Number: 1983-01
The National Wildlife Federation is increasingly concerned that in a time of high unemployment, inflation and international crises wise management of natural resources is being accorded only secondary importance. The Federation thus calls upon conservationists to remain vigilant, vigorous, and united in efforts to protect the environment.
As an association of independent state organizations and their affiliated local groups, the National Wildlife Federation believes that an alert and fully-informed public will demand sound management of natural resources. Public education, therefore, is the solid foundation upon which conservation practices must be based. More conservation must be taught in the schools, emphasizing the science of ecology and the wise use and management of natural resources.
The Federation is firm in its conviction that contamination of the environment is among the paramount problems facing the nation. Society’s reliance on toxic chemicals used in the production of manufactured goods is continuing to increase, resulting in an ever-growing stream of hazardous wastes. The National Wildlife Federation calls upon industry and government to place new emphasis on reducing our collective reliance on toxic chemicals and minimizing our output of waste materials. The sound management of our natural resources demands that we curb the proliferation of practices and activities that inevitably will overtax the ability of our environment to sustain and renew itself. The Federation also expresses concern over the increased problems associated with the disposal of waste.
In light of already intense, and probably increasing, public opposition to the siting of waste management facilities of any kind in the vicinity of residences and workplaces, the already strong pressures to make increased use of the ocean for waste disposal can be expected to continue and grow. Because the coastal and ocean environments are vital to the ecological well-being of our planet, conservationists must continue to discourage use of the ocean as an “out-of-sight, out-of-mind” first-resort option for disposal of society’s unwanted toxic byproducts.
The National Wildlife Federation continues to view protective management of farmlands through sound land use practices and planning; the preservation of natural areas such as parks, wildlife refuges, and wildernesses; the conservation of wildlife, especially endangered species; the encouragement of world population control; and the adequate funding of conservation programs to be primary objectives.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation invites the attention of all Americans to what it considers the major conservation issues of the year 1983:
Air and Water Pollution. The National Wildlife Federation reaffirms its support for strong Clean Air and Clean Water Acts. While the Federation opposes the imposition on industry of needless procedures and paperwork, it believes that examples of such excesses in these statutes are limited. Furthermore, while the Federation favors the establishment of scientifically valid and defensible standards and regulations, it recognizes that absolute certainty is an unattainable goal and that demands for more research are sometimes made as a ploy to defer meaningful regulatory controls. We, therefore, affirm our support for a precautionary, preventive approach to environmental regulation that reflects adequate margins of safety and does not give toxic chemicals a presumption of innocence at the expense of human and environmental victims. The Federation also supports a modest number of strengthening amendments to these statutes, directed principally at reducing environmental threats associated with toxic air and water pollutants.
Hazardous Materials. Each year billions of tons of virgin materials are extracted from mines, forests, and croplands, along with some 2.5 billion tons of solid wastes (in the form of mine tailings and spoils, forest residuals, and crop wastes). The refining and fabricating processes of these materials generate an estimated 250 million tons of solid wastes each year. About 10 percent of these industrial wastes pose a possible threat to human health or living organisms, with a large proportion ending up in our land, air, and water. The National Wildlife Federation considers it essential that government and industry identify and pursue all feasible steps to minimize the generation of hazardous wastes, recognizing the environment’s finite capacity to safely assimilate these waste products. This organization is convinced that broader acceptance of the conservation ethic can solve this problem without significantly diminishing our standard of living. The Federation supports resource conservation and recovery, and reduction of hazardous waste streams at their source. To the extent existing environmental laws focus on “waste disposal,” a revamping to emphasize source controls would be appropriate and desirable. Moreover, those laws, such as the Toxic Substances Control Act and the Federal Environmental Pesticide Control Act, which purport to screen toxic chemicals before they enter the marketplace should be strengthened to ensure adequate pre-market testing and adequate quality control of testing data.
Population. The mounting demands from an increasing human population are aggravating resource conservation difficulties in both developing and developed nations. This organization, therefore, continues to believe that governmental agencies should encourage family planning, through education, economic incentives, and development assistance where needed, to stabilize populations in every country. It is essential that the work of the appropriate federal agencies and the private sector be coordinated for the purpose of developing an effective and efficient global foresight capability. The National Wildlife Federation also supports studies to develop U.S. immigration policies.
Loss of Wildlife Habitat. The loss of wildlife habitat continues to be a primary interest of the National Wildlife Federation. The loss of habitat is a fundamental problem that is pervasive and worldwide and directly affects all wildlife species. Loss of habitat leads to reductions of species diversity and abundance, endangerment of uncommon species, lowering of ecosystem stability, conflicts among wildlife users, and significant losses of renewable economic values. The problem is particularly acute for wetlands habitats, old growth forest lands, natural prairies, tropical forests, and other key wildlife habitats. The National Wildlife Federation believes that all levels of government have a responsibility to enhance, retain, and restore wildlife habitats for all the associated economic and social benefits. It is especially important that funding for land acquisition, permit review, operation and maintenance of National Wildlife Refuges, and other direct habitat programs be maintained.
Acid Rain. Acid rain is an environmental disaster. The National Wildlife Federation remains persuaded that the only effective way of abating this problem is to control at their sources the emissions that form acid rain. While the Federation continues to aggressively support legislation, in conjunction with reauthorization of the Clean Air Act, to control acid rain sources, we remain open to the possibility of employing non-regulatory means (such as imposition of a fee based on tonnage of sulfur oxides emitted, tax and/or regulatory incentives to stimulate replacement of high-polluting older plants with less-polluting new facilities, and incentives to promote investigation and demonstration of innovative, less-polluting technologies) to achieve all or part of the desired end result.
We remain fully committed to the objective, however, of cutting in half or more total sulfate deposition in acid rain-sensitive areas. We are convinced that the overwhelming weight of informed scientific opinion supports the need for near-term controls on emissions of acid rain precursors from sources in North America. While more research can and should be done as quickly as possible, effective control action cannot be responsibly deferred until all desired research results become available.
Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Reduction. The continuing erosion of topsoil in unprecedented quantities threatens the long term maintenance of agricultural productivity and undermines our nation’s massive investment in water pollution control facilities. The National Wildlife Federation believes that government programs aimed at maintaining farm income, managing commodity production, and promoting farm exports should take full account of the pressures and impacts of these programs on our most fragile soil resources. The Federation further believes that the limited funds available for watershed management should be directed toward those projects and plans which emphasize soil erosion control and sedimentation reduction, in contrast with the current emphasis of flood control and drainage.
Energy Conservation. In the decade since the 1973 Arab oil embargo, Americans, including both private citizens and industry, have become more efficient and frugal in their use of a finite resource–fossil fuels. Currently, the nation is experiencing an “oil glut” as a result of the combination of energy conservation and world economic conditions. The falling petroleum prices and the disappearance of lines at the gas stations may lull the nation into returning to its pre-OPEC wasteful ways. Unfortunately, the Reagan Administration is presently abdicating the essential federal role in promoting energy conservation. The National Wildlife Federation urges the citizens of this country to sustain and advance their growing energy conservation awareness and commitment. In addition, this organization urges the President and the Congress to reestablish federal leadership in advocating and funding research, development, and implementation of energy conserving technologies and public policies.
Consumptive Use of Fish and Wildlife Resources. The National Wildlife Federation is deeply concerned about the growing debate over the consumptive use of fish and wildlife resources and believes that the consumptive use of renewable natural resources including hunting, fishing, and trapping is important to the rational utilization of our natural resources and to the future of these resources. The Federation encourages all people interested in the wise use of our renewable natural resources to join together in common effort to protect our common interest in fish and wildlife resources.