Senator Chafee served as Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee since 1995 and served on the Committee since 1976. He has influenced an entire generation of laws and policies related to the environment and natural resources. Among his many accomplishments were the passage of the Atlantic Striped Bass Conservation Act of 1984, credited with restoring a valuable fishery along the Atlantic coast and in the Gulf of Mexico; the Clean Air Act of 1990, which strengthened pollution emissions standards; the Coastal Barrier Resources Act of 1982, which terminated federal assistance for new construction on undeveloped coastal barriers coastal barriers
Learn more about coastal barrier landforms.
Learn more about coastal barriers ; the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, which puts wildlife conservation first on refuges; and amendments to the Endangered Species Act in the 1980s to strengthen this landmark wildlife protection law.
"Over the course of his storied career, Senator Chafee has proven himself time and again to be a steadfast defender of our nations natural resources," Clark said. "He has won the enduring respect of conservationists everywhere for his courageous, creative, and pragmatic approach to conservation and environmental protection.
"Senator Chafee was a very special friend to me, both before and after I became director of this agency. I will dearly miss his leadership and friendship," said Clark.
Senator Chafee played an instrumental role in the establishment of the Pettaquamscutt, Trustom Pond and Block National Wildlife Refuges. Recently, Congress renamed the Pettaquamscutt Cove National Wildlife Refuge for Senator Chafee with the support of the Service in recognition of his contributions. An official dedication ceremony is planned for this spring. The new name of the refuge will be the John H. Chafee National Wildlife Refuge.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting, and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 93-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System comprised of more than 500 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands, and other special management areas. It also operates 66 national fish hatcheries, 64 fish and wildlife management assistance offices and 78 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces Federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Aid program that distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.
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