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RochesterEnvironment.com

Invasive Species Newslinks - Rochester, NY area 

RochesterEnvironment.com

These NewsLinks represent a decade of ferreting out local online NewsLinks to the issue of Invasive Species.

     * Newslinks for Invasive Species for 2011 and before go to Invasive_Species_NewsLinsk_2011-and_before.html 

The more recent stories are on the top and oldest at the bottom of this list.  Looking for something specific. Use Control + F and search for it on this page.

Although many of these links no longer work, I believe that it is important to be able to find that these stories have existed for ferreting out existing or impending environmental problems. The repercussions of pollution or overuse of a resource often takes a long time for us to recognize and when we finally do, it is invaluable to be able to track the history of various issues before they get to a tipping point and became a crisis.

Also, much that mankind has done to change our environment was accomplished without any knowledge of what the environment was like before changing it, but maybe we will be able to heal our environmental if we archive the news stories so we will be able to unravel the events that led up to the disaster. Students, scientists, historians, and citizens alike should benefit from being able to follow the thread of an issue back through time.

* Increasingly, the Invasive Species issues will be seen through the lens of Climate Change.

2013

• Fighting aquatic hitchhikers in the Finger Lakes Finger Lakes, N.Y. — They're so-called aquatic hitchhikers, with names such as Asian clams, Chinese mystery snails, spiny waterflea, bloody red shrimp and the more commonly known zebra and quagga mussels. And they mean trouble. During a talk and presentation Wednesday at Wood Library to inform and rally volunteers in the fight against aquatic invasive species, experts drove home that average citizens are crucial to protecting the local ecosystem from non-native life forms. (June 13, 2013) MPNnow.com [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• New battle plan against invasives Sen. Gillibrand details federal proposal to replace a 122-year law on waterway threats Against the backdrop of Lake George, U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand announced a proposed new federal law Friday to combat aquatic invasive species threatening this Adirondack gem and other waters across the nation. The so-called Invasive Fish and Wildlife Prevention Act would let federal wildlife officials "proscriptively address the threat of potentially invasive species by requiring an analysis to determine whether any non-native animal species have the potential to become invasive and harmful," according to her office. (June 7, 2013) Albany Times Union [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• WSP Species Spotlight: My Lake Has Fleas? A flea inhabiting water does not seem possible. When we think of fleas we are familiar with those on our dogs and cats, but there are fleas in bodies of water. Spiny water fleas, Bythotrephes (bith-o-TREH-feez) longimanus and fishhook water flea, Cercopagis pengoi, are not pesky insects but small crustaceans that float or drift; moving by means of water currents. Both are aquatic invasive species inhabiting some of the Finger Lakes. Figure 1: Adult size of the Spiny Water Flea is 3/8 inch (photo courtesy of Minnesota Department of Natural Resources) The first reporting of spiny water flea in the Great Lakes was during the early 80’s in Lake Ontario, and by 1987 it had spread into all of the Great Lakes. Since then, it has been seen throughout inland waters of Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Wisconsin, and Ohio (Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant). Originally found in Europe and northern Asia, the spiny water flea has traveled to the United States via ballast water from ocean barges traveling from European ports; especially St. Petersburg port in Russia which is thought to be the primary source.  (June 1, 2013) Happenings |the monthly newsletter of the Finger Lakes Institute  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• EPA Provides Funds to Prevent the Spread of Invasive Species into Lake George; $50,000 Provided to Purchase Boat Inspection and Washing Stations The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has provided $50,000 to the Lake George Park Commission for the purchase of two boat inspection and washing stations that will reduce the threat of aquatic invasive species being introduced into the Lake George ecosystem. The stations began operating over the 2013 Memorial Day weekend, the start of the annual boating season.  An invasive species is a plant or animal that is not native to an ecosystem and whose introduction to that ecosystem is likely to cause economic, human health or environmental damage. Once an invasive species such as Hydrilla has established itself in a new ecosystem, it is extremely difficult to control its spread. Invasive species are commonly spread to new bodies of water via recreational boats and other recreational equipment transported among various waterbodies. (June 7, 2013) EPA News Releases from Region 2 [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Go Green: Emerald Ash Borer update Noreen Riordan admires the beauty of a healthy Ash tree, but this spring a casual look around reveals their numbers are rapidly declining. "You'll start to see dead trees and thinning trees, and it's really everywhere if you just know where to look," said Riordan, who is the Co-Owner of Summit Tree and Landscape. The Emerald Ash Borer is to blame.  Their larvae live under the bark and cut off the tree's circulation by tunneling back and forth through its tissue.  "It cuts off the ability of the tree to move nutrients up into the canopy of the tree to feed the leaves and, therefore, the tree dies," she said. It's believed the green beetle was transported to the U.S. inside packing material from China.  It was first discovered in Michigan in 2002, New York in 2009 and Rochester a year later.  It's unleashed an epidemic. (June 7, 2013) RochesterHomePage.net [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Great Lakes event seeks more data on Asian carp Hundreds of scientists, environmentalists, economists and government officials from around the world are spending the week atPurdue University to talk research on the Great Lakes. More than 600 people were expected to attend the 56th annualConference on Great Lakes Research which is being held for the first time on the West Lafayette campus. The event began Sunday and runs through Thursday. The annual gathering features a variety of daily presentations on the Great Lakes and other large lakes. Among the topics discussed Monday was the impact of invasive species — namely Asian carp. (June 3, 2013) JCOnline.com [more on Invasive Species and Great Lakes in our area]
• Keep your eyes peeled for borers A curious fact about the invasive emerald ash borers that are beginning to ravish local ash trees is that it’s easy to predict the time when a new generation of the pests will appear. That time may come today or Friday in the Rochester area. Adult ash borers mate and lay eggs on the bark of ash trees in late spring and early summer. The eggs hatch into larvae in a few weeks’ time and begin boring into the tree (their boring of connected channels known as galleries is what will disrupt the flow of water and nutrients inside the tree and eventually kill it). The larvae spend the winter inside the ash trees and pupate in the spring. They complete the EAB life cycle by morphing into winged adults  and tunneling their way out of the tree in search of mates when sufficient warming has occurred the following spring. (May 30, 2013) Rochester Democrat and Chronicle 520 [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Know Your Invasive Don’t know your round goby from your rusty crayfish? Think a bighead carp looks an awful lot like a lake trout? If you’re one of the thousands of Wisconsin anglers who are a little less than incisive about your invasive species identification, fear not: The Great Lakes Sea Grant Network and Wildlife Forever have you covered They’ve teamed up to produce a handy invasive species field guide called Invaders of the Great Lakes, available now from Adventure Publications in Cambridge, Minnesota. The 171-page guide, complete with images and detailed descriptions of headline-grabbing Great Lakes invaders like sea lamprey and round goby and more obscure species like the faucet snail and the threespine stickleback serves multiple purposes. Specific sections are devoted to aquatic, plant and invertebrates. Each species page details how the invader impacts fishing quality as well as specific steps that can be taken to prevent its future spread. (May 24, 2013) University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Invasive Plant Could Snarl Summer Fun Rochester, N.Y. -- Hydrilla has already caused problems around the Finger Lakes; environmental groups fear that the invasive plant could soon appear in this region. "The concern is that it forms dense mats which can choke out other vegetation and fish," said Jim Howe, Executive Director of the Nature Conservancy. "From an environmental standpoint, that is a disaster." (May 27, 2013) WHAM [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Emerald county With camping season set to begin, it's time to talk firewood and its role in preventing the spread of the emerald ash borer, a destructive invasive species that has been found in Monroe County. Members of the Monroe County Emerald Ash Borer Task Force are trying to reinforce a simple message: don't transport firewood from one part of the state to another. That's a practice essential to preventing the spread of invasive insects like the ash borer to new parts of the state, they say. "We can stop this thing pretty much in its tracks," says June Summers, president of the Genesee Valley Audubon Society and a citizen member of the task force. (May 22, 2013) Rochester City Newspaper [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Ash Borer Confirmed In 2 More Counties Albany, N.Y. (AP) - The emerald ash borer continues to spread across upstate New York. (May 22, 2013) WHAM [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Emerald Ash Borer Confirmed in Delaware & Otsego Counties The Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) has been confirmed for the first time in Delaware and Otsego counties by the USDA Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Joe Martens announced today. The EAB was found just south of the village of Unadilla in Delaware County and just north of the village of Unadilla in Otsego County. A timber harvester working in a private woodlot just south of Unadilla (in Delaware County) reported the suspected EAB infestation to DEC officials. This was the first report of a possible EAB infestation in a woodlot from the forest products industry in New York. Field observations and reports of suspected EAB infestations from the public are very important to the DEC in managing the satellite infestations and providing early-warning and response guidance to at-risk forest owners and communities. DEC and NYSDAM staff responded to the suspected EAB report by visiting the site and NYSDAM inspectors collected specimens which were sent to USDA APHIS for official confirmation. Follow-up surveys by Cornell and NYSDAM staff identified additional suspected-infested trees just north and west of Unadilla, in Otsego County. A NYSDAM inspector also collected samples there and submitted them for confirmation. DEC, APHIS, Cornell University, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, and the NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets will continue to study the infestation in the area in an attempt to determine its extent. (May 20, 2013) NYS DEC Press Releases [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• DEC Announces Third Annual Emerald Ash Borer Awareness Week Residents Urged to Become Aware of Emerald Ash Borer and Report Infestations Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) Awareness Week started on May 19 and will continue through May 25, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced today. In observance of EAB Awareness Week, Governor Cuomo issued a proclamation urging all New Yorkers to exercise environmental stewardship to protect trees from infestation that can be devastating to landscapes, habitats and forest product industries. State residents and visitors are encouraged to learn as much as possible about the emerald ash borer and the destruction it causes to trees. "EAB is a destructive invasive species that threatens the health of our forests and our goal is to educate residents about how they can help protect our trees," said Commissioner Joe Martens. "With Memorial Day marking the beginning of the camping season, it is important to remind those traveling in New York State to only use local firewood. By stopping the human transport of this insect and increasing early detection of new infestations, we can greatly reduce the economic and environmental damages this pest can cause." (May 20, 2013) NYS DEC Press Releases [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Ash borers invading Monroe County For years, experts have warned that emerald ash borers would someday lay waste to the Rochester region’s vast plantation of ash trees. That day may not be far off. Officials say all property owners in the Rochester area should now be identifying susceptible ash trees and deciding whether to protect them with costly insecticides or let them become infested and likely die. The bright-green invasive Asian insects, first spotted in two tiny pockets in the region three years ago, have now colonized ash trees in a large swath of land from Caledonia and Wheatland through parts of Chili, Henrietta and Rush. (May 18, 2013) Rochester Democrat and Chronicle [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• WSP Spotlight Species: Asian Carp-In the Great Lakes? It was only a few weeks ago when temperatures fluctuated, and a light layer of snow had covered the ground one Saturday morning outside my home in Canandaigua, NY. With the month of May beginning, it is finally starting to feel like spring, reminding me of the approaching spawning season for fish in Canandaigua Lake. Unfortunately, one of most well-known threatening, invasive fish will be spawning this summer as well; the infamous Asian Carp. They inhabit major river systems to the west and threaten the Great Lakes basin, thereby the Finger Lakes.  (May 1, 2013) Happenings | the monthly newsletter of the Finger Lakes Institute [more on Invasive Species and Great Lakes in our area]
• Asian carp fish found in Grand River sparks alarm for conservation officials WATERLOO REGION — They have no natural predators, eat nearly everything in sight and can take over lakes and rivers like an invading army. Conservationists are sounding the alarm after a 40-pound Asian grass carp, an invasive species of monster fish that has wreaked havoc in U.S. waterways, was caught by an angler last week in the mouth of the Grand River nearDunnville. “They have the power to remake an aquatic ecosystem to meet their needs and they just push out the native species,” said Dave Schultz, spokesperson for the Grand River Conservation Authority. (May 9, 2013) The Record [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Rapid response funding proposed to tackle invasive species threat Invasive species can cause environmental and economic damage, and present a threat to the shipping, fishing and recreation industries across upstate New York, according to Sen. Chuck Schumer. Schumer, a Democrat, is proposing a rapid response grant program to help tackle the issue. The proposed legislation would allow states and local authorities to request federal grants for early detection and rapid response when the presence, or threat, of a new aquatic invasive species is identified. “Early detection would allow locals to hire and train individuals that have a specific job responsibility to find invasive species. Rapid response efforts contain and where possible eradicate invasive species before they get their stranglehold on the waterway,” Schumer says. (May 9, 2013) Innovation Trail [more on Invasive Species in our area]Team proposed to hit invasive species in NY lakes U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer wants the federal government to create a rapid response team to quickly strike at invasive species nationwide, including those found in the Great Lakes, the Finger Lakes and in the Adirondacks. Schumer says the teams could address hydrilla, Eurasian Milfoil, Asian clams and other plants and sea creatures that do great damage to lakes once they enter from sea-faring ships. (May 8, 2013) Rochester Democrat and Chronicle [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Getting a jump on Aquatic Invasive Species: Great Lakes Risk Assessment Tools The Great Lakes may span eight states and two provinces, but the threat of new aquatic invasive species is a constant reminder that the region is connected in more than name alone. In the past, invasive species like zebra mussels, Asian carp, and hydrilla have hitched rides in ballast water and on boats or have been transported across the region to be sold in new markets. These invaders can disrupt aquatic food webs, block out sunlight needed by other species, and hinder commercial and recreational fishing. And each jurisdiction can do little to curb the spread alone. “These invasive organisms don’t stop at the border,” said Reuben Keller, an environmental scientist at Loyola University Chicago. “If they are introduced into one part of the region, they will reach every state. Everyone’s risk level is the same as the least regulated state.”  (April 23, 2013) NOAA Research [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• National Wildlife Federation expands challenge to new invasives rules A national environmental group is expanding its legal challenge to new state and Federal rules designed to keep invasive species out the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Great Lakes.  Neil Kagan, senior counsel with the National Wildlife Federation, says new standards aren't strict enough to keep dangerous organisms from reaching the US in the ballast water of ships, "Neither the EPA permit, nor the state's certification of that are sufficient to prevent new invasive species from coming into New York waters." The National Wildlife Federation is already suing New York, pushing the state to adopt tougher standards. (May 6, 2013) North Country Public Radio [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Asian carp invasion of Great Lakes looms While efforts are being made to stop the invasive species, are they enough? Only time will tell. Two boys stood at the end of a dock off the shore of Grand Island on a hot day last July casting fishing lines into the shallow water, time after time pulling up small rock bass from the edges of the Niagara River. The boys are Parker and Connor Cinelli, two of Chris Cinelli’s sons. They are waiting for their dad to finish preparing his 2025 Lund Pro V, which Chris describes as the Cadillac of fishing boats, before they head out onto the largest freshwater system in the world for an afternoon of angling. (April 4, 2013) Investigative Post [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Report: Asian Carp May Have Reached Great Lakes At least some Asian carp probably have found their way into the Great Lakes, but there's still time to stop the dreaded invaders from becoming established and unraveling food chains that support a $7 billion fishing industry and sensitive ecosystems, according to a scientific report released Thursday. Written by experts who pioneered use of genetic data to search for the aggressive fish, the paper disagrees with government scientists who say many of the positive Asian carp DNA hits recorded in or near the lakes in recent years could have come from other sources, such as excrement from birds that fed on carp in distant rivers. "The most plausible explanation is still that there are some carp out there," Christopher Jerde of the University of Notre Dame, the lead author, told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. "We can be cautiously optimistic ... that we're not at the point where they'll start reproducing, spreading further and doing serious damage." (April 4, 2013) ABC News [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Invasive pests cost Americans millions Each year invasive pests destroy cropland and forest. Some are new, some we've been fighting for decades. To fight them, a change in how we interact with our environment is starting to take place. A snail as big as your foot, an insect the size of chocolate sprinkles and a mold related to the one that caused the Irish potato famine are on the U.S. Department of Agriculture's list of the top pests that threaten America's crops and forestland. The list comes out Monday. Some of the 15 are new, some we've been fighting for decades. To attack them, "a sea change" in how we interact with our environment is starting to take place, says Scott Pfister, who directs the pest management department at the USDA's plant protection and quarantine division in College Park, Md. (April 1, 2013) USA Today [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Asian carp may be back in Lake Erie, scientists fear DNA from Asian carp species has been found in the waters of Lake Erie, leading scientists to worry that the invasive fish, which are capable of seriously damaging fragile ecosystems, are back in the Great Lake. Is the dreaded Asian carp swimming in Lake Erie again? It’s a mystery as big as the lake. The question terrifies several agencies in the U.S. and Canada, but one scientist says there is a strong likelihood it is back. “We have evidence that suggests the most likely explanation (about) how its environmental DNA got there (in Lake Erie) is because of the presence of live Asian carp,” said David Lodge, director of Notre Dame University’s Environmental Change Initiative in Indiana. (March 28, 2013) The Toronto Star [more on Invasive Species and the Great Lakes in our area]
• Washington, Essex counties consider regional invasive controls Mar 26, 2013 — Washington and Essex counties are considering joining Warren County in banning the transport of invasive species by boats trailered from one body of water to another. The proposals come as the region pushes boaters toward washing stations at major boat launches on Lake George this year. (March 26, 2013) North Country Public Radio [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• CSI: Invasives Great Lakes researchers are using new DNA techniques to track down and control the spread of invasive species. The techniques are sort of like what you see on all those CSI television dramas where scientists analyze DNA left at the crime scene and use it to prosecute the culprits. Well, not quite. Fiction is faster, the scientists say. “What it does though, is it makes you jealous of how they’re able to solve crimes in an hour, because it doesn’t happen that way,” said Christopher Jerde, a professor at the Notre Dame, which is creating a basin-wide surveillance program. “That would be nice.” The researchers search for the DNA of an invader in the environment, or eDNA, with techniques that may be a boon for understanding how they enter the Great Lakes basin. (March 26, 2013) Great Lakes Echo [more on Invasive Species and Great Lakes in our area]
• Study: Asian carp spawn in more river areas than previously known, showing their adaptability TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — Asian carp are reproducing in more places and under more varied conditions than experts had believed they could, yet another reason to worry about the greedy invader’s potential to infest waterways and crowd out native species, scientists said Tuesday. Several varieties of carp imported from Asia have migrated steadily northward in the Mississippi River and its tributaries since escaping from Southern fish farms and sewage treatment ponds in the 1970s. They’ve been spotted in more than two dozen states. Bighead and silver carp gobble enormous volumes of plankton, a crucial link in the aquatic food chain, while silver carp sometimes collide with boaters by hurtling from the water when startled. (March 19, 2013) The Washington Post [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Panel OKs Gillbrand measure on Asian carp lake invasion A U.S. Senate committee Thursday approved Sen. Kirsten E. Gillibrand’s measure authorizing the Army Corps of Engineers to take emergency steps if there’s an imminent threat of an Asian carp invasion of the Great Lakes. The Environment and Public Works Committee included the measure in its reauthorization of the Water Resources Development Act, which the panel sent to the full Senate for consideration. (March 20, 2013) Buffalo News [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Park regulators approve herbcide for Loon Lake milfoil battle Chestertown, NY, Mar 18, 2013 — The state Adirondack Park Agency voted unanimously Friday to approve the controversial use of a chemical herbicide to kill invasive plants in a lake in Warren County. The Town of Chester plans to disperse 1,500 gallons of Renovate OTF in the southeastern corner of Loon Lake this spring.  It's an herbicide used to kill Eurasian watermilfoil, which has clogged waterways across the Park and has been a nuisance to boaters and swimmers.  This would be only the second time Renovate has been used in the Adirondack Park. (March 18, 2012) North Country Public Radio [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• DEC Announces Proposed Changes to Bighead Carp Regulations to Further Protect the Great Lakes from This Invasive Species Public Comments Accepted Until April 22 Public comments on the proposed changes to regulations for the import, transport, possession and sale of bighead carp will be accepted until April 22, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced today. "The proposed regulation will ban the importation, possession and sale of live bighead carp in New York," said Commissioner Joe Martens. "Governor Cuomo and DEC recognize the serious threat bighead carp pose as an invasive fish species. Millions of dollars are currently being spent by federal and great lakes state agencies to prevent these fish from gaining access to the Great Lakes basin via the Mississippi River system." (March 6, 2013) NYS DEC [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• 100% of ships entering St. Lawrence Seaway had ballast water tested for invasive species, working group says The Great Lakes Ballast Water Working Group says that 100 percent of ships bound for the Great Lakes via the St. Lawrence Seaway from outside the 200-mile coastal zone last year received a ballast tank exam. The working group has just released its 2012 Summary of Great Lakes Seaway Ballast Water Management report. A total of 6,974 ballast tanks were assessed during 386 vessel transits. Vessels that did not exchange their ballast water or flush their ballast tanks were required to either retain the ballast water and residuals on board, treat the ballast water in an environmentally sound and approved manner, or return to sea to conduct a ballast water exchange. (March 1, 2013) North Country Now [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Asian carp DNA found around the Great Lakes, but the invasive fish have yet to be captured CLEVELAND, Ohio - Federal and state officials have had success in finding plentiful environmental DNA of Asian carp in waters from the Chicago area to Western Lake Erie over the past two years. They have yet, however, to capture a live silver carp or bighead carp in the expansive Great Lakes. Electric barriers on the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal now block the most likely gateway to the Great Lakes for Asian carp. Searching for the DNA of Asian carp could determine if they have arrived. (February 26, 2013) Cleveland.com  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Regionally Speaking: Invasive Species Prevention Program on Skaneateles Lake To offer a regional perspective, each month the Finger Lakes Regional Watershed Alliance contributes an article featuring their individual lake members and accomplishments. Over the last century or so the Finger Lakes have faced a number of serious threats to their ecological integrity.  A major early issue was the influx of pesticides and their residues, which accumulated in the food chain.  This was brought to the forefront by the publication of Silent Spring by Rachel Carson in 1962.  Eutrophication was another area of concern due to the loading of excess amounts of phosphorus into the lakes.  Both of these problems, while not completely corrected, are being addressed and are now less of a threat than they used to be.  Currently, the most serious threat to the integrity of lake ecosystems in the Finger Lakes is the successful establishment of non-indigenous species. The rate at which they are becoming established greatly exceeds the rate that one would expect without human assistance.  Consider that over the last century or so we have added carp, alewife, lamprey, zebra mussel, quagga mussel, round goby, Eurasian watermilfoil,Asian clam, hydrilla, viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS), to name just a few of the species to one or more of our Finger Lakes.  We have not seen this many new species enter the lakes since the glacier receded creating the lakes. (February 1, 2013) Happenings the monthly newsletter of the Finger Lakes Institute  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• A new push against invasive pests DEC chief's visit to Lake George Friday called an important signal LAKE GEORGE — State Environmental Conservation Commissioner Joe Martens will be in Lake George on Friday to meet with groups pushing local plans for a boat inspection and washing program this summer to combat invasive species, out of concern with a state decision to delay such a step until next year. Martens will be attend a series of meetings expected to include elected officials from Lake George village and town, Bolton and Queensbury; state Sen. Betty Little, state Assemblyman Dan Stec; and representatives of the conservation groups Lake George Association and Fund for Lake George. (February 21, 2013) Albany Times Union [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• WSP Spotlight Species: The Quagga Mussel Introduction to the Quagga Mussel This month’s aquatic invasive species (AIS) profile spotlight focuses on the quagga mussel,Dreissena rostriformis bugensis, a relative to the infamous zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha. As both mussels present damaging effects on the aquatic ecosystem due to their shared ability to quickly reproduce and adapt to various substrates, quagga musselsare still in the process of expanding their nonindigenous range throughout the Finger Lakes of New York. According to USGS, the quagga mussel inhabits five of the Finger Lakes- Canandaigua Lake, Cayuga Lake, Keuka Lake, Seneca Lake, Skaneateles Lake. (February 1, 2013) Happenings - the monthly newsletter of the Finger Lakes Institute  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Quarantine expanded for tree-killing beetle Finger Lakes, N.Y. — The state Department of Environmental Conservation has added 22 more counties to its quarantine of the emerald ash borer. The emergency ruling — aimed at preventing further damage from the exotic, tree-killing beetle — will take effect May 1, 2013. The quarantine will include all of the state south of the Thruway, and east to the state border, except for Rockland, Westchester, Nassau and Suffolk counties and New York City. Ontario County was already under the quarantine that places restrictions limiting the movement of ash trees, ash products and all types of firewood. (February 11, 2013) MPNnow.com [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• NEW YORK EMERALD ASH BORER QUARANTINE TO BE EXPANDED 22 Counties Added To State Quarantine   New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Joe Martens and New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets (DAM) Commissioner Darrel J. Aubertine today announced that the state will propose a revision to its Emerald ash borer (EAB) quarantine order to include all of the State south of the New York State Thruway, and east to the state border, except for Rockland, Westchester, Nassau and Suffolk counties and New York City. EAB is an invasive, exotic insect that quickly kills all ash trees once it becomes established in an area or community.  It was first discovered in the U.S. in 2002 in Detroit, Michigan, and has since been found in 18 states. This invasive tree and forest pest has killed tens of millions of ash trees in areas where populations have become established.  Especially hard hit have been communities which have lost thousands of mature street and park ash trees, often originally planted to replace stately elms killed 80 years ago by another invasive pest, Dutch elm disease.  Costs to communities for removal and disposal of dead, dying and hazardous municipal trees, and their replacement is a challenge. (February 5, 2013) NYS Dept. of Agriculture and Markets [more in Invasive Species in our area]
• New York DEC to expand crackdown on Emerald Ash Borer ALBANY — The state plans to propose a new revision to its Emerald Ash Borer quarantine order to add areas south of the state Thruway and east to the state border, DEC Commissioner Joseph Martens announced Tuesday. The borer is an insect that kills ash trees in entire areas or communities where the insect has become established. The proposed revision would exclude Rockland, Westchester, Nassau and Suffolk counties as well as New York City. (February 5, 2013) Rochester Democrat and Chronicle [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• A bloody-red invasion: A look at the ecology and behavior of a new Great Lakes and Finger Lakes invasive shrimp The bloody red mysid shrimp (Hemimysis anomala) is the most recent of a string of aquatic invertebrates native to the Ponto-Caspian region (Eurasia) to become established in waterways throughout the Great Lakes basin.  Mysids are a diverse group of crustaceans that all carry their young in a brood pouch (hence the general name “opossum” shrimp) and are typically between 3-25 mm in total length, with Hemimysis being at the lower end of this length spectrum.  Hemimysis is one of two species of mysids currently found in the Great Lakes region.  The other species, Mysis diluviana, is native and regarded as a plentiful and nutritious food resource for cold-water fish such as lake trout and smaller fish that support salmonid fisheries. (February 1, 2013) Happenings the monthly newsletter of the Finger Lakes Institute  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Senators: Federal cooperation needed to stop spread of Asian carp Minnesota’s U.S. senators are calling for new legislation to help stop the spread of Asian carp up the Mississippi River. Democrats Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken announced Tuesday that they will co-sponsor the reintroduction of the Strategic Response to Asian Carp Invasion Act, which would create a coordinated federal response and enable the federal government to work more effectively with state and local entities in the fight to end the spread of the invasive species in waterways across the country. “This legislation will ensure that we have all hands on deck to fight this invasive species and protect our economy and our ecosystems,” Klobuchar said in a statement. (January 30, 2013) WinonaDailyNews.com [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Price tag for preventing carp infestation rises Millions more dollars will be spent this year on trying to keep Asian Carp and other aquatic invasive species from moving between the Mississippi River and Great Lakes basins. Millions more dollars will be spent this year on trying to keep Asian Carp and other aquatic invasive species from moving between the Mississippi River and Great Lakes basins. Even bigger spending decisions are nearing, however. An electronic barrier in a Chicago canal is just one of several short-term attempts in place to reduce travel of unwanted species betwen the Mississippi and the Great Lakes. More politicians are talking about permanently separating the two Basins in the Chicago area, a long-term project with a huge pricetag. Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett chairs a group of mayors along the Great Lakes and Saint Lawrence seaway. Barrett told a Detroit public television forum that the main sticking point is: Who'd pay the basin separation bill?  (January 17, 2013)   Superior Telegram [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Scientists tackle tiny fly that's big trouble for berry growers A tiny fruit fly, native to Asia, has become big trouble for raspberries, strawberries, cherries and blueberries coast to coast in the U.S. So Cornell researchers are zeroing in on ways to combat the invasive spotted wing drosophila -- SWD for short. SWD is poorly understood and highly destructive. "That's a terrible combination," says Julie Carroll, the fruit integrated pest management (IPM) coordinator for the New York State IPM Program, based at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station (NYSAES) in Geneva, N.Y (January 4, 2013) Cornell Chronicle Online [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• WSP Report- The Fall of the Turions: Invasive European frog-bit European frog-bit Hydrocharis morsus-ranae is a non-native, dioecious free-floating plant native to Asia and Europe and introduced to North America in 1932 as a potential ornamental plant for an arboretum in Ottawa, Canada. By 1939, transported by water movement, birds, boats, and humans, it was found growing wild in the Rideau Canal (Zhu, Eppers, & Rudstam, 2008). Over time, it traveled east to the Island of Montreal via the Ottawa River, and could be found down the St. Lawrence River and along the Canadian shores of Lake Ontario. By the 1990’s it had spread into New York State waters south of the St. Lawrence River (Charles R. Oneill, 2007). European frog-bit prefers to grow well in sheltered coves and along still water shorelines of rivers, lakes, and streams (ISSG, 2005). As shown by the map below, the invasion of European Frog-bit has continued to spread. (January 1, 2013) Happenings the monthly newsletter of the Finger Lakes Institute [more on Invasive Species in our area]

2012

• Town of Greece gets $78,000 tree grant The town of Greece has been awarded a $78,000 grant from the U.S. Forest Service in order to plant as many as 200 new trees. According to the town, the trees will replace ash trees that are susceptible to infestation of the emerald ash borer. As part of the town’s ongoing emerald ash borer management plan, 200 ash trees along water bodies in northern Greece will be removed and ground into mulch by town crews. The emerald ash borer is an Asian beetle that infests and kills North American ash species, including green, white, black and blue ash. Most trees die within four years of becoming infected by the pests. According to the state Department of Environmental Conservation, more than 50 million trees in the U.S. have been killed by the bugs since they were discovered in Michigan in 2002. (December 6, 2012)  Rochester Democrat and Chronicle  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Freezing Out the Invasive Asian Clam Originally found in South East Asia, the Asian Clam Corbicula fluminea was likely brought to the West Coast of North America by either ballast water or as an imported food source in the 1930s. Since being discovered as an established species in Washington’s Columbia River in 1938,Corbicula fluminea has spread across the continental United States dispersing through drainages, with current establishment in approximately 44 states. New York waterways that have confirmed a presence of Asian clam include the Erie Canal; the Canandaigua Lake Outlet; Canandaigua, Keuka, Otisco, Owasco and Seneca Lakes of the Finger Lakes; the Hudson River from Troy to Newburgh; the Wallkill River; the Champlain Canal near Fort Edwards; Lake George; Massapequa Lake; and the Massapequa Reservoir on Long Island in addition to numerous streams and ponds.[1] (December 3, 2012) Happenings the monthly newsletter of the Finger Lakes Institute  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Going Green: Invasive species You’re going to see more signs like this posted at boat launches around New York State as the state combats the spread of invasive plants and wildlife. “So it will be contingent upon a boat owner to make sure they’re not taking water from one lake to another, not having invasive water plants attached to their trailer, plus they need to drain live wells and make sure they’re not transporting things in bilge water. All of these are well documented ways in which things like zebra mussels and a number of other aquatic species have moved around,” said Dr. Dylan Parry, a SUNY ESF professor. (November 19, 2012) YNN [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Invasive species rules spur suit Environmental group concerned about oversight of ballasts Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Invasive-species-rules-spur-suit-4021989.php#ixzz2BjIsyH4q ALBANY — The National Wildlife Federation sued New York state officials on Thursday for backing off on tough regulations to rid ship ballast water of invasive species that threaten the Great Lakes, the Hudson River and Long Island Sound. The rules would have required cargo vessels to cleanse ballast water to a level at least 100 times stricter than Environmental Protection Agency standards. Environmentalists and New York's Department of Environmental Conservation have said the EPA standards are inadequate to protect against invasive species that could be introduced when ballast water is discharged prior to loading cargo. (November 8, 2012) Albany Times Union [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Battle broadens against invasives in Lake George Lake George, NY, Oct 24, 2012 — Lake George is a battleground once again as the fight against invasive Asian clams broadens. And that fight has implications for the rest of the Adirondack Park. Lake George is known for its crystal clear water, and the invasive clams can cause algae blooms and lower water quality significantly.  $1.5 million has been spent over the last two years to eradicate the fast-breeding mollusks. But Asian clams have now been found in eight different areas on the 32-mile-long lake. A broad coalition is seeking more money, and more help. (October 24, 2012) North Country Public Radio [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Kids study water levels' effects on invasive species at Eel Bay Oct 24, 2012 — Construction of the giant hydropower dam near Massena in the 1950s forever tamed the once wild St. Lawrence River. It allowed engineers to harness the river's natural ebb and flow for energy production and to protect homes and ports at the same time. But in the process, it hurt the indigenous plants and animals that depend on those highs and lows to survive. The environmental group Save The River has been leading a charge to persuade the agency that controls water levels to return more natural ebbs and flows to the St. Lawrence. One way is by giving the younger generation of River residents a hands-on lesson. (October 24, 2012) North Country Public Radio [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Ash trees continue to hurt from beetle LANSING — The threat from a metallic green beetle continues to spread throughout ash trees in the Great Lakes region. Many ash already are dropping leaves or changing color earlier this year than usual — both mechanisms that trees use to cope with drought, said Deborah McCullough, a forest entomologist at Michigan State University.  "It's possible some insect populations could increase next summer as a result of this year's drought, but that is just really hard to predict," she said. (October 11, 2012) Traverse City Record Eagle  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Few options for control of spiny water flea Burlington, VT, Oct 08, 2012 —Discovery of the spiny water flea in Lake George has heightened worries that the invasive species will eventually move into Lake Champlain.  And it's brought new attention to the danger of the Champlain Canal, an open waterway between Lake Champlain and the Hudson River. (October 8. 2012) (October 8, 2012) North Country Radio [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Two colleges get funding to study invasive fish in the great lakes WASHINGTON - SUNY Buffalo State College will receive $99,756 from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. Specifically, Buffalo State will assess the invasive potential for high-risk Ponto-Caspian fish from European shipping ports. The college will then assess Great Lakes ports to identify high-risk locations and time periods that are a strong habitat match for these high-risk invasive fish. This data will be used to focus surveillance and early detection efforts for invasive Ponto-Caspian fish likely to adapt to the waters of the Great Lakes. Cornell University will receive $227,484 from the EPA. Specifically, Cornell will increase efforts by government agencies and nongovernmental organizations in the Lake Ontario region to communicate with anglers and boaters about the risks that invasive species pose to the Great Lakes (October 3, 2012) Empire State News [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Ash borer chows Great Lakes trees; drought increases vulnerability The threat from a metallic green beetle is quickly spreading throughout the ash trees of the Great Lakes region, despite a recent national report that said fewer trees died in 2011 from harmful insects in the U.S. than previous years. The region’s drought can also seal the fate of sick and dying trees, the report said. (October 4, 2012) Great Lakes Echo [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Carp DNA found in 2nd bay of Lake Erie State officials keep finding Asian-carp DNA in Lake Erie but have yet to find the invasive fish. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources reported yesterday that the DNA of silver carp, one of four Asian-carp species, was detected in three of 350 water samples taken from Maumee Bay. On Aug. 28, the agency reported finding silver-carp DNA in 20 of 150 samples taken from Sandusky Bay. State and federal officials took the samples from the bays in July after an initial round of water samples detected carp DNA in both. (September 27, 2012)  The Columbus Dispatch [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• New York makes its hit list: Which plants and animals should be banned? If you feel the need for a new burning bush, Japanese barberry hedge or Norway maple, now’s the time to plant. They are popular and colorful landscaping choices, but — like dozens of other plants and animals — their days are numbered in New York. (September 23, 2012)Syracuse.com  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Combating sea lamprey on Lake Champlain Plattsburgh, NY, Sep 19, 2012 — If you're fishing for salmon or lake trout in Lake Champlain, you might end up with a fish you didn't bargain for. Sea lamprey are parasitic fish that look like eels. They latch on to larger fish and slowly drain out their body fluids. Lamprey can decimate entire fish populations. Every four years the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, with help from the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department and New York's DEC, treats Lake Champlain tributaries with pesticides to control lamprey populations. This year's first treatment took place last week in the Saranac River delta in Plattsburgh. (September 19, 2012) North Coast Public Radio [more in Invasive Species in our area]
• Going Green: Emerald ash borer Ash trees are under a death threat because of an invasive species. "The emerald ash borer is going to cause the demise of ash in North America, and it travels around mostly through private people moving firewood," explained Dr. Melissa Fierke, SUNY-ESF. New York will soon have a new system of fines and penalties for transporting or possessing invasive species, which will range from $200 to $2,000. It’s to prevent movement so importation, possession or purchasing or anything within the horticulture industry or with private people that are moving things around. (September 17, 2012)  YNN [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Asian Carp & the Great Lakes: Industries worry about basin separation (Part 2) The issue of keeping Asian carp out of the Great Lakes has implications for a variety of industries.  Midwest officials are weighing a range of options, including severing the connection between the Mississippi River and Great Lakes basins.  In the second part of our series on Asian carp, Adam Allington examines the potential economic implications for keeping the carp out of the lakes now, and in the future: It’s a scorching hot day in East St. Louis, Illinois.  Down by the Mississippi River a tugboat is pushing a flotilla of six light green barges. This 70-mile stretch of river is one of the busiest inland ports in America—a place where grain, aggregate and steel are loaded and shipped up and down the river. (September 11, 2012)  Michigan Radio [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Hitchhikers Not Allowed! This summer I was given the incredible opportunity to work on the brand new Finger Lakes Institute Watercraft Steward Program which is an effort focused on preventing the spread and introduction of invasive species and educating the public on the issue throughout the Finger Lakes region and on Lake Ontario. My specific role in the program included acting as a coordinator for the stewards, maintaining the program blog, and collecting and analyzing data that was initially collected by the stewards. As a William Smith Student working towards a degree focused in Environmental Policy, the watercraft steward program provided solid experience and insight into the nature and challenges of environmental policy on a local and regional level.  (September 2, 2012) Happenings - the monthly newsletter of the Finger Lakes Institute [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Asian carp threaten balance in the Great Lakes “Jaws,” the 1970s horror classic, lured record audiences into theaters and sent terrified beach buffs scurrying out of the water. Fortunately, freshwater rivers and lakes offered water-lovers a refuge from any menacing creatures lurking beneath the surface. Times have changed. On a clear autumn day in 1994, Marcy Poplett was idling her personal watercraft on the Illinois River and enjoying the gold and auburn leaves along the shore when a silver carp leapt from the water and smacked her between the eyes. Unconscious and bleeding profusely, she fell off the craft and began drifting downstream in the current. She revived just in time to see a towboat headed toward her. The towboat’s horn blasted a warning and a nearby boater rescued Poplett, who suffered multiple injuries including a concussion and a broken nose. (September 1, 2012) Toledao Free Press [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Lake Erie experts fear DNA spike is sign of Asian carp The discovery of additional Asian carp DNA in Sandusky Bay has state and federal wildlife officials increasing efforts to see whether the invasive fish has entered Lake Erie. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources reported yesterday that Asian carp DNA had been detected in 20 of 150 water samples taken July 30-31.  (August 29, 2012) The Columbus Dispatch [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Exotic pest attacking hemlock trees Finger Lakes, N.Y. — The state Department of Environmental Conservation announced today an exotic pest, Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (Adelges tsugae), is expanding its attack on forests. The insect has been found in 29 counties including in the Finger Lakes region. On Aug. 20, the insect was confirmed in Schenectady County. (August 28, 2012)  [more on Recycling in our area)  MPNnow.com [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Fish barrier vs. carp DNA: What to believe? More than $100 million has been spent in a battle to keep Asian carp from invading the Great Lakes. It is a fight the federal government insists it is winning, due largely to its electric barrier system on the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal. But is the evidence that these fish-shocking machines work any more reliable than the DNA evidence indicating Asian carp may have already breached them? (August 25, 2012) JSOnline [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Chicago canal not the only possible carp invasion route The fight against an Asian carp invasion of the Great Lakes so far has been mostly focused on the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, an artificial link between Lake Michigan and the Mississippi River basin. There are 18 other potential connections between the Great Lakes and Asian carp-infested Mississippi River basin stretching from northern Minnesota to western New York, though they are considered medium- to low-risk for a carp invasion because the connections are vastly smaller, farther from existing carp populations or typically occur only when big floods hit. (August 21, 2012) JSonline [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Attack of the killer carp After a thousand-plus kilometre invasion and destruction of U.S. ecosystems, Asian carp are now poised to enter Canada’s Great Lakes—where they could unleash incalculable and irreversible damage. Inside the desperate fight to stop the swarm. (August 15, 2012) This Magazine [more on Invastive Species in our area]
• Discovery Part of New York State's EAB Early Detection Program An Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) infestation was found in the Catskill Forest Preserve at a state-owned campground, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Joe Martens announced today. The discovery was confirmed after a DEC employee recovered a single EAB beetle from a purple prism trap that was placed in DEC's Kenneth L. Wilson campground in the Town of Woodstock, Ulster County.  (August 10, 2012) NYS DEC Press Releases [more on Invasives Species in our area]
• Leahy to NY: Close canal to block invasive species MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont called Monday for the state of New York to close parts of the Champlain Canal, saying the step was needed to prevent the spread of another invasive species north into the lake. New York officials once again rejected the idea, citing economic reasons. At a news conference on the Burlington waterfront with scientists from the University of Vermont and St. Michael's College, Leahy said the latest threat to the lake and its ecosystem comes from the spiny water flea, a half-inch-long barbed creature that can outcompete other species in the lake that are better food for its fish populations. (August 1, 2012) WAVY.com [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Spiny water flea confirmed in Lake George (08/02/12) With the debate intensifying over how to keep the spiny water flea from infesting Lake Champlain, New York environmental officials confirmed yesterday that the non-native organism has been confirmed in Lake George. (Auguest 2, 2012)  North Country Public Radio  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Invasive plants now found in Lake Erie - ObserverToday.com | News, Sports, Jobs, Community Information - Dunkirk | The Observer BEMUS POINT - Rooted water chestnut plants have been found in Chautauqua Lake and Lake Erie, County Executive Greg Edwards announced Friday. The discoveries, two near Bemus Creek and an unknown amount in Dunkirk Harbor, confirm that the aquatic invasive species known to thrive in shallow waters has infested the county.  (July 28, 2012) ObserverToday.com | News, Sports, Jobs, Community Information - Dunkirk | The Observer  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Governor Cuomo Signs Legislation to Protect New York's Waterways and Natural Habitat from Invasive Species | Governor Andrew M. Cuomo Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today signed legislation to protect New York's waterways and natural habitat from the devastating environmental effects of invasive species. "This new law will give the Department of Environmental Conservation and the Department of Agriculture and Markets the tools they need to protect our state's ecology from the harm that invasive species can cause," Governor Cuomo said. "This legislation ensures that the regulations governing invasive species are appropriate for New York's farming community and plant nurseries, while also protecting the environment. I commend the bill sponsors for their work on this legislation." Invasive species threaten New York's environment by out-competing native species, diminishing biological diversity, and changing whole ecosystems. Invasive species are widely available in commerce for landscaping and aquaria, and include species such as Hydrilla, an aggressive aquatic invader that chokes out native plants, clogs water intakes and impedes recreation. Other invasive species, such as the Emerald Ash Borer and the Asian Long-Horned Beetle, can devastate New York's timber and forest products industry. Millions of dollars are spent annually in the United States to control such species. (July 24, 2012) Newsroom | Governor Andrew M. Cuomo  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Lake Erie - Six water samples test positive for Asian carp DNA Federal and state wildlife officials working in conjunction with academic researchers announced six water samples taken from Sandusky and north Maumee bays in Lake Erie tested positive for the presence of Asian carp environmental DNA in Michigan and Ohio waters. If the carp find their way into Lake Erie, it could affect the fishing and boating industries and the local economy, said Sandy Bihn, executive director for Lake Erie Waterkeeper, Inc. “The Asian Carp would gobble up the food that walleye, yellow perch and bass eat. Without food, these key sport fish would rapidly dwindle,” Bihn said.  (July 19, 2012) The Press  [more on Invastive Species in our area]
• NCPR News - Giant Hogweed is a plant invader that threatens people as much as ecoystems (07/18/12) The last couple of decades, northern New York has been besieged by invasive plants and animals. The impact on the region's ecosystems has been profound. An invasive fungus called White Nose Syndrome has devastated once-thriving populations of bats. Zebra mussels and other non-native organisms are literally changing the chemistry of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. (July 18, 2012) NCPR: North Country Public Radio  [more on Invastive Species in our area]
• Report: Asian carp could reach all Great Lakes Fewer fish than previously thought are needed to populate the lakes. TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. -- Asian carp could find enough food and breeding areas to reach all five of the Great Lakes within 20 years if allowed to gain a foothold, according to a scientific report. The risk analysis by U.S. and Canadian researchers said just 10 mature females and even fewer males could establish a population in the lakes, assuming they find rivers suitable for spawning. Previously, some officials have said hundreds of the carp probably would be needed to launch a successful invasion.  (June 16, 2012) Home - southbendtribune.com [more on Invastive Species in our area]
• New alarm sounded about Asian carp threat to Great Lakes - Washington - The Buffalo News WASHINGTON - Asian carp would likely thrive in all five Great Lakes, and the introduction of fewer than 20 of the invasive fish could be enough to set off a spawning spree that could forever change the region's ecosystem. Those are the main conclusions of a report released Thursday by Fisheries and Oceans Canada, which portrayed the potential for a fish invasion as much more far-reaching than previously predicted. (Jult 13, 2012) The Buffalo News - breaking local news, sports, business, entertainment, weather and multimedia [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• BREAKING: Spiny water flea set to infest Lake Champlain « The In Box State officials say a nasty invasive species has been identified in the Champlain Canal and the Glens Falls Feeder Canal. According to the state Department of Environmental Conservation, the "spiny water flea" was identified in water samples collected June 12th at two locations by researchers working for SUNY Plattsburgh. (July 12, 2012) NCPR: North Country Public Radio [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Ontario unveils plan to combat invasive species | www.citizen.on.ca | Orangeville Citizen Ontario has developed a plan to combat invasive species in order to protect the province's environment and its economy. The Ontario Invasive Species Strategic Plan, released last week, outlines Ontario's approach to the prevention, early detection, and rapid response to new invasive species and the effective management of existing invasive species like round goby, zebra mussels and the emerald ash borer. Invasive species are species that come from other countries or regions and threaten the environment, economy or society by disrupting local ecosystems. They are the second greatest threat to Ontario's biodiversity after habitat loss.  (July 12, 2012) Front Page | www.citizen.on.ca | Orangeville Citizen  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Invasive plants, fish threaten Great Lakes region It's an aquatic invasive species first found in North America in the 1940s. It has spread to almost every state, where it grows into thick mats that can make lakes impenetrable for boats and swimmers. Milfoil can make it impossible for native plants to grow, affecting fish and wildlife. Once it's established, it can be managed but not eradicated. (June 9, 2012) News, Travel, Weather, Entertainment, Sports, Technology, U.S. & World - USATODAY.com [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Schumer: Fast track fight against armyworms - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Finger Lakes, N.Y. — U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer said today he is urging the U.S Department of Agriculture to place the armyworm on the priority list of pests because of the devastation the insect is causing this year to grass and related crops. Schumer asked that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) produce a report with updated guidance for controlling the pest, which would be helpful to those farmers and residents currently experiencing trouble with armyworms; it should also help prevent new invasions of the pest.  (June 9, 2012) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• 5 States To Continue Suit Demanding Asian Carp Fix « CBS Detroit TRAVERSE CITY (AP) – Five states are continuing a lawsuit against the federal government demanding action to prevent Asian carp from reaching the Great Lakes, despite recent congressional action. Legislation approved last month requires the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to complete a plan for shielding the lakes from the invasive carp within 18 months. A quicker timetable was one of the requests in the suit filed in 2010 by Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Ohio and Pennsylvania.  (July 5, 2012) CBS Detroit [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Efforts take root to fight the weed hydrilla - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow MPNnow.com — A fast-growing weed with the potential of killing boating, fishing and other recreational activities in the Finger Lakes region was the subject of a Tuesday meeting in Watkins Glen of watershed and environmental experts. Among those at a powwow on the weed hydrilla were representatives from Ontario County’s Planning Department and Soil and Water Conservation District.  (July 5, 2012) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Invastive Species in our area]
• Finger Lakes stewards battle against invasive species They aim to stop spread of noxious weeds, clams Stewards are being deployed for the first time this summer on seven larger Finger Lakes, from Canandaigua east to Otisco, and Sodus, Port and Little Sodus bays on Lake Ontario in Wayne and Cayuga counties. The stewards, all college students or recent grads with an interest in environmental science, say the program seems to be going well.  (July 4, 2012) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• DEC Revises the Firewood Transport Regulation - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation Requirements Clarified for Producers, Consumers and Enforcement Personnel After several years of education, outreach and enforcement of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's (DEC) Firewood Regulation, DEC Commissioner Joe Martens today announced that the 2009 regulations have been revised to help ease regulatory compliance and enforcement. The basics and purpose of the revised regulation remain the same and still prohibit untreated firewood from entering the state and restrict intra-state movement of untreated firewood to no more than 50 miles from its source.  (July 3, 2012) Press Releases - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Taking A Tally: Cayuga County Survey Lakes for Invasives | Happenings Every year new aquatic invasive species are being found in the Finger Lakes and they threaten the water quality and the habitat of our lakes. For example, Asian clam and Chinese mystery snail were both discovered in Owasco Lake in the fall of 2010 in the area of the Emerson Park and its boat launches. (July 1, 20120 Happenings | the monthly newsletter of the Finger Lakes Institute [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• FLI Secures Funding for Invasive Species Research and Outreach | Happenings  by Dr. Lisa Cleckner, Finger Lakes Institute Watercraft Steward Project Director and Finger Lakes Institute Director The Finger Lakes Institute (FLI) at Hobart and William Smith Colleges has received $165,000 in funding for aquatic invasive species projects currently being conducted in the Finger Lakes and Great Lakes ecosystems. Through this funding, the FLI is leading a watercraft steward program at several boat launches in the eastern Finger Lakes and Lake Ontario. The goal of the program is to educate boaters and other recreational watercraft users about non-native species and how important it is to check, clean, and dry vessels when entering and leaving waterbodies to prevent further spread. The watercraft steward program was launched in late May 2012.  (July 1, 2012) Happenings | the monthly newsletter of the Finger Lakes Institute [more on Invastive Species in our area]
• NCPR News - Army worms invade Jefferson County farms (06/26/12) A pest has invaded farm fields throughout Jefferson County. Army worms, which are actually caterpillars that transform into moths, migrate up from the south every year to northern New York. This year, a major outbreak of the worms is threatening widespread damage to crops and big financial losses to some farmers. Joanna Richards reports. (June 26, 2012) NCPR: North Country Public Radio [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• More Asian carp DNA found near Lake Michigan DETROIT (AP) — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says it has again has found genetic material from invasive Asian carp in samples taken from waters near Lake Michigan. The silver carp DNA findings from May 22 collections in Lake Calumet in Chicago and the Little Calumet River were posted online earlier this month. (June 19, 2012) Watertown Daily Times | Local News, Sports, Features, and Community Information for Jefferson County, St. Lawrence County, and Lewis County in Northern New York. [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• NorthumberlandNews Article: Asian carp could invade Northumberland Lake Ontario waters Invasive species could starve off native fish | NORTHUMBERLAND -- Lake Ontario could be under an invasion. Asian carp could be making their way into Canadian waters in the near future, which could devastate Ontario's native fish species. "The Asian carp could starve off our native species of fish," said John Cooper, spokesman for the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR). "Our concern is Asian carp primarily eat plankton, and a number of young native species rely on plankton while growing up, such as walleye, yellow perch, pike and others."  (June 15, 2012) NorthumberlandNews Home [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Army Worms March Into Finger Lakes - Rochester, News, Weather, Sports, and Events - 13WHAM.com Army Worms March Into Finger Lakes - Rochester, News, Weather, Sports, and Events - 13WHAM.com Albany, N.Y. (AP) - Armyworms are on the march in the Finger Lakes and other parts of New York. The agriculture commission has received numerous reports from farmers that armyworms have severely impacted parts of New York, especially in western New York, according to State Agriculture Commissioner Darrel Aubertine.  (June 13, 2012) Home - Rochester, News, Weather, Sports, and Events - 13WHAM.com [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Indiana AG wants more info on carp protection efforts : The Times of Northwest Indiana Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller sent a letter to the head of the federal government's Asian carp response efforts to understand what steps are being taken to protect Indiana waterways from the invasive species. In a letter sent Friday to John Goss, Zoeller said waterways such as the lower Wabash River already have self-sustaining populations of Asian carp. He said Asian carp pose a threat to native fish populations and have the potential to wreak havoc in the Great Lakes.  (June 11, 2012) The Times of Northwest Indiana [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Watertown Daily Times | Army worms devour crops at 40 farms in Jefferson County Army worms were given their moniker for a good reason. About 40 farmers now have found out why, as an infestation of the worms spread to farms last week in Watertown, Sackets Harbor and southern Jefferson County towns including Adams, Ellisburg and Henderson. “They’re known as army worms because they march from field to field and destroy crops,” said Michael E. Hunter, field crops educator for Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County. “We now have tens of thousands in the county, and they can destroy a field within a couple of days.”  (June 13, 2012) Watertown Daily Times | Local News, Sports, Features, and Community Information for Jefferson County, St. Lawrence County, and Lewis County in Northern New York. [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Plague of armyworms advances - City & Region - The Buffalo News The invasion, like something out of a horror movie, has taken farmers like Mobius by surprise, and could be an expensive problem as they are forced to replace feed destroyed by the armyworms. The armyworms arrive from the South every year, but not usually in numbers this devastating, said Jason Dombroskie, collection manager for Cornell University's insect collection. An early spring could have helped build up the armyworms' numbers, Dombroskie said.  (June 8, 2012) The Buffalo News - breaking local news, sports, business, entertainment, weather and multimedia  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Ballast blaster: Repelling invaders with sound | Great Lakes Echo Foreign plants and animals that threaten the Great Lakes ecology could soon be blown apart by ultrasound. A new device is designed to kill such invasive species lurking in the ballast tanks of ships. Known as the BallastSolution, it kills invaders by blasting with sound the water entering and leaving a ship’s ballast. Ballast water is pumped on and off ships to stabilize them for varying loads of cargo. It has brought invasive species into the Great Lakes for decades. The zebra and quagga mussels, and the round goby were introduced in this way, wreaking havoc on native species. The annual cost of controlling these species is in the millions.  (June 6, 2012) Great Lakes Echo - Environmental news across the basin [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Bracing for beetle's arrival - City & Region - The Buffalo News Anyone who's seen the purple traps hanging from trees in the area or along the highway may now also notice yellow tags tied with purple ribbons on some of Buffalo's ash trees. They are a sign that emerald ash borers are here. Or, if the pests aren't here yet, they will be soon. Re-Tree WNY and the City of Buffalo have started tagging ash trees to raise awareness of the damage the emerald ash borer can cause. Late last month, Paul Maurer, chairman of Re-Tree, and Shane F.M. Daley, tree care supervisor for Buffalo's Olmsted Parks Conservancy, tagged trees along Delaware Avenue from Gates Circle to Summer Street. (June 4, 2012) The Buffalo News - breaking local news, sports, business, entertainment, weather and multimedia  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Invasive Plant Poses Risk To Finger Lakes - Rochester, News, Weather, Sports, and Events - 13WHAM.com Invasive Plant Poses Risk To Finger Lakes - Rochester, News, Weather, Sports, and Events - 13WHAM.com Seneca Falls, N.Y. - Environmentalists say an invasive plant poses a risk to the Finger Lakes. Hydrilla was spotted last year in Cayuga Lake. Thick mats of the plant can form, and eat up oxygen that other animals need to live.  (June 1, 2012) Home - Rochester, News, Weather, Sports, and Events - 13WHAM.com [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Slaughter trying to curb entry of invasive species | NY Daily Record Yesterday evening, the Invasive Fish and Wildlife Prevention Act of 2012 (H.R. 5864) was introduced by Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY), and a bipartisan group of nine original co-sponsors to prevent the import of harmful, non-native fish, wildlife, and wildlife diseases. This legislation would strengthen the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (FWS) ability to designate animals as “injurious,” which cannot be imported or shipped between states without a permit. The legislation would empower the FWS to become proactive rather than reactive in its listing and restriction process, and stop harmful invasive fish and wildlife from ever arriving at U.S. shores. Original co-sponsors are Reps. Madeleine Bordallo (D-GU), Sam Farr (D-CA), Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), Dale Kildee (D-MI), Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Charles Rangel (D-NY), and Mike Rogers (R-MI).  (June 1, 2012) EcoWatch: Uniting the Voice of the Grassroots Environmental Movement [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Two 60-pound Asian carp found in isolated Chicago lagoon - JSOnline Chicago - Illinois fisheries biologists netted two Asian carp in a Chicago lagoon Thursday as part of a stepped-up effort to track and remove the invasive species from Illinois waterways. The bighead carp found in the Garfield Park Lagoon were about 60 pounds each and probably had been there for many years, perhaps brought there when the pond was stocked or by a fisherman's bait bucket, state Department of Natural Resources spokesman Chris McCloud said.  (May 24, 2012) Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Breaking news, sports, business, watchdog journalism in Wisconsin [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• DEC: Second Annual Emerald Ash Borer Awareness Week Starts May 20 - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation Governor Cuomo Signs Proclamation to Encourage Residents to Learn About Emerald Ash Borer and Report Infestations to DEC Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) Awareness Week will be held from May 20 - May 26, 2012 to encourage state residents and visitors to become better educated about the emerald ash borer and the destruction it causes to trees, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced today. In observance of EAB Awareness Week, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo issued a proclamation urging all New Yorkers to exercise environmental stewardship to protect trees from infestation that can be devastating to landscapes, habitats and forest product industries.  (May 18, 2012) Press Releases - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Sterilizing That Blasted Ballast - NYTimes.com The challenge is not trivial: of the 59 invasive species known to have colonized the Great Lakes since the 1950s, for example, about half are likely to have arrived in the ballast discharges of border-crossing vessels. Annually, invasive species introduced by ballast cost an estimated $130 million in damage in the Great Lakes alone. New rules aim to alleviate the problem. Under the Coast Guard’s new regulations, which reflect those issued by the United Nations International Maritime Organization and the Environmental Protection Agency, most ships built after December 2013 that enter United States waters will have to contain an approved onboard ballast treatment system.  (May 17, 2012) The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• New Training to Help Fight Emerald Ash Borer | WXXI News A new program aims to train people to become early detectors of signs of the emerald ash borer infestation in ash trees in Western & Central New York. The insect has killed millions of ash trees, and is spreading in western New York.  (May 15, 2012) WXXI News | The Public Media news source for Rochester, NY and the Finger Lakes [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Army Corps plans to speed up action to protect Great Lakes; Rep. Higgins pleased NEW YORK - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will provide Congress and the public the opportunity to identify a potential permanent Asian carp solution by next year, much earlier than initially expected. The Army Corps is currently conducting a Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study (GLMRIS). Completion of the feasibility study was not anticipated until 2015. In February, Congressman Brian Higgins (D-27) and other members of the Congressional Great Lakes Task Force sent a letter to the Army Corps of Engineers calling on the agency to expedite the timeline for action. (May 10, 2012) New York State News on the Net!  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Big report on Asian carp put off until after options are released by 2013 - chicagotribune.com Instead of completing a massive federal study that would recommend a permanent solution to the Asian carp problem by 2015, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will release an array of preliminary options to Congress by next year, officials announced today. The timeline of the Great Lakes Mississippi River Interbasin Study had come under fire from some members of Congress and Great Lakes states, who criticized regulators for dragging their feet on an urgent issue. (May 8, 2012) Chicago Tribune: Chicago breaking news, sports, business, entertainment, weather and traffic - chicagotribune.com  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Army Corps quickens pace on Asian carp study - WSJ.com TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — Obama administration officials say a new timetable developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers should speed up the search for a permanent method of protecting the Great Lakes from Asian carp and other invasive species.  (May 8, 2012) Business News & Financial News - The Wall Street Journal - Wsj.com [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Slaughter aims to protect Great Lakes from Asian carp | Rochester Business Journal New York business news and information Rep. Louise Slaughter is pushing for a plan to block Asian carp from entering the Great Lakes through rivers and tributaries. Slaughter, D-Perinton, and Michigan Republican David Camp introduced bipartisan legislation Thursday calling for the quick creation of a plan, she said in a statement.  (April 20, 2012) Home | Rochester Business Journal New York business news and information [more in Invasive Species in our area]
• Michigan takes aim at mute swans; 13,500 to be eliminated | Great Lakes Echo Michigan officials are asking residents to help shoot and kill 13,500 mute swans. But before hunters and fearful lakefront property owners grab their rifles, defenders of the birds are asking for more research to spare the lives of these lake dwellers. One issue is whether there could be confusion with the swans that are native to Michigan.  (April 23, 2012) Great Lakes Echo - Environmental news across the basin [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• City of Rochester may help Fairport with ash borers | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com City employees working on overtime could be hired by the Village of Fairport to treat ash trees there against the invasive emerald ash borer. The village approached city officials about doing the work and were offered a price that was well below estimates, said Village Administrator Ken Moore. The city is asking $5,530 for a six-person crew to treat 52 trees. There are, or were, 226 public ash trees in the village.  (April 16, 2012) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• New threat emerges on Asian carp - Toledo Blade WINDSOR, Ont. -- While the battlefront in the war to keep the Asian carp out of the Great Lakes has been in the canals near Chicago or in the marshy area outside Fort Wayne, trucks loaded with thousands of the destructive invasive species likely have been rolling down the interstate highways of Ohio and Michigan, headed for the Ambassador Bridge in Detroit that connects the United States and Canada. Since the first of the year, Ontario officials have seized three shipments of live Asian carp, totaling more than 23,000 pounds, that apparently were headed for markets in Toronto. Since late 2010, six loads of live Asian carp have been seized at the border.  (April 8, 2012) Home - Toledo Blade  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• NCPR News - Little pushes controls of invasive species A bill introduced in the state Senate aims to make the possession and sale of invasive species illegal. The legislation is sponsored by state Sen. Betty Little, a Republican from Queensbury. Little says invasives are a major threat to water bodies throughout the state. Her bill would strengthen current regulations and help prevent their spread.  (April 9, 2012) NCPR: North Country Public Radio [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• US official skeptical of closing locks to bar Asian carp | Minnesota Public Radio News BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — Some people call John Goss the "Asian Carp Czar." He doesn't embrace the title. "That's a term of non-endearment I think," Goss said. "I'm a coordinator to do the comprehensive effort to stop the Asian carp from becoming established in the Great Lakes." Goss is the Obama administration's top official working on the problem of invasive Asian carp. He was in Bloomington, Minn., Thursday for a meeting of the Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee. Goss, along with other federal and state officials, agree the carp pose a threat to native wildlife in Minnesota's rivers. But Goss indicated he is skeptical the latest proposal would work to stop the fish's spread.  (April 5, 2012) Minnesota Public Radio News [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Scientists play down price tag on invasive species in Great Lakes  A new U.S. report says foreign species carried into the Great Lakes by ships are causing tens of millions of dollars in damage to the ecosystem. However, Canadian experts are questioning the figures, saying you cannot easily put a price on damages caused by invasive species. While they say the problem is real, the lakes are in no danger of dying anytime soon.  (March 29, 2012) The Gazette [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Schumer, Gillibrand Urge Further Action Against Growing Asian Carp Threat | WKBW News 7: News, Sports, Weather | Buffalo, NY | Top Stories To prevent the spread of Asian carp into New York’s waterways through the Great Lakes, New York Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand are urging the Senate Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development to extend the Army Corps of Engineers’ emergency authority over effected waterways in any area determined appropriate by U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar.  (March 27, 2012) WKBW News 7: News, Sports, Weather | Buffalo, NY [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• State budget has hydrilla money | Press & Sun-Bulletin | pressconnects.com The new state budget includes $800,000 to help local efforts to stop the invasive aquatic plant hydrilla, which was found last year in Cayuga Inlet, Ithaca-area state senators announced Wednesday. The Tompkins County Soil and Water Conservation District has estimated that it will cost between $700,000 and $1 million annually for an effective five- to eight-year eradication program. The state funding was announced in a joint press release from Sens. TomO'Mara, R-Big Flats; Mike Nozzolio, R-Seneca Falls, and James Seward, R-Oneonta.  (March 28, 2012) Press & Sun-Bulletin | Binghamton news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Binghamton, New York | pressconnects.com [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Experts: Aggressive breed of mosquitoes may invade region | The Journal News | LoHud.com | LoHud.com As entomologists predict influx of the aggressive breed, counties prepare | The mild winter may have given a head start to what health officials fear could be this summer’s public enemy No. 1: the Asian tiger mosquito. The disease-carrying insect was identified in Rockland for the first time late last summer and was found in Westchester two years before that. Putnam health authorities found one Asian tiger mosquito in 2006. All indications are that it will be buzzing around the Lower Hudson Valley again once the weather heats up. (March 27, 2012) The Journal News | LoHud.com | Westchester, Rockland, Putnam news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, New York | LoHud.com [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Emergency action sought to protect NY waterways from invasive species - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Finger Lakes, N.Y. — U.S. Sens. Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand announced Tuesday they are urging emergency measures by Army Corps of Engineers to prevent Asian carp and other invasive species from invading New York waterways.  (March 27, 2012) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Coast Guard sets ballast cleansing requirements - Sault Ste. Marie, MI - Sault Ste. Marie Evening News Traverse City — Oceangoing cargo ships will be required to zap their ballast water with ultraviolet light, chemicals or other treatments before dumping it in U.S. waters under a regulation the Coast Guard announced Friday to prevent species invasions that damage the environment and cause billions in economic losses. The long-awaited rule comes more than two decades after environmental groups began pushing for a crackdown on ballast water, which provides stability in rough seas but often harbors stowaway species from abroad. When the soupy mixtures of water and sediment are discharged in U.S. ports, the newcomers can spread rapidly, starve out native competitors and spread diseases.  (March 18, 2012) Homepage - Sault Ste. Marie, MI - Sault Ste. Marie Evening News [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Federal agencies release first interim report on Asian carp environmental DNA results | AsianCarp.us CHICAGO - Members of the Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee (ACRCC) released March 15 the first interim report of the Asian Carp Environmental DNA Calibration Study (ECALS). The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is leading this two-year study in conjunction with the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to reduce the uncertainty surrounding Asian carp environmental DNA (eDNA) results. eDNA is a process in which genetic material (cells containing DNA from mucus, feces and/or urine) is extracted from water samples to detect the possible presence of Asian carp.  (March 20, 2012) AsianCarp.us - Leading the way in Asian carp control and management. [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• EPA Urged Not to Exempt Newer Ships Plying Great Lakes From Ballast Limits | Bloomberg BNA The National Park Service has joined environmental groups in urging the Environmental Protection Agency to require effluent limits for ballast water discharges for large ships built prior to January 2009 that ply the Great Lakes. These groups and the park service say that if the ships are excluded from a requirement in a new vessel general permit to meet discharge limits they may spread invasive species from one part of the ecosystem in the lakes to other areas.  (March 12, 2012) Legal, Tax, EHS, and HR Expert Information & Analysis | Bloomberg BNA [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• New bill in Congress would include WI rivers in keeping Asian carp out of Great Lakes - WTAQ News Talk 97.5FM and 1360AM WASHINGTON (WTAQ) - A new bill in Congress would include Wisconsin rivers in the federal government’s strategy to keep the invasive Asian carp out of the Great Lakes. The bill was introduced Tuesday by House members and senators from neighboring Minnesota. Their main goal is to stop the bloated carp from swimming up the Mississippi River beyond the Twin Cities area. But it would also set aside $50 million in federal tax dollars for Minnesota and its neighbors to use in controlling the spread of the Asian carp. And it would require the government to include all rivers north of Illinois in its strategy to fight the carp, instead of just focusing on the Great Lakes.  (March 7, 2012) WTAQ News Talk 97.5FM and 1360AM [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Asian carp seized at border The Ministry of Natural Resources is investigating another large border discovery of Asian carp, an invasive species commercial fishermen have said could be catastrophic if they spread into the Great Lakes. A ministry conservation officer was contacted Tuesday night by the Canada Border Services Agency about a truckload of fish coming from the United States that had 14,000 pounds of Asian carp, ministry spokesman John Cooper said late Wednesday afternoon. The investigation continues and no charges have been laid, he said  (March 1, 2012) Windsor Star | Latest Breaking News | Business | Sports | Canada Daily News  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Ballast Plan Doesn't Hold Water | New York League of Conservation Voters DEC Commissioner Joseph Martens said that the EPA guidelines "can be strengthened" to protect against invasive aquatic species, and that the state agency would advocate that the EPA "adopt a more protective national approach." Said Martens, "A strong, uniform national standard is the preferred approach to ensuring that vessels install and use achievable and cost-effective technology to treat ballast water discharges." But environmental groups say that the national standard that EPA is currently proposing doesn't go far enough.  (March 1, 2012) New York League of Conservation Voters | Electing for the Environment [more on Invasive Species on our area]
• Monster weed threatens Finger Lakes | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com Advocates are warning the Finger Lakes and other upstate water bodies lakes could be overrun by a hyper-aggressive invasive plant unless more money is found for a major eradication effort. The plant, hydrilla, was found late last summer in two creeks at the south end of Cayuga Lake at Ithaca. An initial effort last fall to control it failed to beat it back.  (February 29, 2012) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• New York Pursues Uniform, National Ballast Water Requirements - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation In comments filed today with the Environmental Protection Agency, DEC Commissioner Joseph Martens indicated that New York will pursue a uniform, national ballast water standard that will leave in place the EPA's current standards in New York for the remainder of EPA's current Vessel General Permit through December 2013. "New York remains concerned about the introduction and spread of invasive species in the state's waterways and we hope that a strong national solution can be achieved," DEC Commissioner Joe Martens said. "At the same time, shipping and maritime activity is critical to New York state and international commerce. A technically feasible national standard which recognizes the critical economic role played by our waterways is the only viable way to address the spread of destructive aquatic invaders through ballast water."  (February 27, 2012) Press Releases - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation [more in Invasive Species in our area]
• NCPR News - NY scraps tough ballast water regs, prompting praise and rebuke (02/27/12) On Friday, we reported that New York state is pushing Federal officials to toughen proposed new standards for ballast water pollution on freighters using the St. Lawrence Seaway. In that report, we mistakenly reported that the Cuomo administration is still planning to implement its own set of ballast water regulations, scheduled to go into effect next year.  (February 27, 2012) NCPR: North Country Public Radio  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• NCPR News - NY pushes Obama administration to toughen ballast water protections (02/24/12) A state vs. federal feud over ballast water carried by ocean-going freighters is heating up again. New York is steward of a long stretch of the St. Lawrence River. Since the St. Lawrence Seaway was opened to international shipping in the 50s, it's been a major route for invasive species that have ended up in the Great Lakes and their tributaries.  (February 24, 2012) NCPR: North Country Public Radio [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Canada Applauds NY on BWT Decision Government of Canada applauds New York State for withdrawing its ballast water requirements. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, Pierre Poilievre, welcomed yesterday’s decision by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYDEC) to remove a threat to shipping on the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System. In a press release issued yesterday, NYDEC Commissioner Joe Martens — recognizing that shipping and maritime activity are critical to New York State and international commerce — agreed to a national approach to ballast water regulation in the United States.  (February 24, 2012) Maritime News, Maritime Reporter, Marine News, Shipbuilding [more in Invasive Species in our area]
• Feds plan to spend $51.5 million in 2012 on protecting Great Lakes from destructive Asian carp - The Washington Post TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — The Obama administration will spend $51.5 million this year to shield the Great Lakes from greedy Asian carp, including first-time water sampling to determine whether the destructive fish have established a foothold in the lakes, officials said Thursday. Officials released an updated strategy that also includes stepped-up trapping and netting in rivers that could provide access to the lakes, as well as initial field tests of scents that could lure carp to where they could be captured. An acoustic water gun that could scare carp from crucial locations will be tested near a Chicago shipping lock some want closed because it could serve as a doorway to Lake Michigan.  (February 23, 2012) National: Breaking National News & Headlines - Washington Post [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• New York Pursues Uniform, National Ballast Water Requirements - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation DEC Will Work with Other States and Stakeholders to Advocate a Strong National Standard In comments filed today with the Environmental Protection Agency, DEC Commissioner Joseph Martens indicated that New York will pursue a uniform, national ballast water standard that will leave in place the EPA's current standards in New York for the remainder of EPA's current Vessel General Permit through December 2013. "New York remains concerned about the introduction and spread of invasive species in the state's waterways and we hope that a strong national solution can be achieved," DEC Commissioner Joe Martens said. "At the same time, shipping and maritime activity is critical to New York state and international commerce. A technically feasible national standard which recognizes the critical economic role played by our waterways is the only viable way to address the spread of destructive aquatic invaders through ballast water."  (February 22, 2012) Press Releases - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• NY environmental chief calls for ballast standards | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com ALBANY, N.Y. (WTW) — New York's environmental chief is calling for stronger national standards for ship ballast water blamed for spreading invasive species in the Great Lakes and other U.S. waters. Ballast water stabilizes ships while they take on or unload cargo. But ships can take on live organisms along with the water and carry them to new places.  (February 22, 2012) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on invasive Species  in our area]
• Taking the bait to save the great lakes As Asian carp creep closer to the Great Lakes from the Mississippi River basin several prominent senators from the region are urging the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to finish a five-year study on the matter. The federal agency is conducting the study to determine whether a permanent hydraulic separation would prevent the invasive species from spreading into the lakes. (February 21, 2012) Homepage » Tonawanda News [ more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Fighting to keep Asian carp out of Lake Erie - 13abc.com: Toledo Breaking News, Weather and Sports BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - It's a problem that threatens thousands of jobs and a multi-million dollar industry in Ohio. Asian carp and how to stop the species from invading the Great Lakes continues to fuel plenty of debate. On Monday, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur held a public meeting at BGSU's Firelands Campus to talk about the threat. Asian carp is such a major problem, the White House has appointed a special council to deal with the issue.  (February 6, 2012) 13abc.com: Toledo Breaking News, Weather and Sports - Home [more in Invasive Species in our area]
• Eric Sharp: Good, bad news on lampreys | Detroit Free Press | freep.com Tests of chemical signals called pheromones prove they can trick sea lampreys to avoid streams that offer good spawning habitat and lure them to streams where baby lampreys won't survive. "It's hard to see any good news when it comes to invasive species, but the sea lamprey is one case where we're winning the battle," Dr. Marc Gaden said this week during a briefing on new lamprey control efforts by the Great Lakes Fishery Commission and other agencies. That's the good news. The not-so-good news, at least in the short run, is what the scientists learned when they tried a full-count press on the handful of rivers and creeks that were thought to produce most of the lampreys in Lake Erie. (February 9, 2012) Detroit Free Press | Detroit news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Detroit, Michigan | freep.com [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Watertown Daily Times | New York ballast rules battle may end soon, says U.S. Seaway head The head of the St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corp. believes Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo will help the shipping industry fight New York state’s “scientifically unachievable” ballast standards. “We met on Tuesday with the Cuomo folks,” said Collister W. Johnson Jr., U.S. Seaway administrator, on Thursday. “We had a very good conversation. Cuomo ran on ‘I’m going to change the culture of New York and we’re not going to be the most unfriendly business state in the country.’ And I think in respect to this issue, he gets it.” Ships carry ballast water to maintain stability while under way.  (February 3, 2012) Watertown Daily Times | Local News, Sports, Features, and Community Information for Jefferson County, St. Lawrence County, and Lewis County in Northern New York [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Scientist: Asian carp would thrive in Lake Erie If the Asian carp reaches Lake Erie in large numbers, it may be coming to stay. A new research article co-authored by a government fish scientist in Erie County predicts the Asian carp would be able to reproduce in large numbers in Lake Erie and its tributaries. The study sounds the alarm about what might happen if the invasive fish makes it into Lake Erie, said Patrick Kocovsky, a research fishery biologist at the U.S. Geological Survey's Lake Erie Biological Station at NASA Plum Brook Station.  (1/23/2011)  Sandusky Register  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Invasion of the Great Lakes: Quagga mussels least known, most dangerous invader - News - Voice News The little known quagga mussel is taking over vast stretches of the Great Lakes, dramatically reducing populations of game and commercial fish and presenting a much more immediate danger to lake ecology than its more famous cousin - the zebra mussel - ever did. In fact, the quagga mussel is out-competing and replacing the zebra mussel.  (January 17, 2012) The Voice [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Dollars continue to flow for Asian carp control PORTAGE | Federal and state officials said Thursday that Asian carp control efforts in the Great Lakes would continue this year with congressional commitments to maintain funding similar to the previous fiscal year. U.S. Asian carp czar John Goss said efforts such as environmental DNA sampling, research on fish habits and rapid response fish catches so far are proving effective in stopping Asian carp from gaining a foothold in the Great Lakes. Goss spoke Thursday at the Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee's first Indiana public meeting this year.  (January 12, 2012) nwitimes.com  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• NCPR News - Feral hogs invade Champlain Valley, Adirondacks Invasive plants and animals have been a big problem in the North Country for decades, from Eurasian watermilfoil in Lake George to zebra mussels in the St. Lawrence River. But farmers in the Clinton County town of Peru are wrestling with a new invasive animal - and this one weighs three hundred pounds and comes with razor-sharp tusks. (January 9, 2012) NCPR: North Country Public Radio  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Chicago Waterways Study Stirs Debate on Their Future - NYTimes.com A new Army Corps of Engineers study of Chicago-area waterways has stirred the debate over whether to sever the connection between Lake Michigan and inland waterways that was created by the construction of canals a century ago. The study, released on Dec. 7, is part of the Corps’s nearly decade-long process aimed at preventing invasive species, including voracious Asian carp, from spreading between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River ecosystems.  (December 31, 2012)  The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia [more on Invasive Species in our area]