Act beefs up the fight against milfoil/mussels

Idaho is ripe for an invasion from undesirables.

These invaders stowaway on the hulls or props of boats, or are dumped into our lakes from unwanted fish tanks. Because the state has had no way to stop them, our waters are vulnerable to the continued influx of Eurasian water milfoil, and the potential for other harmful aquatic invasive species to create havoc in our waterways.

Fear of invasive species taking over our state prompted state Rep. Eric Anderson, R-Priest Lake, to sponsor the Idaho Invasive Species Act of 2008. The bill, which passed the House and Senate, will  help prevent pests such as quagga and zebra mussels from entering our waters.

Idaho doesn't have any of the dreaded mussels yet, which can clog up irrigation and water systems by adhering to pipes in large numbers. According to the 100th Meridian Initiative, an international effort to stop the westward spread of zebra mussels and other invasive species, zebra mussels have been reported at more than 700,000 per square meter in some Great Lakes facilities.

The Idaho Invasive Species Act of 2008 will allow for control measures such as establishing checkpoints to make sure no one is hauling mussels, or other invasive aquatics, into our state. With no ports of entry in North Idaho, this is an important measure.

Meanwhile, the state already has its hands full with Eurasian water milfoil, but the annual $4 million general fund appropriation to fight the scourge is drawing to a close, and an ongoing source of funding to battle milfoil and other invasive species must be found.

While everyone would like to see invasive species eradicated from our state, it's not always practical. Here in Bonner County, we've learned the hard way that the shock-and-awe herbicide approach is limited in its effectiveness. Two years and nearly $3 million after the state began its milfoil battle in earnest, we still have about 2,000 acres infested with Eurasian water milfoil in Lake Pend Oreille.

The state needs to provide flexibility in the funding to allow local jurisdictions to develop prevention, management and control plans that make sense for their lakes and waterways.

The Idaho Invasive Species Act of 2008 opens the door to a more reasonable approach. For example, the Act will lead to a public negotiated rule-making process to develop rules to prevent and control invasive species. We are heartened by the acknowledgment in the Act that “an effective invasive species program must foster and support local initiatives.”

Without this act, we are left with business as usual which leaves Idaho vulnerable to the threat posed by invasive species.

n Susan Drumheller is the North Idaho associate for the Idaho Conservation League in Sandpoint. She can be reached at 265-9565.