The legislative task force on Funding for Fish, Wildlife and Related Outdoor Recreation and Education will hold its fourth meeting on Tuesday, April 26 from 10:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. at the State Capitol Building in Room 50. The task force was created by House Bill 2402 which was passed by the 2015 Oregon Legislature. It is charged with developing recommendations to strengthen the State’s ability to conserve natural resources and connect the diversity of Oregonians to nature through outdoor recreation and education opportunities. For the April 26 meeting, the task force will consider approval of the guiding principles and criteria for potential new methods of funding fish and wildlife management and conservation, and related public recreation and education. They will also receive a presentation by ODFW that identifies estimated funding needed to achieve various fish and wildlife management goals. In addition, the task force will identify preliminary alternative funding concepts to analyze in detail in subsequent meetings. Task Force recommendations are due to the legislature by Sept. 15, 2016, for possible consideration during the 2017 legislative session. Governor Kate Brown appointed 16 task force members to represent the diverse interests in fish and wildlife management and conservation in Oregon. Members include representatives of the outdoor recreation business community; conservation, hunting and fishing interests; outdoor recreation interests other than hunting and fishing; travel and tourism industry; county government; outdoor education community; sport and commercial fishing industry; and diverse communities that may be underserved or underrepresented by the State’s current programs. Task force members also include four non-voting members of the Oregon Legislature as well as the Chair of the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission and the ODFW Director. A list of task force members, meeting agendas and materials can be found on the Oregon Legislative Information System. The meeting will be streamed on the legislative website.
