Congressman Mike Thompson Applauds Reversal of Wetland Protection Rollback
Congressman Mike Thompson (CA-04), who chairs the Congressional Wildlife Refuge Caucus and is a member of the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission (MBCC), has commended the U.S. Department of the Interior's decision to reverse proposed changes that would have weakened long-standing protections for wetland easements in the Prairie Pothole Region. The proposed alterations could have led to increased drainage near protected wetlands, jeopardizing crucial waterfowl breeding habitats. This reversal follows Rep. Thompson's vocal opposition to the proposal and the submission of over 200,000 public comments. In July, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) initiated a 14-day public comment period on potential changes to its drain-tile setback policies. On August 14, USFWS announced that no further action is planned at this time, as it reviews the information received. Rep. Thompson, along with other MBCC members, had sent a letter to the Administration urging the maintenance of existing protections. 
