DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE ACTION FUND ANNOUNCES NEW "CONSERVATION MAJORITY PROJECT"

Project Targets 22 of the Closest House Races with More to Come, Focus is on Creating a New Majority for a Strong Conservation Agenda

Washington, DC -- The Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund today launched its "Conservation Majority Project," which will target the most vulnerable anti-conservation House members and also back pro-conservation candidates in open seat races, with the goal of deposing the current House leadership and committee chairs who drive much of the House's anti-conservation agenda.

"In order to get things done in Congress, pro-conservation members need to be the ones setting the agenda," said Rodger Schlickeisen, president of Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund. "For too long, anti-conservation members have been wreaking havoc on our wildlife, national parks, refuges and our remaining natural areas. The Conservation Majority Project is designed to help hand the House leadership reins to members who understand the value of conserving our natural heritage for future generations."

The Conservation Majority Project will target and educate roughly one-half million voters in target congressional districts (list below) about the records of the candidates vying for their votes. It will use aggressive and repeated personal contact through direct mail, phone and online activities to get its message out, and will conduct paid media campaigns in its highest priority races. Emphasis will be placed on reaching out to conservation-minded swing voters who can decide the difference in close elections. Between voter education, issue advocacy and direct outreach activities, the Conservation Majority Project expects to spend more than $3.5 million prior to the 2006 elections.

"The Conservation Majority Project builds on the voter education work the Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund has been doing throughout 2006. As we move forward, we will be working to aggressively educate conservation-minded voters about the records of anti-conservation incumbents in our target districts and the role they have played in the weakening of our conservation laws over the past few years," said Schlickeisen. "It is vital for voters to understand what is at stake and how their votes can affect our air, water, wildlife and lands for decades to come."

All incumbents on the list have a zero or near-zero voting record in the Action Fund's "Wildlife Conservation Report Card," and all voted to support the extremist anti-conservation agenda of Rep. Richard Pombo, chair of the House Resources Committee and the Action Fund's highest priority for defeat. The report card measures the commitment of U.S. Senators and Representatives to wildlife and habitat conservation during each congressional session. It reviews votes on key conservation issues, providing a clear assessment of how well members of Congress are doing to protect wildlife, national parks, refuges, forests and other remaining wild lands for future generations. The report card is available at www.defendersactionfund.org. The project will be active in up to 30 House congressional districts, starting with the 22 districts identified below.

Conservation Majority Project targets:

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The Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund provides a powerful voice in Washington to Americans who value our conservation heritage. Through grassroots lobbying, issue advocacy and political campaigns, the Action Fund champions those laws and lawmakers that protect wildlife and wild places while working against those that do them harm.