Schumer: Dutchess Is On The Front Lines in Battle Against Ash Borer - Insect Found Only One County Away; Pushes for Emergency Federal Resources to Avoid Devastating Impact on NY Forests, Ash-Lined Main Streets and Tourism Economy

Press Release

With the recent discovery of the emerald ash borer (EAB) just next door in Ulster and Greene Counties, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer, today, pushed for emergency federal resources to fight the spread of the invasive species that is threatening forests and economies across Upstate New York and the Northeast region. The funding would be directed towards fighting the insect and raising awareness about suppression, eradication, and ways to control the spread.

Standing with business owners and local environmental officials Schumer said that the insect posses a major threat to New York's Ash filled parks, as well as furniture makers, lumber mills, sporting goods stores and ash tree lined main streets. He also said that if resources aren't invested in fighting the spread now, it will only become more expensive to address the problem down the road.

"Invasive species like the Emerald Ash Borer are a blight on our economy and our ecosystem, with the potential to wreck havoc for businesses in a number of industries, including furniture makers, lumber mills and sporting goods manufacturers," said Schumer."Emergency funding from the federal government now will save taxpayers in Dutchess County from spending millions in future clean up costs as a result of the devastation, we need to attack this head on before it spirals out of control."

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. EAB was found last year in Cattaraugus County and all 39 infested trees were destroyed. Just recently the insects were found again, in an unknown number of trees in the same location. Schumer said immediate action must be taken.

Insects like the EAB threaten the health of forests and ash trees every year, which in turn threatens the livelihood of communities that depend on the forests. According to the state Department of Agriculture, New York has more than 900 million ash trees (targeted by EAB). Since the beetle was first discovered in North America in Michigan in 2002, the Emerald Ash Borer has devastated forests throughout the country and has the potential to decimate New York's ash tree population. More than 70 million ash trees in 13 Midwestern states and Pennsylvania, as well as many in southern Ontario in Canada have already been destroyed by this deadly pest. EAB came into New York through Cattaraugus County, has already spread to nearby Greene and Ulster Counties and could soon come to Dutchess.

The ecological and economic impact of EAB is a serious concern, especially to the hardwood industry. EAB defoliation can result in plant stress and possible death. Companies that make products from ash trees harvested in New York, such as baseball bats, will be negatively impacted if EAB continues to spread throughout the state. According to the Empire State Forest Products Association, forest-based manufacturing employs over 49,000 people in New York, and generates payrolls of over $1.5 billion. In addition, ash trees account for over 10% of total wood manufacturing by volume in New York. Without drastic and immediate intervention, industries relying on New York for quality hardwood resources will suffer. In addition, EAB will kill trees and disturb the natural balance of New York's forests, which provide recreational opportunities to many and foster tourism

According to the Western New York Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (PRISM), EAB is expected to cost $10.7 billion in treatment and removal costs in urban and residential areas in the US over the next 10 years. Without the proper funding, awareness or infrastructure, the EAB will have a devastating impact on the local economy.

In the past, funding to fight EAB has come from the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) which coordinates eradication and suppression efforts for emerging plant pests, including both emergency funding and technical assistance to states. APHIS can provide both funding and technical expertise in combating and treating this infestation. They routinely provide manpower, experts and equipment to localities that are experiencing invasive species emergencies. This year, the USDA and Forestry Service has the authority to tap into existing funds to fight EAB.

Schumer said that he, in conjunction with the DEC, will be fighting for funding from three different programs. Schumer was successful last year securing funding, and this year more is needed:

· Community Assistance Funding: The greatest economic impacts from EAB will be felt by communities when EAB infestations reach them. Ash trees that die deteriorate quickly and become hazards and liabilities to municipalities. Funds are immediately needed to help communities prepare for and respond to EAB infestations of their street and community ash trees. Funds are needed for citizen outreach and education, municipal EAB preparedness planning, street tree inventories to determine exposure, tree removals (reactive and pro-active), tree replacement, staff training and equipment purchases (chippers, tub grinders, bucket trucks, etc.). The US Forest Service, State & Private Forestry, Urban & Community Forestry Program partners with the State Forester's Office to provide technical and financial assistance to communities regarding their trees and green spaces. Schumer will push for approximately $500,000 federal funds that could be routed through this program to directly support NY communities' response EAB efforts.

· Slow Ash Mortality -- SLAM: NY's EAB response plan consistent with APHIS' National EAB Program Manual, incorporates a variety of tools and techniques designed to slow the rate of EAB population growth, slow the population's spread and slow or delay the associated mortality. This approach buys time for on-going research to develop control measures (particularly the promising bio-control research), and, perhaps more importantly, delays the "day of reckoning" for economically-strapped communities when they will be forced to pay for removals of potentially thousands of hazardous dead and dying ash trees on their streets and in their public parks and schoolyards.

New York DEC's private and public lands forestry programs, as well as state and Federal researchers all would benefit from funding to expand SLAM efforts including establishing trap tree clusters, sentinel trees, harvesting and peeling trap and sentinel trees to assess EAB populations, providing management assistance to forest owners with ash resources at risk, conducting outreach and regulatory enforcement and expanding biocontrol research including pilot releases in selected New York state locations.

Schumer will push for approximately $250,000 in funding for 2010 SLAM efforts in New York this year and additional funding next year. The funding would be provided through the USFS State & Private Forestry, Forest Health Program and USDA Agricultural Research Service.

· Outreach and enforcement efforts: Outreach, education and regulatory enforcement are critical needs and components of our NY EAB Response Plan. Community leaders, homeowners, forest landowners, forest products industry and anyone using or moving firewood (a primary means by which EAB, and other forest pests, continue to be spread across the country) all need information and guidance on how to prevent EAB movement and identify infestations should they occur. As quarantines expand, enhanced enforcement is needed to ensure they are effective in protecting un-infested our ash trees and those of our neighboring states.

Schumer will be supporting the DEC's request of $500,000, through USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services (APHIS), that could be well used to support a broad-based outreach and educational effort about the dangers of moving firewood. USDA has been reluctant to provide funding this year, since the program is geared towards "new infestations" and New York saw EAB in a single county last year. Schumer will be arguing that because the infestation is in a new, non contiguous, part of the state, this should qualify as a new, contiguous infestation.

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