Eradication halts at Port of Tacoma on snail that threats ag
Washington Ag Today September 27, 2010 The Port of Tacoma’s efforts to eradicate an invasive snail that is a threat to eastern Washington grain production has been forced to a halt by the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency. The eradication efforts for the vineyard snail were taking place on a wetland and the port did not get the necessary permits from the Corps or EPA for the work. The EPA wants the port to restore the wetland to its natural state. Glen Squires is Vice President of the Washington Grain Commission. Squires: “So some of that eradication process has stopped. So obviously we are a little bit concerned about that. Just that we are hoping that, that can be reinstated and they can continue to work on eradicating the snail and not let it get onto rail cars or containers that make their way out across wheat land. Containment is really important.” The Port of Tacoma is proposing restoring another wetland on its property in exchange for eliminating the wetland where the invasive vineyard snail is located. The snail was first found at the port in 2005. It is not known how it got there. If the snail were to get into eastern Washington it could be devastating to the production of wheat, barley and hay and could also lead to some trade quarantines. Some spot surveys in eastern Washington turned up no sign of the snail. I’m Bob Hoff and that’s Washington Ag Today on Northwest Aginfo Net.
