Whereas the Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge (referred to in this preamble as the Refuge ) was established in 1943 under the authority of the Migratory Bird Conservation Act ( 16 U.S.C. 715 et seq. ) for the protection and management of migratory birds; Whereas the Refuge is located on land sacred to the tribes of the Western Abenaki; Whereas the Refuge encompasses 6,729 acres of protected land in Franklin County, Vermont; Whereas more than half of this acreage is protected as an inviolate sanctuary, preserving pristine habitats for wildlife and native plant species to thrive; Whereas the Refuge is part of the Atlantic Flyway system of National Wildlife Refuges connecting the northern breeding grounds and southern wintering areas of migratory birds; Whereas the Refuge was designated as a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance in 2013, 1 of just 41 national wildlife refuges in the United States so designated; Whereas the Refuge is recognized as an Important Bird Area by the National Audubon Society; Whereas habitats found in the Refuge include floodplain forests, wetlands, shrublands, bogs, grasslands, and upland areas; Whereas the natural environment of the Refuge is essential to the ecosystems of Lake Champlain, supporting wildlife and preserving clean water resources; Whereas these ecosystems mitigate climate change by sequestering carbon and strengthening the resilience of neighboring communities; Whereas the 900-acre Maquam Bog located in the Refuge is designated as a Research Natural Area and is the only pitch pine woodland bog in New England; Whereas the Refuge is home to vital feeding, resting, and breeding habitats for birds, which have supported more than 200 bird species;; Whereas the Refuge is home to the largest concentration of waterfowl in the Champlain Valley and hosts more than 20,000 ducks during their fall migration, including wood ducks, mallards, green-winged teal, and ring-neck ducks; Whereas the grassland habitats of the Refuge are home to bobolink, meadowlark, and savannah sparrows