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HOWARD DEAN, MJ). 



Governor 



RECEIVED APR 3 t996 



State of Vermont 

 OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR 



Montpelier 05609 



Tel: (802) 828-3333 

 Fax: (802) 828-3339 

 TDD: (802) 828-3345 



April 2, 1996 



R. Max Peterson - ' 



Executive Vice President 



International Association of 



Fish and Wildlife Agencies 



444 N. Capitol Street, N.W. 



Washington, DC 20001 



Dear Mr. Peterson, 



On behalf of the State of Vermont, I am pleased to endorse the Wildlife Diversity Funding 

 Initiative, commonly referred to as "Teaming with Wildlife." Our nation is blessed with a large diversity 

 of fish, wildlife and habitat resources which need broad-based support to ensure their perpetuation for 

 future generations. 



Vermont shares this wide diversity of wildlife which local and national surveys indicate the 

 majority of residents (80+ %) feel are important to a high quality life. Surveys conducted by our Fish and 

 Wildlife Department also show that our citizens are crying out for increased conservation efforts, 

 recreational opportunities, and increased educational/outreach efforts by the Department. The Wildlife 

 Diversity Funding Initiative addresses these concerns with an approach to develop a long term reliable 

 funding source based on the 'user pay* concept that has been extremely successful for more than 50 years 

 with the Sportfish and Wildlifi! Restoration Acts passed by Congress in 1934 and 1950 respectively. 



This initiative is attractive to me, for it culminates efforts to develop a fair user pay program 

 where all who actively and passively enjoy wildlife, and feel it is important to their quality of life, can 

 contribute to conservation, recreation, and education programs with far reaching benefits to humans and 

 wildlife populations alike. 



Sincerely, 



^^ 



Howard Dean, M.D. 

 Governor 



HD:tw 



cc: Allen Elser 



