Department of the Interior
Agency/Bureau: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Fiscal Year: 1999
Appropriation: Resource Management
Activity/Subactivity: Refuges and Wildlife/Refuge Operations and Maintenance
Proposed Amendment: Report Language is requested stating "the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service shall provide data to the State of Idaho on elk migration patterns through individual identification, Global Positioning Satellite or any other available method." Brucellosis has been documented in elk at winter feeding grounds in eastern Idaho. Idaho's livestock have been certified brucellosis-free for many years. Retaining brucellosis-free status is a major economic concern for the economy of Idaho.
Current Program: The Service has no current program in place to assess elk migration patterns in Idaho.
Amount Budgeted in FY:
FY 1998: $0
FY 1999: $0
Feasibility: The Service has no program currently in place to assess elk migration patterns in Idaho. Substantial new investment in equipment and personnel costs would be required to initiate a program to provide the information required in the proposed amendment. Because elk are a species for which the States have primary management responsibility, such a program would likely be redundant to the existing capabilities of other management agencies.
This program increase was not included in the President's Budget and is not a priority of the Department. The Department does not support the addition of funds for any purpose that would result in reductions of programs or projects included in the Budget.
Capability: The Service is not capable of implementing the proposed amendment within existing funding. If additional funds were made available, the Service would need to make substantial investments in equipment and personnel to monitor and provide information on elk migration patterns. It is unlikely that the Service would be able to have such a program in place and producing the information sought until late in the fiscal year.
Outlay Budget Effect: N/A