I have sent so many E-mails to KG I am not sure which this is replying to. Most though were about the Illegal Alien Invasion of NYC and NY state. Now get a load of this:


February 16, 2010

Dear Mr. xxxxxxx,


Thank you for contacting me regarding your concerns about the importation of invasive species into the United States of America. I, too, am concerned about the current state of monitoring and the lack of a coordinated effort to control these problem species.

I recently wrote a letter to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson, as well as to Sam Hamilton, Director of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service urging them to take immediate action to prevent the introduction of Asian Carp into Lake Michigan, and subsequently the rest of the Great Lakes system. Additionally, I supported S. 373 when it was voted on in committee. This bill would regulate the importation of some of the deadliest python snake species.

I believe that in order to effectively control the proliferation of invasive species we must take a comprehensive approach; regulating not just the importation of these species, but studying the high risk pathways they take into this country and enacting appropriate measures to combat their introduction. As it currently stands, there is no comprehensive law addressing the import of non-native species.

Additionally, there is a lack of legal requirements for controlling invasives that are already established or widespread. This is a key legislative gap that I am working to close. New York, for example, is a heavily forested state with a great diversity of tree species. Unfortunately, one of the negative side-effects of this great resource is that New York's trees can host a wide variety of invasive species, ranging from the Asian Long-Horned Beetle, to the Emerald Ash Borer, to the Sirex Woodwasp.

It is clear that inaction is not an option. Immediate action must be taken to stop these mounting and established threats. Invasive species take a surprisingly large toll on our economy, costing our country more than $10 billion each year. These invasives pose one of the most significant threats to wildlife throughout the entire United States, and a comprehensive, well-funded, science-based invasives motoring and prevention program is needed to effectively manage this imminent threat to the natural resources and economy of the United States.

Thank you again for writing to express your concerns, and I hope that you keep in touch with my office regarding future legislation. For more information on this and other important issues, please visit my website at http://gillibrand.senate.gov and sign up for my e-newsletter

Sincerely yours,

Kirsten Gillibrand
United States Senator