Ducks Unlimited Reflects on Dingell Announcement

Ducks Unlimited looks back with appreciation on the career and accomplishments of Rep. John Dingell after the announcement of his retirement following the end of the 113^th Congress.

“John Dingell has been a champion of conservation, not just in words but also in deeds, throughout his career,” said Ducks Unlimited CEO Dale Hall. “We will miss his leadership and his passion for the environment, but wish him the best in his retirement. When we look at the important strides the nation has made in caring for our natural resources we see the hand of Representative Dingell guiding many of the most substantial programs.”

Rep. Dingell has represented southeastern Michigan since 1955, and his impact on conservation during his service has been considerable. He was an architect of the 1972 Clean Water Act and a lead author of the Endangered Species Act. He authored the National Environmental Policy Act and championed the first international wildlife refuge crossing the nation’s borders – the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge – which was founded in 2001. He is a member of the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission, a body that approves land purchases or rental by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and considers the establishment of new wildlife refuges.

Ducks Unlimited

Ducks Unlimited is the world's leader in wetlands and waterfowl conservation. DU got its start in 1937 during the Dust Bowl when North America’s drought-plagued waterfowl populations had plunged to unprecedented lows. Determined not to sit idly by as the continent’s waterfowl dwindled beyond recovery, a small group of sportsmen joined together to form an organization that became known as Ducks Unlimited. Its mission: habitat conservation. Thanks to decades of abiding by that single mission, Ducks Unlimited is now the world’s largest and most effective private waterfowl and wetlands conservation organization. DU is able to multilaterally deliver its work through a series of partnerships with private individuals, landowners, agencies, scientific communities and other entities.