[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 57 (Wednesday, April 9, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5006-S5007]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           EMERALD ASH BORER

  Mr. LEVIN. Madam President, over the past 450 years, more than 6,500 
non-indigenous invasive species have been introduced into the United 
States and have become established, self-sustaining populations. These 
species--from microorganisms to mollusks, from pathogens to plants, 
from insects to fish--typically encounter few, if any, natural enemies 
in their new environments, and as a result they can wreak havoc on 
native species. Invasive species threaten to biological diversity. Some 
experts consider invasive species and the ecological damage they cause 
to be a greater environmental threat worldwide than chemical 
pollutants. Estimates of the annual economic damage caused nationwide 
by these species go as high as $137 billion.
  In my home State of Michigan, there is a disaster unfolding which 
could dramatically increase this cost. For the past few years, 
scientists have been concerned with the unusually high number of dead 
and dying Ash trees in the metro-Detroit area. Late last summer, 
scientists determined that the problem is caused by a beetle which came 
into the country from Asia: the Emerald Ash Borer. This beetle is 
indigenous to Asia and has been found in China, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, 
Mongolia and Eastern Russia.
  Like other invasive species, the Emerald Ash Borer is destroying 
native species. While scientists believe that the insect came into the 
country as little as five years ago, it has already left millions of 
trees in the Detroit area dead or dying. Since there is no economically 
feasible manner to treat trees, there is concern that all of the Ash 
trees in the Detroit area will be dead within 5 years.
  In order to stop the spread of the Ash Borer, last summer the 
Michigan Department of Agriculture imposed a quarantine to stop Ash 
trees, logs and firewood as well as Ash tree nursery stock from being 
removed from Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Washtenaw or Livingston countries 
in Southeastern Michigan. Later in the fall, Monroe country was added. 
The Michigan Department of Agriculture is currently working with the 
U.S. Department of Agriculture on the creation of a program to 
potentially eradicate the Emerald Ash Borer, yet funds from USDA, for a 
comprehensive effort, have yet to be provided.

  The presence of this beetle has been allegedly reported in other 
parts of Michigan, and the beetle has recently been positively 
identified in Toledo, Ohio and Windsor, Ontario. Ohio, Indiana and the 
Province of Ontario, Canada, are very concerned about the spread of 
this pest, and the web-sites of their respective Departments of 
Agriculture have contained warnings about the beetle. Now, with the 
presence of the beetle in Toledo and Windsor, those fears have 
increased.
  One proposal for stopping the spread of the Emerald Ash Borer would 
be to create a ``fire break'' by removing trees in a ring around the 
affected area. Since scientists believe that this beetle can only fly 
three miles, such an approach, which is already underway in the area 
surrounding Windsor, Canada, could be successful. However, doing so 
would be expensive and money is desperately needed not only for beetle 
eradication and tree removal but also for research.
  While the effects of the Ash Borer on Southeast Michigan have already 
been devastating, the potential results of the beetle's spreading could 
be catastrophic. As one of the most popular urban trees, Ash trees are 
found across much of the country. This invasive pest has the potential 
to be as destructive as the historic Dutch Elm Disease. The sad irony 
is that Ash trees were planted in place of many of the Elm trees that 
our State and Nation lost years ago. Should the Ash Borer spread 
continue, the Forest Service estimates that the potential impact could 
affect ``up to 2 percent of total leaf area and could impose a value 
loss between $20-60 billion.'' This number is arrived at without 
including the cost of replanting deforested areas.
  This devastation has already crossed state borders and will cross 
more unless dealt with. State and local governments cannot be expected 
to deal with

[[Page S5007]]

it. They also face budget shortfalls that are necessitating drastic 
cuts in basic services because of declining revenue, increasing demands 
and extensive budget constraints. They are having trouble funding 
existing obligations to schools and police forces even without having 
to pay to address the new multi-State threat posed by the Emerald Ash 
Borer. I have received letters from cities in Michigan, civic 
organizations and from the Southeast Michigan Council of Government, or 
SEMCOG, which represents 151 local governments in the region all asking 
that the Federal Government take an active role in stopping the spread 
of the Emerald Ash Borer. Without such active and timely support, 
coordination and funding from USDA, it is unlikely that this problem 
can be adequately addressed.

  SEMCOG has stated that ``the Emerald Ash Borer is decimating the Ash 
tree population in a 2000 square mile core area within the counties of 
Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Livingston and Washtenaw.'' Michigan State 
Senator Raymond Basham and State Representative Glenn Anderson have 
written to me about this problem. In his letter to me, Representative 
Anderson said that ``Michigan is facing another round of budget cuts at 
the local levels and local communities simply will not be able to 
afford the added burden of removing and replacing these trees.'' Adding 
to this burden is the fact that local governments are required to 
remove these trees from rights of ways and government properties 
because dead trees create significant public health risks and liability 
issues for property and personal damage.
  Governor Granholm has worked hard to support cooperative efforts that 
are underway between the State of Michigan and United States 
Departments of Agriculture. In meetings with her, she has said that 
USDA funding is essential to address this problem.
  If the spread of the Emerald Ash Borer is not arrested, it will cost 
billions of dollars to pay for the removal of dead Ash trees and the 
replanting of new trees. The costs associated with the loss of the Ash 
tree are not merely financial in nature. Habitat will be destroyed, 
scenic vistas will be denuded and residential streets that were once 
tree-lined will no longer have needed shade.
  It is critical that we address the Emerald Ash Borer before it is 
able to spread across a greater area. It is essential that the United 
States Department of Agriculture complete its efforts to provide much-
needed emergency funding to address the Emerald Ash Borer. The Michigan 
delegation has written twice to Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman about 
this matter. In these letters, the Michigan delegation has stated that 
without ``swift and sure action, the entire ash tree population will be 
lost. To avoid this tragedy, we asked that USDA provide funds to 
``determine the problem's extent,'' and ``for combating and eradicating 
this invasive species.''
  It is imperative that the USDA provide $17 million in Fiscal Year 
2003 emergency funds from the Commodity Credit Corporation to combat 
the Emerald Ash Borer and that the Office of Management and Budget 
approve these funds as expeditiously as possible. Additionally, USDA 
should provide research monies that would enable USDA's Animal Plant 
Health Inspection Service and the Forest Service's North Central 
Research Station to work with Michigan State University, Michigan 
Technological University and other world-class schools of forestry to 
fund vital research into this problem. The beetle's larvae hatch in the 
Spring, and while it may not be possible to kill this year's hatch of 
beetles, time remains of the esssence if the Emerald Ash Borer is to be 
eradicated. Addressing the matter now will be costly, but delays in 
addressing the matter will only increase the costs and diminish the 
likelihood of success.
  The Emerald Ash Borer's spread can be halted, but action must be 
taken quickly. It is for that reason that I urge Secretary Veneman to 
immediately provide the emergency and research funds that will be a 
vital component of any effort to address the problems created by this 
persistent pest.
  I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. FRIST. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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