[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 186 (Friday, October 22, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1131-E1132]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                STOP THE SPREAD OF INVASIVE MUSSELS ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOHN GARAMENDI

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 22, 2021

  Mr. GARAMENDI. Madam Speaker, today I reintroduced the ``Stop the 
Spread of Invasive Mussels Act,'' along with my colleague, Congressman 
Mark Amodei (R-NV). Our bipartisan bill would authorize federal land 
management agencies to take proven, commonsense

[[Page E1132]]

measures to prevent the proliferation of invasive species in our 
nation's waterways and surface water infrastructure like reservoirs.
  Specifically, our bipartisan bill targets the inadvertent 
introduction by recreational boating of invasive species from one 
federal reservoir to another. I thank former Congressman Ben McAdams 
(D-UT) for sponsoring this bill last Congress, which I have now taken 
over and improved. I also want to thank the following organizations for 
endorsing our bill: Western Governors' Association, National Wildlife 
Federation, National Marine Manufacturers Association, American 
Sportfishing Association, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, Tahoe Regional 
Planning Agency, and Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.
  Invasive species not only crowd out native wildlife but also cause 
billions of dollars in avoidable damage to our nation's critical water 
infrastructure, particularly in western states like California. In the 
Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, I have seen the damage caused by 
invasive water hyacinth so dense you can literally walk on water. 
Proliferate quagga and zebra mussels clog water pipelines, reduce the 
capacity of canals, and damage dam operations for hydropower, water 
storage, and flood control. In 2007, California's Department of Water 
Resources detected invasive quagga mussels in the State Water Project 
and the Colorado River Aqueduct, which supply water for communities in 
southern California. All it takes for these mussels to invade a new 
lake or waterway is a cup of contaminated water containing their 
microscopic larvae carried inadvertently by a motorboat or recreational 
watercraft that has not been decontaminated properly.
  The best defense against spreading invasive aquatic species is 
simple: inspection and dry-docking or similarly effective treatment of 
contaminated watercraft for a few days until they are no longer a 
threat. Mandatory inspections by state wildlife agencies have proven 
effective at keeping these invasive mussels out of Lake Tahoe, one of 
the most popular recreational areas in the American West. Under current 
law, federal agencies lack a similar inspection authority to state 
wildlife agencies, which cannot conduct inspections on federal land 
such as National Parks and National Forests.
  Our bipartisan ``Stop the Spread of Invasive Mussels Act'' would 
ensure that federal land management agencies like the U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, and 
U.S. Forest Service have the authority to conduct these inspections. In 
addition, our bill would establish a new U.S. Bureau of Reclamation 
grant program for inspection stations at federally managed reservoirs.
  Madam Speaker, Congress can help to limit the spread of aquatic 
invasive species, protect our native wildlife, and reduce the need for 
more expensive remediation efforts. I urge all Members of the House to 
join us in cosponsoring the ``Stop the Spread of Invasive Mussels 
Act.''

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