People in TN’s hunting and fishing world have heard the rumors that TWRA (Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency) is facing a fiscal deficit of 18 million dollars this year. The burden of 81% of TWRAs budget has been paid for by the hunters and anglers in Tennessee, either from license fees or federal allotments from acts like Pittman-Robertson or Dingle-Johnson that provide conservation dollars to states. Each year the agency has been given new unfunded state mandates that have forced the agency to control costs by postponing conservation and access projects. They have also not been filling positions when they become vacant, keeping a focus on basic core services. This type of funding has finally caught up with the agency, creating this deficit. 

The Tennessee General Assembly’s Joint Government Operations Committee requested that TWRA find the dedicated funding that it needs to increase their capacity and manage programs and state lands. HB2138 and SB2183 (Marsh/Stevens Bill) are the bills that meets this goal and to create dedicated funding for TWRA on top of license fees and federal allotments. This bill would require that 10% of payments made by TVA to Tennessee would be used to fund the Wildlife Resources Fund and be used for boating and wildlife purposes. It is projected to add 18-20 million dollars annually to the TWRA budget. On top of the Marsh/Stevens Bill, Gov Lee has allocated a one-time only 10 million dollar injection this year into TWRAs funding.

Tennessee has 1.6 million acres of public land from federal and state holdings that are being managed by TWRA for all Tennesseans. The 2025-2034 Tennessee SWAP plan (TWRA’s management plan for the next 10 years) will focus on high-level, landscape-scale conservation, habitat protection and biodiversity. This funding will support this work to improve the habitat of our public lands and the animals we hunt and fish for on them. We all know that the more habitat work we do, the better quality and quantity of game and fish we will have. 

This legislation is moving quickly through committee, has sponsorship and will find its way to the floor in a matter of days. Tennessee BHA supports this dedicated shared funding for our wild places and the animals that live there. This legislation will relieve some of the burden that TN Sportsmen and women have been carrying proudly for many years. It will provide stability to TWRA and allow them to provide long-term planning and goal achievement. Reach out quickly to your state representative and tell them that you support this bill and TWRA!