A Reauthorization with Broad Support
The America’s Conservation Enhancement Act (ACE Act) was signed into law by President Trump on October 30, 2020, reauthorizing the North American Wetlands Conservation Act until 2025 and codifying the National Fish Habitat Partnership. The legislation passed with broad bipartisan support, reflecting enduring congressional commitment to wetland conservation and the public benefits healthy wetlands provide.
What the ACE Act Included
Beyond reauthorizing NAWCA, the ACE Act expanded and strengthened several conservation programs. It increased funding authorization for NAWCA grants, enhanced protections for aquatic habitat through the National Fish Habitat Partnership, and directed resources toward recovering at-risk species. The Act also established new programs to address wildlife disease and invasive species, recognizing the growing threats these pose to waterfowl and wetland ecosystems.
Continuity for Continental Conservation
For the NAWMP partnership, the ACE Act provided critical continuity. NAWCA has been the primary federal funding mechanism for wetland conservation projects across the three nations since 1989, and its reauthorization ensured that Joint Ventures and partners could continue planning and delivering habitat conservation with confidence in sustained federal support.
