I AM REPOSTING THIS, IN HOPES IT WILL BE ACCEPTABLE TO THE MODERATORS.
jsc

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Editor – Most likely the introduction of the Invasive Species Prevention Act, and the potential or actual spread of large constrictors in SE Florida and now the Florida Keys will probably be this year’s hot herp issue.

As before, accusations and misinformation, will be circulating at pet shops, seminars and trade shows; as well as published or posted in all the journals, newsletters and newsgroups.

A prime candidate is, “Why the sudden large numbers of large constrictors on the various Florida Keys? It is theorized the large constrictors in the Keys are not released pets but swam from Southeast Florida to the various Keys. A plausible theory for example, the reticulated python, an excellent swimmer that inhabits not only mainland Southeast Asia but the many islands that make up Malaysia and Indonesia. It has even been reported far out at sea. If this is how the pythons got to the Keys, the potential of limiting the constrictors to just SE Florida will be much more difficult than before.

HerpDigest in its tradition of being non-partial will try to cover both sides, and is not responsible or endorses anything printed in HerpDigest by groups from PIJAC to HSUS to USARK to Defenders of Wildlife. HerpDigest will also not print everything from all parties involved. But always feel free to send any press releases, op-ed, new relevant discoveries, etc. for consideration.

After all in this issue I print USARK’s alerts right next to an HSUS press release as well as Congresswoman Bordallo’s, who introduced HR 669, speech on the law in Congress.
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Table of Contents
1) Introduction of The Nonnative Wildlife Invasion Prevention Act (January 26, 2009) H.R. 669 (Editor- The Full Copy of Text of H.R. 669 introduced on 1/26/09 available at http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/C?c111:./temp/~c111WKsVWf
or by request to asalzberg@herpdigest.org)
2) Congresswoman Bordallo Introduces Bill to Protect People and Native Wildlife by Addressing Exotic Animal Importation -January 27, 2009, Press Release from HSUS in support of H.R. 669
3) Response From USARKS (U.S. Association of Reptiles Keepers)
WARNING- HR6311 Reintroduced as HR669- BAN ON BOAS & PYTHONS!!
4) USARK Follow up First Alert on HR669 - NO on HR669 / Grassroots Organizing 101
5) Short History of S. 373, Seemingly The Senate’s Variation of H.R. 669 -The Following Story Ran On The Today Show And MSNBC http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/29030728#29030728_
6) To Avoid 'Giant Python In Everglades,' Lawmaker (US Senator Ben Nelson) Working To Ban Import, Trade
7) USARK’s Response To News of S373 - Warning- S373 Introduced into US Senate would Ban Import & Interstate Transport of Pythons ____________________________________________________________________
1) Introduction of The Nonnative Wildlife Invasion Prevention Act(January 26, 2009) H.R. 669

(Editor- Copy of Text of H.R. 669 introduced on 1/26/09 available at http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/C?c111:./temp/~c111WKsVWf
or by request to asalzberg@herpdigest.org)

Speech Of Hon. Madeleine Z. Bordallo Of Guam In The House of Representatives Monday, January 26, 2009

Ms. BORDALLO. Madam Speaker, today I have reintroduced a bill to protect the United States from harm caused by invasive species. In the 110th Congress, I introduced H.R. 6311, the Nonnative Wildlife Invasion Prevention Act, in response to the increasing economic, environmental, and human health threats posed by invasive wildlife species. I am reintroducing this legislation as a proactive approach to combating invasive wildlife species by prohibiting their importation.

Nonnative plants and animals are known by scientists to have been introduced into ecosystems in all 50 States, the District of Columbia, and the territories. Invasive, nonnative species can harm the economy, environment, other animal species' health and human health. Such harm ranges, for example, from depreciating farmland property values and loss of irrigation water to increasing spread of disease. Additionally, collapse of buildings, competition with native animals, sport, game, and endangered species losses, habitat alteration, and other ecosystem disturbances, have all resulted from the introduction of certain invasive species.

Scientists and economists generally estimate the cost of damages caused by invasive species in the United States to amount to over $123 billion annually. The risks associated with the introduction and establishment of invasive species, and the costs of mitigation, will continue to rise concomitantly with the expansion of trade and increased speed and frequency of travel around the world and within the United States. The volume of cargo shipped and exchanged worldwide continues to increase and many communities across the United States are experiencing growth in tourism. These factors are reason alone to develop protocols and a system for assessing the risk of all nonnative wildlife species that could be imported or introduced into the United States.

Preventing the introduction of invasive species is a significant challenge and priority for many communities across the country, including my district, Guam. Invasive species, for example, threaten the biodiversity and the ecology of the Florida Everglades, the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, and the Great Lakes, among other national environmental treasures. On Guam, the brown tree snake has caused the extirpation of many endemic forest birds and lizards. The coqui tree frog and the coconut rhinoceros beetle are the latest species to have entered Guam. Although these species were accidentally introduced, intentional introduction of invasive species is something that can and should be controlled. The bill reintroduced today would protect citizens, the economy, and the environment from imported wildlife species that have the known potential to and that would likely harm our interests in the United States.

Absent a comprehensive federal law addressing the importation of nonnative species, the only protection is provided by the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981. This law authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to designate wildlife species considered ``injurious'' to humans and prohibits importation of such species into the country. The process, however, to designate a species as injurious can take up to four years, at which point harm has already been done.

The Nonnative Wildlife Invasion Prevention Act authorizes the establishment by regulation of a risk assessment process to control the importation of wildlife species. The bill adopts a preventative approach by requiring the Secretary of the Interior to develop with public notice and public input a ``green list'' of species allowed to be imported and a ``black list'' preventing invasive species from entering the country. Prior to approving a species to be imported, the Secretary must evaluate its potential risk to human, other animal species, and environmental health. Any imports of species, which are not on the ``green list,'' will be subject to penalties under the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981. The Secretary, however, may permit importation of an animal of such other prohibited species for educational, scientific research, or accredited zoological or aquarium display purposes. Finally, import fees will be collected to cover the costs of the risk assessment process.

I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to advance this legislation and to strengthen the abilities of the federal government to more effectively manage and prevent the introduction and establishment of nonnative wildlife species.
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2) Congresswoman Bordallo Introduces Bill to Protect People and Native Wildlife by Addressing Exotic Animal Importation January 27, 2009, Press Release from HSUS in support of H.R. 669

The Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International welcomed the introduction yesterday of the Nonnative Wildlife Invasion Prevention Act (H.R. 669) in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo (D-Guam).

The bill is designed to prevent the introduction and establishment in the United States of nonnative wildlife species that may harm the economy, the environment, human health or native wildlife. H.R. 669 would require the federal government to assess the risk of nonnative wildlife species proposed for importation and, with public input, decide if the importation of these animals should be allowed or prohibited.

"Each year, millions of wild animals are captured overseas and imported into the United States," said Michael Markarian, executive vice president of The HSUS. "This trade results in the suffering and death of large numbers of animals, poses unnecessary risks to public health and jeopardizes native wildlife populations here and abroad. We are grateful to Congresswoman Bordallo for working to address this global problem."

Imported wild animals may escape or may be let loose by owners who cannot properly care for them. These animals sometimes die from starvation, predation or exposure. Sometimes, however, they thrive — putting people, domestic pets and native wildlife at risk.

Facts

Under current regulations, the Fish and Wildlife Service can declare species "injurious," making it illegal to import these animals or sell them over state lines as pets. However, this process typically takes years to complete and occurs after species are established, when eradicating them can be expensive, inhumane and nearly impossible.

Congresswoman Bordallo represents the island of Guam, where brown tree snakes accidentally introduced after World War II have decimated native bird and lizard populations.

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in 2005 the United States imported the following numbers of live, wild animals: nearly 88,000 mammals; 259,000 birds; more than 1 million reptiles; more than 5 million amphibians and more than 200 million fish.

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora aims to ensure sustainability and humane treatment in the international wildlife trade, but many species are not covered and even covered species may be harmed by trade.
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3) Response From USARKS (U.S. Association of Reptiles Keepers)
WARNING- HR6311 Reintroduced as HR669- BAN ON BOAS & PYTHONS!!

Below you will read a press release by the most powerful Animal Rights Group on the planet. As predicted by USARK, HR6311 has been reintroduced as HR 669. If passed as written this bill will BAN the import, purchase, sale, trade and breeding of many, many reptiles and amphibians... including Boa, Python and Eunectes. If this bill passes it will destroy the reptile community and industry overnight! PLEASE JOIN USARK IN FIGHTING HR669!!!

USARK has posted a petiton against HR 669 on ipetitions http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/usarkHR6311/index.html


That petition says:

** There is NO evidence to support the premise that the continued import of Boa, Python & Eunectes would negatively impact the economy, environment, or human or animal species health.

** Broken Screens, the report which is the basis for the writing of H.R. 669, is not a science based document. It is a propaganda piece produced by a radical environmentalist group in league with the Animal Rights Movement.

** The so called Risk Assessment measures in this bill take a Guilty Until Proven Innocent approach that flies in the face of reason and promotes prejudicial treatment of all animals listed.

** Citizens of the United States are appalled that well funded special interest groups are able to promote fiction as fact and we demand Boa, Python and Eunectes be removed from H.R. 669.

A copy of the bill can be seen at: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:H.R.669:

Copy of Broken Screens available by request to Herpdigest.org ________________________________________________________________________
4) USARK Follow up First Alert on HR669 - NO on HR669 / Grassroots Organizing 101

OK everyone just take a deep breath.... we need to look at this problem objectively. This is not the time to panic, it is not the time to get emotional, but it is time for thoughtful, deliberate action!

If you have been listening to USARK for very long, you knew that this was coming. Many were of the opinion that HR6311 was dead. USARK warned that although it was dead for 2008 it would be reintroduced in 2009. Now we have the newest version, HR669. Now the question becomes: What is the Herp Community going to do about it?

Let's look at the history of HR669:

1. It began in 2007 with a petition from the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) to USFWS to add Boa, Python and Eunectes to the 'Injurious Wildlife List' of the Lacey Act. That was followed by a Notice of Inquiry published in the Federal Register calling for public comment in early 2008. This constituted the first step in a 'potential' Rule Change to the Lacey Act. This process is under way and can take up to 4 years to effect an actual Rule Change. It is not over. This is still being processed by USFWS.

2. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and the Defenders of Wildlife, unhappy with the pace of progress with a 'potential' Rule Change to the Lacey Act, convince a group of US House members to introduce a bill based on a report written by Defenders of Wildlife called Broken Screens. In July of 2008 HR6311 is introduced into the US House of Representatives. Marshall Myers of PIJAC is present and makes an eloquent point by point rebuttal of the Bill. Because of so many other pressing issues HR6311 dies in the Natural Resources Committee it was assigned to.

3. USARK warns that even though HR6311 is dead for the legislative session it will be revived in 2009. USARK initiates a petition against HR6311 October 2008.

4. January 2009 HR6311 is reintroduced as HR669. A group of 10 House members co-sponsor HR669 and it is assigned to the House Natural Resources Committee.

Facts about HR669:

1. If passed HR669 would end the import, purchase, sale, trade and breeding of many reptiles and amphibians including boa, python & eunectes. The following is an excerpt from the Bill.

SEC. 6. PROHIBITIONS AND PENALTIES.
(a) Prohibitions- Except as provided in this section or in section 7, it is unlawful for any person subject to the jurisdiction of the United States to—

(1) import into or export from the United States any nonnative wildlife species that is not included in the list of approved species issued under section 4;

(2) transport between any State by any means whatsoever any nonnative wildlife species that is not included in the list of approved species issued under section 4;

(3) violate any term or condition of a permit issued under section 7;

(4) possess (except as provided in section 3(f)), sell or offer to sell, purchase or offer to purchase, or barter for or offer to barter for, any nonnative wildlife species that is prohibited from being imported under paragraph (1);

(5) release into the wild any nonnative wildlife species that is prohibited from being imported under paragraph (1); or

(6) breed any nonnative wildlife species that is prohibited from being imported under paragraph (1), or provide any such species to another person for breeding purposes.

2. There are 10sponsors for this Bill. That means this is serious. They want to pass this Bill. Some of sponsors have strong relationships to the HSUS.

3. HR669 has very little basis in scientific fact. There is no evidence to suggest that banning any of these animals will have any positive effects on the economy, environment, or human or animal species health.

4. What is certain is that passing HR669 would add to our country's economic decline and devastate American families and small businesses.

5. Your voice can make the difference in the defeat of HR669!

What can I do IMMEDIATELY to keep HR669 from passing?
* Click sponsors name from list below and that will take you to their email portal.
* Fill in subject field with 'OPPOSE HR669'
* Cut and paste sample letter into body of email adding your own comments (or write your own letter).
* Be brief, be polite, be articulate and DO NOT BE DISRESPECTFUL! This is extremely important!! If you can't do this don't bother to make contact.
* Let them know how HR669 would effect you and your family.
* Fill in your personal information.
* Click SUBMIT button.
* Send a separate email to hr669@yahoo..com with HR669in your in subject line so we can track the number of people participating.

Sponsors List:
1. Del. Bordallo
2. Rep. Napolitano
3. Rep. Kind
4. Rep. Grijalva
5. Rep. Kildee ** NO EMAIL
6. Rep. Klein
7. Rep. Hastings
8. Rep. Abercrombie
9. Rep. McGovern ** NO EMAIL
10. Rep. Miller

Sample Letter: Cut & paste letter.
Subject: Oppose HR669number
(Del or Rep Name),
I oppose HR669. This Bill is not based in science, but in the ideology of powerful special interest groups. There is absolutely no evidence to suggest that banning the import, sale and trade of any of these animals will have any positive effect on the economy, environment, or human or animal species health.
In fact, if passed it would destroy many families and businesses. It would have a decidedly negative impact on an already ailing economy by destroying a vital and growing industry at a time when our country is in need of jobs and growth. The USFWS has just made changes to the CITES export permit process which would allow quality captive bred animals to be more easily exported to international customers. Passing HR669 would negate all the work USFWS has done for over a year. This Bill is a disaster to American small business and families in a time of economic hardship.
(tell in your own words- what you do and how passing this bill would hurt you and your family) Please do not pass HR669.
Thank you,
(Your Name)

* This is just the first step in a proven formula of grassroots politics used by groups such as the NRA and HSUS. Be ready to take the next step soon.
* Educate yourself to the process.
* If you haven't already signed, please sign our Petition Against HR669.
* Don't forget to email hr669@yahoo.com when you're done so we know how many stood up and did their part.
***Please do this now and pass it on to everyone on your email list!!
Join USARK! There is Strength in Numbers... Protect Your Rights!
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5) Short History of S. 373, Seemingly The Senate’s Variation of H.R. 669

The Following Story Ran On The Today Show And MSNBC

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/29030728#29030728

Which coincided or was followed by the introduction of S.373 on 2/6/09 by Florida U.S. Senator Bill Nelson Bill

Title of bill: A bill to amend title 18, United States Code, to include constrictor snakes of the species Python genera as an injurious animal.
Sponsor: Sen Nelson, Bill (introduced 2/3/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Latest Major Action: 2/3/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

Editor- The actual text of the bill was not yet bee posted on the net “Thomas.gov). Usually the text is on Thomas the day of introduction. The backup is due to the stimulus bill now in the Senate. The Thomas webSite says expect a 2-3 day delay, I expect longer.

Versions of the following story announcing Senator’s Nelson introduction of S. 373 appeared throughout the Florida media.
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6) To Avoid 'Giant Python In Everglades,' Lawmaker (US Senator Ben Nelson) Working To Ban Import, Trade

By Paul Quinlan, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer, Thursday, February 05, 2009

It reads like the plot to a budget horror flick: Pythons fill up the Everglades and spread across the southern third of the United States.

That's the nightmare U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson lays out in legislation he filed Tuesday to ban the import or interstate trade of the reptiles.

Since a handful of pythons first appeared in the Everglades in the mid-1990s, sightings have increased exponentially from year to year. The Florida Democrat's bill aims to block sales to inexperienced pet owners, who in many cases have either released the snakes or let them escape when the creatures grew too large.

Certain species, such as the Burmese python, can grow as long as 20 feet and weigh 250 pounds.

Nelson has worked to stop the snakes' spread, noting they have been found to devour wading birds and other endangered species and could disrupt the same Everglades the government is trying to restore.

"If we don't do something soon, we're going to regret it," Nelson said in a speech last month at an Everglades conference in Miami. "I don't want it to get to the point where they find a panther in the belly of an 18-foot Burmese python."

More than 300 pythons were found in and around Everglades National Park last year - three times the number in 2005.

"It's not unreasonable to think that represents 1 percent of what's out there," said park wildlife biologist Skip Snow. That would put their numbers at more than 30,000.

Snow has estimated that the park is capable of holding more than 130,000 pythons.

Florida law requires that owners of any of the four largest python species, including the Burmese, tag the reptiles with microchip identification and maintain a permit that carries a $100 annual fee.

Opponents of the federal bill say those safeguards are enough. They also warn of unintended consequences, such as driving snake sales underground or encouraging owners who might otherwise sell their unwanted reptiles to dump them instead.

Marshall Meyers, CEO of the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council, said the bill attempts to circumvent a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service review already under way to decide whether to clamp down on the snakes.

"This is basically legislation substituting itself for science," Meyers said.

He and others question suggestions that Florida's python population could number in the tens of thousands.

Andrew Wyatt, who heads the advocacy group United States Association of Reptile Keepers, emphasizes that nobody knows exactly how many snakes are out there, and the likelihood of encountering a python in the vast Everglades remains slim.

"The idea of a giant python in the Everglades is very scary," Wyatt said. "The reality is you'd be lucky to see one."
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7) USARK’s Response To News of S373
Warning- S373 Introduced into US Senate would BAN Import & Interstate Transport of Pythons

A new bill S373 has been introduced into the US Senate by Senator Bill Nelson of Florida. It would Ban the Import and Interstate Transport of the genus Python. In his introductory comments Senator Nelson used inflammatory language, and cited feral pythons in the Everglades and the USGS Map published By Rodda and Reed as his reasons for introducing federal legislation. His statements were sensational and inaccurate.

There is no credible scientific evidence to support wasting taxpayer’s time and money on this Bill. The only result if this bill was to pass is more harm to the US economy and its citizens. USARK is working closely with PIJAC to develop a strategy to move forward in dealing with this new threat to the families and small businesses that make up our community. A coordinated response will be in all of our best interest.

We are putting together a sample written response. USARK and PIJAC will not allow this to go unchallenged, but your help is required! These issues need to be responded to in writing and by as many people as possible. Right NOW, you can help by recruiting as many people as you know (herpers & non-herpers) to sign up on the USARK Mailing List. This will notify you the moment this response is ready. Or better yet, JOIN USARK's Reptile Nation and help make a difference! Do not wait... Act Now!!

***FORWARD THIS TO EVERYONE ON YOUR EMAIL LIST AND POST IT ON EVERY FORUM!
Thank you for your support!!!
Andrew Wyatt
President USARK

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John Crickmer

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