Innovative partnership announces first round of grants to conserve at-risk species

HOUSTON, TX, March 22, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) today announced $1.4 million in grants to restore and preserve riparian and grassland habitats and the species that depend on them in the Pecos River Watershed of eastern New Mexico and West Texas. The seven grants announced today will generate $2.3 million in matching contributions from grantees, for a total conservation impact of more than $3.7 million. 

The grants were awarded through the Pecos Watershed Conservation Initiative, a new and innovative partnership between NFWF and Anadarko, Chevron, Noble Energy, Occidental Petroleum, Shell Oil Company, ExxonMobil subsidiary XTO Energy Inc., and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in New Mexico and Texas.

The energy producers together have committed more than $3.5 million over three years of initial funding for conservation projects, including those announced today. Working with other funding partners, including the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in Texas and New Mexico, NFWF will match the companies’ funding, boosting the total conservation impact to at least $7 million.

“The Pecos Watershed Conservation Initiative represents a new approach to conservation in a landscape that is important to our national economy and is also home to a unique array of wildlife,” said Jeff Trandahl, executive director and CEO, NFWF. “Bringing together ranchers, conservationists, and energy producers is the best way to quickly and effectively implement conservation projects on the ground that help at-risk species today.” 

The projects supported by the seven grants announced today will restore and preserve riparian habitat for native aquatic species, while also restoring working grasslands for the benefit of wildlife and agriculture. Each of these projects employ science-based and cost-effective conservation strategies that will benefit wildlife and habitat in the near future, as well as supporting long-term restoration goals. In addition, as part of the grant requirements, the grant recipients must provide assurances to match the original grant funding. 

In a joint statement, the six energy industry members in the initiative said: “Our investment in the Permian Basin and the Pecos River Watershed goes beyond energy resources to provide real benefits to local communities, lands and wildlife. The Pecos Watershed Conservation Initiative and the grants we announce today help us achieve our goals of being good neighbors and stewards of the land through sound, science-based conservation work that will have an immediate and a lasting impact for wildlife and local residents.”

The Initiative’s long-term goals include strengthening the health of existing habitats along the Pecos River and its tributaries, improving the management and function of native grasslands, addressing water quality and scarcity concerns for wildlife and agricultural uses, and identifying opportunities to re-establish species to areas of their range where they have been lost or to bolster small remnant populations.

“When a landscape is healthy, agricultural producers and wildlife both benefit,” said Salvador Salinas, NRCS State Conservationist for Texas. “If conservation is to be successful in West Texas, it has to be done in a way that works for private lands, our ranchers and our farmers. Collaborative, voluntary approaches like the Pecos Watershed Conservation Initiative, in partnership with Soil and Water Conservation Districts and private landowners will ensure successful implementation. NRCS is excited to partner with NFWF, industry, and the private landowners in West Texas to get conservation work done in a timely fashion.”

The Pecos Watershed Conservation Initiative was launched in November 2017 to fund and implement projects that will have the greatest positive return on investments for the unique wildlife species, habitats, and local communities of the Pecos River Watershed, a riparian corridor in the Chihuahuan Desert home to many species found nowhere else in the world.

In the coming months, NFWF and its partners will develop a business plan for the Initiative that will guide investments and provide measures of successful conservation outcomes. For more information on the Pecos Watershed Conservation Initiative, and the broader Southwest Rivers Program, please click here. 

A complete list of the 2018 grants made through the Pecos Watershed Conservation Initiative is available here.    

About the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
Chartered by Congress in 1984, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) protects and restores the nation's fish, wildlife, plants and habitats. Working with federal, corporate and individual partners, NFWF has funded more than 4,500 organizations and committed more than $4.8 billion to conservation projects. Learn more at www.nfwf.org.

About Anadarko
Anadarko is among the world’s largest independent oil and natural gas exploration and production companies with primary operations located in the Delaware Basin of West Texas, DJ Basin of northeast Colorado and Deepwater Gulf of Mexico.  The company’s strategy is focused on exploring for, developing and commercializing resources globally; ensuring health, safety and environmental excellence; focusing on financial discipline, flexibility and value creation; and demonstrating its core values in all aspects of its business. Learn more at www.anadarko.com.

About Chevron
Chevron and its legacy companies have been a fixture in the Permian Basin since the early 1920s. In 2011, Chevron produced its 5 billionth barrel from the Permian, and today we are among the largest producers of oil and natural gas in the basin. With approximately 2 million net acres of resources, Chevron is the Permian Basin’s largest net acreage holder. Chevron’s drilling program is expected to grow oil and natural gas production over the next several years as technology enables greater success in finding and developing energy. Chevron is committed to responsible practices that conserve fresh water and protect land, air and species unique to the Permian region. More information about Chevron’s practices can be found at https://www.chevron.com/projects/permian.

About Noble Energy
Noble Energy (NYSE:NBL) is an independent oil and natural gas exploration and production company with a diversified high-quality portfolio of both U.S. unconventional and global offshore conventional assets spanning three continents. Founded 85 years ago, the company is committed to safely and responsibly delivering our purpose: Energizing the World, Bettering People's Lives®. For more information, visit www.nblenergy.com​. 

About Occidental Petroleum
Occidental Petroleum Corporation is an international oil and gas exploration and production company with operations in the United States, Middle East and Latin America.  Headquartered in Houston, Occidental is one of the largest U.S. oil and gas companies, based on equity market capitalization.  At Occidental, social responsibility is fundamental to our success and reputation as a respected Partner of Choice®. We are committed to conducting our business in a manner that safeguards our employees, protects the environment, benefits neighboring communities and strengthens local economies. For more information, visit www.oxy.com.

About Shell Oil Company
Shell Oil Company is an affiliate of the Royal Dutch Shell plc, a global group of energy and petrochemical companies with operations in more than 70 countries. In the U.S., Shell operates in 50 states and employs more than 16,000 people working to help tackle the challenges of the new energy future. Environmental stewardship is one-way Shell has continued to share benefits with communities over the past 100 years. Since 1999, Shell has focused our partnerships with many organizations in the U.S. to protect more than 13 million acres of wetlands, clean and remove 600,000 pounds of debris from shoreline, and conserve more than 1.8 million acres of critical habitat.

About XTO Energy Inc.
A subsidiary of ExxonMobil, XTO is a leading oil and natural gas producer in North America with expertise in developing tight gas, shale gas and unconventional oil resources. XTO or its affiliates operate in all of the major U.S. unconventional producing regions and Western Canada.  XTO also provides support and technical services to ExxonMobil’s operations in Argentina. The company manages 11 million acres with a total resource of about 150 trillion cubic feet equivalent.

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Rob Blumenthal
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
(202) 857-0166
rob.blumenthal@nfwf.org

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