CONSERVATION POLICY
The Kansas Wildlife Federation advocates and tracks the status of many issues in the state of Kansas. These include:
- Conservation of monarch butterflies
- Native plants
- Mentorship in hunting and fishing
- Land and Water Conservation
- Funding the Clean Water Act
- The Farm Bill Expansion
- Kansas water shortage crisis
- Cover crops
- Missouri river watch & awareness
- Dedicated conservation funding – KWF is a member of the Kansans for Conservation coalition working together to advocate for a permanent and protected funding source for conservation.
Protect Our Waters: Take Action on the EPA’s Proposed Polluted Water Rule
On November 17, 2025, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Army Corps of Engineers proposed a new rule to redefine which waters are protected under the Clean Water Act of 1972. If finalized, this rule would remove federal protections from approximately 5 million miles of streams and up to 80% of wetlands in the contiguous United States.
The proposed rule relies on ambiguous language that would make it easier to eliminate safeguards for our nation’s waters, opening the door for increased pollution and waste disposal. This comes at a time when clean freshwater is already scarce: less than 1% of Earth’s water is accessible freshwater, yet it supplies all of humanity’s drinking water and provides habitat for roughly a third of all animal species, including half of all fish species.
Rolling back existing protections would imperil hundreds—if not thousands—of species that depend on healthy waterways, including aquatic species, migratory birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates. Communities would also feel the impact through reduced access to clean public waters for recreation, such as fishing, and significantly higher costs for drinking water treatment.
Hope Is Not Lost — You Can Take Action
A public comment period is open through January 5, 2026, and public input plays a critical role in shaping the outcome of this rule.
Individuals: Submit a public comment urging the EPA to withdraw this rule and protect our waters. 
Submit your comment here!
Conservation Organizations: Organizations working in conservation, wildlife, clean water, outdoor recreation, or related fields are encouraged to add their institutional voice by signing onto the National Wildlife Federation’s comment letter. Sign the NWF organizational letter here:
To learn more about the proposed rule and what’s at stake, visit the resources developed by the Clean Water for All Coalition (CWFA) and the Protect Our Waters Campaign (here).
Clean water is foundational to wildlife, communities, and future generations. Now is the time to speak up and help protect it.
House Bill 2063: Investing in Kansas Conservation
Kansas’s land, water, wildlife, and outdoor traditions are foundational to our economy, our communities, and our quality of life. House Bill 2063 represents a historic opportunity to invest in these resources through a Kansas-led, locally accountable State Conservation Fund.
KWF supports HB 2063 because it strengthens conservation where it works best—on the ground, in partnership with landowners, communities, and conservation professionals.
What House Bill 2063 Does
HB 2063 establishes a State Conservation Fund to provide stable, dedicated funding for conservation priorities across Kansas. Importantly, this funding supplements existing programs and does not replace current appropriations.
The bill creates three focused funding streams:
Working Lands Conservation Fund
Supporting farmers, ranchers, and landowners in soil health, water stewardship, and sustainable land management.Wildlife Conservation Fund
Investing in habitat restoration, species conservation, and wildlife management.Kansas Outdoors Fund
Expanding outdoor recreation, public access, parks, trails, and environmental education.
Funds are administered by state agencies with commission and advisory board guidance, ensuring transparency, accountability, and local expertise. Projects that leverage federal, private, or non-state matching dollars are prioritized—maximizing return on investment for Kansans.
Read the full bill text: House Bill 2063 – Kansas Legislature
View the fiscal summary: HB 2063 Fiscal Note
Why This Matters
Kansas is one of only a small number of states without a dedicated conservation fund. As a result, conservation agencies and local partners often miss opportunities to:
Protect water quality and quantity
Address invasive species and habitat loss
Expand outdoor recreation access
Support producers implementing conservation practices
Leverage millions in available matching funds
Independent research from Kansas State University shows that lack of stable funding and staff capacity is the primary barrier to meeting Kansas’s conservation needs—and that the cost of inaction can reach millions of dollars in lost opportunities.
Read the Kansas State University conservation needs assessment: The Future of Conservation in Kansas
KWF & Kansans for Conservation
KWF is proud to work alongside Kansans for Conservation (KFC), a broad, bipartisan coalition of agricultural, wildlife, conservation, outdoor recreation, and education organizations that helped draft HB 2063.
KFC brings together voices from across industries and geographies to ensure conservation funding reflects Kansas values: working lands, local control, and practical solutions.
Learn more about Kansans for Conservation: Visit Kansans for Conservation
Join Us: Day at the Capitol – February 12
KWF and Kansans for Conservation invite supporters to participate in KFC Day at the Capitol on February 12.
This is an opportunity to:
Meet with legislators
Learn more about HB 2063
Share why conservation funding matters to you
Show visible, grassroots support for Kansas’s natural resources
You do not need lobbying experience—just a willingness to speak up for the land, water, and wildlife that matter to you.
Take Action Today
Call your state legislator and ask them to support HB 2063
Explore the research behind conservation funding
Join us at the Capitol on February 12
Stay engaged through January and February as the bill advances
Kansas’s conservation future depends on informed, engaged citizens. Together, we can ensure that conservation funding reflects Kansas priorities—for today and for generations to come.
