June 14, 2010
“I am writing to inform you of the recent discovery of Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) in Winnebago County, Illinois, and to ask for your assistance in responding to this infestation,” Durbin wrote. “Early detection of EAB is critical to minimizing the damage and cost incurred. Unfortunately, detecting EAB in newly infested trees is still a serious challenge. I have been working with the USDA Forest Service to make federal assistance available to municipalities struggling to manage and prevent the spread of the Emerald Ash Borer.”
Durbin has been actively involved in efforts to secure emergency assistance for dealing with EAB since it was first discovered in Illinois in June 2006. Last year, Durbin announced that Congress approved $34,705,000 in the Agriculture Appropriations bill for nationwide efforts to combat and prevent the spread of the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB). Additionally, Durbin authored a provision that was included in the 2008 Farm Bill that authorized a loan program to help municipalities defray the costs of invasive species management activities normally performed by the federal government. The EAB Revolving Loan Fund is will assist with EAB management activities; for instance, include surveying trees, removing infested trees and replacing removed trees.
The Emerald Ash Borer, which has been found in fourteen Illinois counties – Boone, Bureau, Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Iroquois, Kane, Kendall, Lake, LaSalle, McHenry, McLean, Will and Winnebago – 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. The bug is able to cause significant damage in a limited amount of time - infected trees usually begin to die within two to three years. Timely and concerted management efforts are vital to slow the spread of the infestation.
Since it was first discovered in Michigan in 2002, the Emerald Ash Borer has killed more than 53 million trees and has spread to Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and Illinois.
Text of the letter appears below:
June 14, 2010
Ms. Cindy Smith
Administrator
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
United States Department of Agriculture
4700 River Road
Riverdale, MD 20737
Dear Administrator Smith:
I am writing to inform you of the recent discovery of Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) in Winnebago County, Illinois, and to ask for your assistance in responding to this infestation. Winnebago County is now the 14th Illinois county with a confirmed EAB infestation.
Communities across much of Illinois have been working to detect and manage EAB infestations, since the pest was first discovered in the state four years ago this week. Unfortunately, the beetle continues to spread, causing significant tree loss and imposing serious financial burden during uncertain economic times. The State of Illinois added two additional counties to its quarantine area this year and new infestations were identified this spring in West Chicago, Bloomingdale, Wheaton, Belvidere, and Round Lake. For many nearby communities, it is considered “only a matter of time” before EAB arrives. Early detection of EAB is critical to minimizing the damage and cost incurred. Unfortunately, detecting EAB in newly infested trees is still a serious challenge. I have been working with the USDA Forest Service to make federal assistance available to municipalities struggling to manage and prevent the spread of the Emerald Ash Borer.
The ongoing efforts of the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) in collaboration with the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) have played a crucial role both in identifying the presence of emerald ash borer and responding to new infestations. I urge APHIS to continue to work with its federal, state, and local partners to control this invasive pest and hope you will take these latest developments into consideration as you consider the funding needs of the State of Illinois.
I thank you again for your efforts to manage this invasive pest and help spread awareness of the threats it poses.
Sincerely,
Richard J. Durbin
United States Senator
After Recent Discovery of EAB in Winnebago County, Durbin Asks USDA to Assist Illinois in Response Efforts
[WASHINGTON, DC] – After learning of the newest discovery of Emerald Ash Borer in Winnebago County, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) today requested assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in responding to the infestation. Assistance may include resources for surveillance activities, deploying traps, setting up and enforcing compliance agreements and quarantine areas. This year, the State of Illinois has already added two additional counties to its quarantine area and identified new infestations in West Chicago, Bloomingdale, Wheaton, Belvidere and Round Lake.“I am writing to inform you of the recent discovery of Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) in Winnebago County, Illinois, and to ask for your assistance in responding to this infestation,” Durbin wrote. “Early detection of EAB is critical to minimizing the damage and cost incurred. Unfortunately, detecting EAB in newly infested trees is still a serious challenge. I have been working with the USDA Forest Service to make federal assistance available to municipalities struggling to manage and prevent the spread of the Emerald Ash Borer.”
Durbin has been actively involved in efforts to secure emergency assistance for dealing with EAB since it was first discovered in Illinois in June 2006. Last year, Durbin announced that Congress approved $34,705,000 in the Agriculture Appropriations bill for nationwide efforts to combat and prevent the spread of the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB). Additionally, Durbin authored a provision that was included in the 2008 Farm Bill that authorized a loan program to help municipalities defray the costs of invasive species management activities normally performed by the federal government. The EAB Revolving Loan Fund is will assist with EAB management activities; for instance, include surveying trees, removing infested trees and replacing removed trees.
The Emerald Ash Borer, which has been found in fourteen Illinois counties – Boone, Bureau, Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Iroquois, Kane, Kendall, Lake, LaSalle, McHenry, McLean, Will and Winnebago – 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. The bug is able to cause significant damage in a limited amount of time - infected trees usually begin to die within two to three years. Timely and concerted management efforts are vital to slow the spread of the infestation.
Since it was first discovered in Michigan in 2002, the Emerald Ash Borer has killed more than 53 million trees and has spread to Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and Illinois.
Text of the letter appears below:
June 14, 2010
Ms. Cindy Smith
Administrator
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
United States Department of Agriculture
4700 River Road
Riverdale, MD 20737
Dear Administrator Smith:
I am writing to inform you of the recent discovery of Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) in Winnebago County, Illinois, and to ask for your assistance in responding to this infestation. Winnebago County is now the 14th Illinois county with a confirmed EAB infestation.
Communities across much of Illinois have been working to detect and manage EAB infestations, since the pest was first discovered in the state four years ago this week. Unfortunately, the beetle continues to spread, causing significant tree loss and imposing serious financial burden during uncertain economic times. The State of Illinois added two additional counties to its quarantine area this year and new infestations were identified this spring in West Chicago, Bloomingdale, Wheaton, Belvidere, and Round Lake. For many nearby communities, it is considered “only a matter of time” before EAB arrives. Early detection of EAB is critical to minimizing the damage and cost incurred. Unfortunately, detecting EAB in newly infested trees is still a serious challenge. I have been working with the USDA Forest Service to make federal assistance available to municipalities struggling to manage and prevent the spread of the Emerald Ash Borer.
The ongoing efforts of the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) in collaboration with the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) have played a crucial role both in identifying the presence of emerald ash borer and responding to new infestations. I urge APHIS to continue to work with its federal, state, and local partners to control this invasive pest and hope you will take these latest developments into consideration as you consider the funding needs of the State of Illinois.
I thank you again for your efforts to manage this invasive pest and help spread awareness of the threats it poses.
Sincerely,
Richard J. Durbin
United States Senator