House bill would create emergency fund to fight diseases

E&E News
By Jessica Estepa
July 18, 2014

A pair of House Democrats yesterday reintroduced legislation aimed at fighting emerging wildlife diseases faster.

H.R. 5156, from Reps. Carol Shea-Porter (N.H.) and Peter DeFazio (Ore.), would allow the Interior secretary to identify and declare wildlife disease emergencies and establish a fund the secretary could use to coordinate rapid response.

It also calls for coordinated action among federal, state, local, tribal and nongovernmental organization officials.

Shea-Porter introduced similar legislation in 2010, as her home state watched its bat population dwindle because of white-nose syndrome.

"Recent wildlife disease have devastated animal populations and left gaps that damage local ecosystems and economies," she said in a statement. "In 2010, I tried to secure resources to address this. Since then, the problem has only gotten worse. We need to contain these diseases and protect our pollinators before it's too late."

Since white-nose syndrome was first reported in New York caves in 2006, it has spread to 25 other states. DeFazio noted that the disease has not yet struck Oregon caves.

"We want to keep it that way," he said in a statement.

Another version of the act was also introduced last Congress by the late Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.). But although it received support from the Fish and Wildlife Service and was approved by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, it never made it to the floor (E&E Daily, April 25, 2012).

The measure was referred to the House Natural Resources, Agriculture and Budget committees.