8-9 IAN Simpson/Quagga

Congressman Simpson helps Idaho in Invasive Species Fight

Proposed Appropriation Requires Boat Decontaminations at Federal Waters. Idaho continues towork to protect Idaho’s waters from aquatic invasive species. Idaho’s watercraft inspection and decontamination stations have performed over 25,000 inspections this season, intercepting 23 watercraft that were carrying invasive mussels into or through the state.   These aquatic invasive species have not been found in Idaho to date and inspection programs aim to keep it that way. If introduced, they can spread through rivers and lakes, impacting native species and clogging infrastructure for power generation, recreation, irrigation, municipalities and industrial use. 

Efforts to prevent the spread of these species have been offered a helping hand by Congressman Mike Simpson and the House Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior. Idaho Department of Agriculture spokesperson Lloyd Knight expands: “He included $1 million to the 2012  Interior Appropriation Bill, H.R. 2584, budget for implementing mandatory inspection, decontamination and law enforcement programs at all federally managed water bodies that are already impacted by invasive zebra and quagga mussels.”  Such investment of resources and focus is important since boats coming to Idaho from federally managed, fouled waterbodies such as the Lake Mead National Recreation Area present a significant threat to Idaho and the Pacific Northwest.