Page 22 - i1052-5173-28-12_GSAT-web-compressed

2017–2018 GSA-USGS Congressional Geoscience Fellow Report

Working Together As part of Senator Udall’s natural resources team, I began the

When Conservation process of working on a Senate companion bill of the previously
introduced Wildlife Corridors Conservation Act. Legislative staff
Matters works to draft measures so that they will accomplish the policy
goals set out by members of Congress. Staff considers items such
as the timing of introducing the bill, to what committee the bill is
likely to be referred, potential bill cosponsors, and constituent and
Melanie R. Thornton stakeholder support or opposition of the bill. For this specific bill,
Those who defend our natural environment fear that we will our goal was to update and revise the previous wildlife corridors
not act until it is too late. Due to Americans’ increasing concern bill with cosponsors of each political party. The plan also included
about our environment’s health, Congress enacted our country’s collaborating with bipartisan members in the House to encourage
bedrock environmental laws—the Clean Air Act, the Clean bicameral consideration.
Water Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, and the Endangered
Species Act in the 1960s and 1970s. Today, environmental Initially, I learned about wildlife corridors by understanding
protection and conservation policy continues to be at the the on-the-ground logistics of implementation and gathering
forefront of political discussion. As a GSA-USGS Congressional diverse perspectives from stakeholders with a vested interest in
Science Fellow, I am continuing to work on policies that protect the management of native species. I met with experts from the
our environment and America’s native fish, wildlife, and plant Congressional Research Service, congressional staff that have
species—an important legacy to pass on to future generations. worked on previous wildlife corridors legislation, and stakeholders
from the nongovernmental organization community, state and
Last October, a handful of environmental nongovernmental federal government, scientists and researchers, and with
organizations hosted a discussion with E.O. Wilson in the U.S. constituents working on wildlife issues in New Mexico.
Capitol about his book, The Half Earth, and how best to protect
America’s wildlife. This conversation highlighted how habitat The next phase of work on this bill included thoroughly vetting
loss and threats from a changing climate are the greatest concerns the legislation and asking for feedback from stakeholders who
to species extinction, and wildlife corridors and federal policies support and oppose different provisions of the bill. Some stake-
are important ways in which we can continue to protect fish, holders were concerned about the process of engaging private
wildlife, and plant species. Reflecting on the takeaways from landowners. Others provided input on the role and authority of
this discussion, Senator Tom Udall (D-NM) asked his natural state government, and wanted the legislation to provide more
resources staff to craft a wildlife corridors bill in the Senate. detail about how species would be prioritized for compiling habitat
data and designating their corridor. We learned about successful
Many believe that the designation of wildlife corridors needs projects with similar goals of this bill, where communities are
a systemic approach, best directed by legislation. That approach conducting research and collecting geographical data on certain
should expand the science and stewardship of America’s most species to better understand wildlife connectivity. In addition, the
important native fish, wildlife, and plant species and their habitats. Department of the Interior provided technical assistance, review-
However, wildlife corridors legislation is not a new concept. It has ing and providing feedback on the wildlife corridors draft bill.
been introduced twice in Congress: by Representative Rush Holt Then, I, in coordination with my House counterparts, developed
a plan to modify and improve the bill by addressing the differing
(D-NJ-12) in 2010, and again six years later by Representative
Donald Beyer (D-VA-8). However, wildlife corridors legislation feedback gathered from stakeholders.
has not been introduced in the Senate. Introduction of a bill in both My colleagues and I are still working on making changes to
the House and the Senate is an important step in moving legislation the draft in an effort to address the feedback we have received
forward, because bills must pass both chambers of Congress in on the bill, while still meeting Senator Udall’s goals. Unlike the
identical form and be signed by the president to become law. scientific method, the process of working on and improving a
draft bill is not always simple or straightforward. Legislative
The purpose of a wildlife corridors bill is to create a framework staff has to work together and negotiate provisions to settle the
for establishing a national wildlife corridors program. Specifically, differences, often between different stakeholders and offices
this bill would direct key federal agencies to create a strategy to of different political parties. Throughout this process, I provide
identify data and research needs for better understanding species’ updates to Senator Udall to ensure we continue to incorporate
habitats and corridors and to develop a corridor system. This his priorities within the bill. In many cases, drafting robust
would create a geographical information system database to legislation takes time and persistence, as I have learned directly
compile native species habitat and corridors data. And it would through this process. This has given me the experience of
grant authority to several federal agencies to designate wildlife applying my scientific training—mainly my critical thinking
corridors on federal lands. The goal is to support states, Indian and problem solving skills—to the public-policy–making
tribes, and the public and to be used as a tool to inform planning process. And it is just one example of how Congress continues
and development decisions. to work on policies that protect species and our environment.

22 GSA Today | December 2018