Wildlife Society supported the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed restrictions on development of the Pebble Mine back in September. The Society’s letter highlighted the importance of this region to wildlife populations and the risks a large mine would pose to the integrity of the ecosystem. The EPA is due to make a final decision on that determination by February 4, 2015.

Sources: KTNA (October 23, 2014), Ballotpedia (November 7, 2014), Alaska Dispatch News (November 4, 2014)

Fall may be the harbinger of death for wildlife — and not just because of hunting season. The number of motor vehicle collisions with wild animals peaks during the fall months, according to a 2008 U.S. Department of Transportation report.

“There’s a lot of animal movement this time of year,” said Paul Wagner, a transportation biologist for Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). For many species, such as elk and deer, fall is the time for finding mates and evading hunters. Large mammals are also travelling from summer ranges to winter ranges — a journey that may take them across busy interstates and highways.

These intersections can be dangerous for humans and wildlife alike. In Washington, drivers report more than 1,100 car accidents involving wildlife every year, though WSDOT maintenance workers remove about three times that number of deer and elk carcasses from roadsides. But some collisions may go undetected making these estimates low, explained Wagner. Scavengers could ravage carcasses rendering them unidentifiable, collisions could launch animals into bushes or ditches where maintenance workers are unlikely to find them, not to mention the damage a collision could inflict on smaller animals such as toads or snakes.

“A lot of small animals — if they’re birds, small mammals, amphibians — can get hit on the roadway and get completely obliterated,” said Wagner. Because of this, it is nearly impossible to quantify the impact collisions may have on all wildlife populations.

But for identifiable animals, usually deer and elk, their grisly fate may help biologists protect these species. When WSDOT maintenance workers remove a dead animal from the side of the road, they identify its species (when possible) and record its location. The data gives scientists information about which animals were hit where, which in turn helps transportation biologists locate sections of roadway where wildlife and motor vehicle collisions are more frequent. Biologists then overlay that information with habitat maps and migration corridors to determine priority areas.

Once wildlife managers identify these areas, they can create site-specific strategies to reduce the risk of collisions while keeping habitat and corridors connected for the wildlife. One common strategy involves rerouting wildlife, said Wagner. Fences can keep wildlife off roads and encourage migrating deer to funnel through existing bridges, overpasses, or underpasses, making road trips safer for all.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is proposing to list four native freshwater turtle species under Appendix III of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The listing will allow FWS to monitor the amount of international trade of the turtles and determine whether more protection is needed.

CITES is an international treaty signed and ratified by 180 countries that provides protections for species traded internationally. Appendix I and II provide strong protection for threatened or endangered species that are placed at further risk through international trade. Appendix III species receive less statutory protection, but mandatory permits and more rigorous inspections lead to better monitoring, record keeping, and scrutiny when crossing borders.

The four turtle species — the Florida soft-shell (Apalone ferox), smooth soft-shell (Apalone mutica), spiny soft-shell (Apalone spinifera), and common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) — are experiencing unprecedented losses from commercial trade, but it is unknown exactly how much trade is occurring. The systematic monitoring will allow FWS to generate enough data to determine how fast the turtles are being removed from the wild and whether current state and federal efforts are enough to ensure sustainable populations.

FWS is accepting comments on their proposal until December 29, 2014. Comments may be submitted through the Federal eRulemaking portal at http://www.regulations.gov under Identification number FWS-HQ-ES-2013-0052. By hard copy, submit to: Public Comments Processing, Attn: Docket No. FWS-HQ-ES-2013-0052; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters, MS: BPHC; 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803.

Sources: Federal Register (October 30, 2014), USFWS website (October 29, 2014), Greenwire (October 30, 2014)