Durbin Asks for Cook and Kane County Quarantines and Emergency Funding as Signtings of Invasive Species Increase in Illinois
DURBIN ASKS FOR COOK AND KANE COUNTY QUARANTINES AND EMERGENCY FUNDING AS SIGHTINGS OF INVASIVE SPECIES INCREASE IN ILLINOIS
Monday, July 17, 2006
[WASHINGTON, DC] - Just hours after today's announcement that a portion of Kane County has been declared an ash tree quarantine zone by the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA), U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) sent a letter to the head of Illinois Department of Agriculture, asking him to quarantine vulnerable areas of Cook County. In a second letter, to the head of USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Durbin asked that both Kane and Cook County also be declared federal emergency quarantine areas so that they can apply for low interest emergency loans to help eradicate the Emerald Ash Borer, an invasive beetle species which has been found in Illinois.
The Emerald Ash Borer is a bright green beetle that kills trees by burrowing into their bark and destroying the trees' ability to bring water from the roots to upper branches. Infected trees usually begin to die within two to three years. The Emerald Ash Borer was first discovered in Kane County, Illinois in mid-June. On July 11, the Illinois Department of Agriculture announced its second discovery of the ash borer in the Village of Wilmette in Cook County.
"The discovery of Emerald Ash Borer in both Kane and Cook County within the last month is troubling news. Illinois has more than 131 million ash trees, comprising about 20 percent of all of the trees in the Chicago area," said Durbin. "In the past few years, this insect has killed tens of millions of trees throughout the Midwest, and we need to move quickly to contain this infestation. One of the most effective control mechanisms is an ash tree quarantine which is now in effect for Kane County and will give the Department authority to remove infested trees and keep potential beetle host material, like firewood, from being sent out to or brought in from surrounding areas. I have called on the Illinois Department of Agriculture to look at whether a similar quarantine is warranted in Cook County and on USDA to help provide these two counties with emergency funds."
Today's decision to declare Kane County an ash tree quarantine zone will give the Department authority to remove infested trees- the only option to prevent the destructive beetle from spreading. The quarantine also is intended to contain the infestation. It will prohibit the movement of potential beetle host materials, including firewood, lumber and nursery stock, into and out of the infested area. A federal quarantine from USDA would provide affected areas with much needed low interest emergency loans.
In today's letter to USDA, Durbin urged Dr. DeHaven to consider transferring Commodity Credit Corporation funds, as was done in Michigan and other affected states, to the Illinois Department of Agriculture to help them deal with the ash borer situation in Illinois. On June 23rd, Durbin announced that the Senate Appropriations Committee, on which he serves, approved $1.5 million to combat and prevent the spread of the Emerald Ash Borer. On June 13th, immediately following the first sighting of the ash borer in Illinois, Durbin called on the USDA to develop a plan to curb the spread of this pest.
The Emerald Ash Borer was first sighted in 2002 in Michigan. Since then, forestry experts estimate that the Emerald Ash Borer has been responsible for the devastation of more than 12 million ash trees in Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana.
Text of letters appears below:
July 17, 2006
Mr. Charles A. Hartke
Director
Illinois Department of Agriculture
State Fairgrounds
P.O. Box 19281
Springfield, IL 62794-9281
Dear Director Harke:
Thank you for declaring a Kane County quarantine following the recent discovery of Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) in Illinois. As you know, Illinois is the latest in a string of states to discover the presence of EAB, an invasive species that poses a significant threat to our ash populations and urban and forest landscapes.
Since the first announced EAB discovery in Illinois in mid-June, IDOA and USDA-Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) have conducted a delimitting survey to measure the extent of the infestation, responded to potential EAB sightings, and pursued a public awareness campaign. Today's quarantine announcement by IDOA, which will restrict the movement of ash feedstocks out of Kane County, is an important step in the direction of controlling this potentially devastating species.
On July 11, 2006, IDOA announced its second discovery of EAB, this time in the Village of Wilmette in Cook County. Given the nature of the infestation in Kane County and the subsequent quarantine, I urge IDOA to quickly investigate the extent of the Cook County infestation and give maximum consideration to a quarantine of all or part of Cook County.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Richard J. Durbin
United States Senator
July 17, 2006
Dr. Ron DeHaven
Administrator
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
United States Department of Agriculture
Room 313E Whitten Building
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20250
Dear Dr. DeHaven:
Thank you for your attention to the matter of the recent discovery of Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) in Illinois. As you know, Illinois is the latest in a string of states to discover the presence of EAB, an invasive species that poses a significant threat to our ash populations and urban and forest landscapes.
As the lead federal agency on this matter, it is the responsibility of the USDA-Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to promulgate quarantine regulations and coordinate and provide funding for control and eradication efforts in conjunction with state and local governments. It has been heartening to hear about the cooperation between APHIS and the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) and I encourage you to continue to work with your state and local partners on this matter.
Since the first announced EAB discovery in Illinois in mid-June, IDOA and APHIS have conducted a delimitting survey to measure the extent of the infestation, responded to potential EAB sightings, and pursued a public awareness campaign. Today's quarantine announcement by IDOA, which will restrict the movement of ash feedstocks out of Kane County, is an important step in the direction of controlling this potentially devastating species.
I urge USDA to declare Kane County a federal emergency quarantine area so that they are eligible for low interest emergency loans to help eradicate EAB.
As you know, on July 11, 2006, IDOA announced its second discovery of EAB, this time in the Village of Wilmette in Cook County. While IDOA investigates the extent of the Cook County infestation, I urge USDA to continue to demonstrate concern for the Illinois infestation by commiting APHIS' resources to delimitting the area surrounding the initial Wilmette discovery and moving quickly to promulgate regulations establishing Cook County as a quarantine area should that be necessary. In addition, I ask that every consideration be given to providing emergency loans in the event that all or parts of Cook County are quarantined by IDOA.
Last, I would like to direct your attention to the critical issue of funding. As I understand it, the Secretary of Agriculture has the authority to transfer Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) funds to invasive species outbreaks like the EAB situation in Illinois. In the past, USDA has allocated such funding for EAB control and eradication efforts in Michigan and other affected states. The discovery of multiple infestations in Illinois will stretch the budgets of the IDOA, other participating state agencies, and local governments. As the scope of Illinois' infestation becomes known and funding needs arise, I fully expect APHIS to support efforts to control and eradicate EAB in Illinois with CCC funds.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Richard J. Durbin
United States Senator
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