Corporate and Industrial Development Cited as
                       Most Pervasive Threat to Refuges

    WASHINGTON, Oct. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Growing threats combined with seriously inadequate federal funding and thin congressional support have thrown the
country's national wildlife refuge system into a state of decline over the
last several years, declared Defenders of Wildlife days before National
Wildlife Refuge Week (October 10-16).
    In a report released today, Defenders of Wildlife provides one of the
first in-depth looks at how development, air and water toxins, oil and gas
waste, farming, invasive species and other threats are eroding the largest
system of protected lands in the world dedicated to wildlife conservation.
Entitled, "Refuges at Risk," the report names the nation's ten most endangered
wildlife refuges for 2004.
    "Today, America's national wildlife refuge system is facing an
environmental perfect storm," stated Rodger Schlickeisen, President of
Defenders of Wildlife.  "Its threats are larger in scope, more difficult to
control, more damaging, and more costly than ever before.  On top of this is
weakening support for the Refuge system in Congress and an administration that
doesn't seem to understand what the American people want -- to protect these
places for wildlife.  Just look at the relentless push to drill the crown
jewel of the refuge system, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge."
    "In 1990, former President Bush commissioned a blue ribbon panel that
determined that accelerating loss of natural habitat and species, along with
global warming, represent the most serious long-term threat to the welfare of
our children and grandchildren," continued Schlickeisen.  "These losses are
tearing holes in the web of life that sustains us all.  If we can't protect
wildlife and habitat on our wildlife refuges, where can we protect it?"
    The national wildlife refuge system contains 540 refuges and covers nearly
100 million acres in all 50 states and 5 territories, providing some of this
nation's most spectacular landscapes and supporting an amazing variety of
wildlife -- from migratory birds to bighorn sheep, elk and caribou -- many of
them endangered.  Close to 40 million visitors come to refuges every year
seeking outdoor experiences.
    According to Defenders' report, the most pervasive threat facing the
system today is escalating corporate and industrial development inside and
close to refuges.  For example, oil and gas wells in the Delta refuge have
killed vegetation and polluted marshland habitat, while the Bush
administration and many in Congress attempt to permit drilling in the Arctic
refuge.  Over 100 refuges contain more than 4,400 oil and gas wells, including
more than 1,800 active wells in 36 refuges.  At the Desert refuge, a proposal
to drill for water for Las Vegas may suck the area dry.  Farming in and near
the Klamath refuges is polluting habitat and diverting water.  Noise, air and
water pollution from a proposed jet landing field and a proposed egg factory
near the Pocosin Lakes refuge threatens serious harm to wildlife.
    "The Interior Department has continually put the needs of wildlife second
to corporate interests," said Jamie Rappaport Clark, President Clinton's
Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and now Executive Vice
President at Defenders of Wildlife.  "Imagine if our national parks were
treated this way.  It's time for us, as a nation, to consider these places to
be as much a part of our national heritage as the Grand Canyon and the Statue
of Liberty.  Each refuge we let deteriorate, each acre of habitat we destroy
only further damages the conservation legacy we leave to future generations."
    "Today every refuge is in a funding crisis," said Clark.  The refuge
system is operating at 50% below what it needs.  Nearly 200 refuges do not
even have staff.  A chronic problem, funding shortfalls now total more than
$1.2 billion.
    "In addition, funding for federal land acquisition in the Land and Water
Conservation Fund under this administration has experienced severe funding
declines," added Clark.
    "Next week is National Wildlife Refuge Week, a time to celebrate this
nation's commitment to conserving the wealth of natural resources on these
lands.  Ironically, though, we're not doing nearly enough to safeguard our
refuges," added Schlickeisen.  "We cannot sit by and watch the only public
lands devoted to wildlife protection whither away.  There's simply too much at
stake -- not only for us but for future generations."
    Defenders of Wildlife works with federal, tribal, state, and local
agencies, private organizations, and landowners to protect America's national
wildlife refuges.  The goal of the "Refuges at Risk" report, the first in a
series, is to spotlight the threats facing the wildlife refuge system in order
to build public support for saving wildlife by safeguarding and nourishing the
places where they live.

      2004 Ten Most Endangered Wildlife Refuges (in alphabetical order)

    Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, AK: The Bush administration and the
majority leadership in the House and Senate support industry requests to
drill.  Drilling would devastate the nation's largest wildlife refuge.

    Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge, AZ: Border policies have
deliberately funneled unprecedented and growing numbers of migrants and
enforcement personnel into this fragile ecosystem with results both tragic and
destructive for the refuge.  The last home to the highly endangered Sonoran
pronghorn, the refuge simply cannot withstand escalating border activities.

    Delta National Wildlife Refuge, LA: Private oil and gas companies have
drilled wells, laid pipelines and processing facilities, carved canals into
the refuges marshes, and spilled oil and contaminated water throughout the
refuge.  The refuge is one of the most important wintering and staging areas
for migratory birds.

    Desert National Wildlife Refuge Complex, NV: A pending proposal pushed by
the Southern Nevada Water Authority to drill water wells in the refuge
threatens to dry up spring-fed desert oases essential for endangered species.

    Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, CA: Rapid suburban
development, polluting run-off, invasive species threaten the nation's largest
urban wildlife refuge.  Without increased funding for habitat restoration and
protection, literally most of the shorebirds on the West Coast are in
jeopardy.

    Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuges, OR, CA: Industrial farming
currently allowed on the Klamath refuges uses massive amounts of the basin's
water, pollutes with pesticides, and destroys wildlife habitat.  With almost
all the birds in the Pacific Flyway using these refuges, the Klamath refuges
should be dedicated to wildlife habitat, not industrial agriculture.

    Lostwood National Wildlife Refuge, ND: Coal-burning power plants in North
Dakota and Canada have polluted the air and water of the refuge.  Today, the
refuge's air quality is so bad that it violates Clean Air Act standards for
protected areas.  Also, mercury levels in the refuge's 4,000 ponds are
extremely toxic.

    Lower Rio Grand National Wildlife Refuge, TX: Currently, the refuge is
comprised of fragmented chunks of land that provide only tiny islands of
habitat in a sea of agriculture and development.  With support from the Bush
administration, Congress has diverted funds previously set aside to expand
protected areas, leaving this refuge -- that has more bird species than any
other refuge - with little money to connect its habitat.

    Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, NC: A Navy landing field, from
which 100 sorties a day would be flown by fighter jets at low altitudes, is
proposed for one mile from the refuge; and a proposed million-chicken egg
factory near the refuge would foul the water and threaten waterfowl with
disease.

    Upper Mississippi River National Fish and Wildlife Refuge, MN, WI, IL, IA:
Mercury contamination, agricultural runoff, water pollution, habitat loss,
invasive plant and animal species, and damaging Army Corps of Engineers
projects are severely degrading this refuge, the longest in the contiguous
U.S.