Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Below you will see the transcripts on the hearings today. I will pull the portion of the transcript of each person directly regarding S373 and post on forums. I will link to the full transcript at the bottom of each post.
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Cindy Steinle
PHFaust
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Majority Leader Sen Cardin -

We will also look today at two bills to control the import of deadly constrictor snakes and Asian Carp into the United States. We heard dramatic testimony from Senator Nelson in front of this subcommittee this past July on the number of invasive constrictor snakes in Florida and the dangers these snakes pose to humans and to the environment.

I am especially interested in acting on this issue. USGS projections show that, with climate change, the eastern shore of Maryland could become a suitable home to these deadly snakes! Meanwhile, Asian Carp are becoming an ever increasing threat to biodiversity in the Great Lakes.
Remarks as prepared for delivery - Sen. Cardin

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Cindy Steinle
PHFaust
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It scares me to think that Sen. Cardin is representing any state with this ridiculous statement! Please tell me it's not quoted!!!
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Matt Lerer
Ghi Reptiles

>>It scares me to think that Sen. Cardin is representing any state with this ridiculous statement! Please tell me it's not quoted!!!
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>>Matt Lerer
>> Ghi Reptiles

Actually I believe with how fast this was posted, this was pre-submitted testimony and not verbatim, which kinda makes it worse, in my eyes.

If this is one of your senators, PLEASE SPEAK OUT!
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Cindy Steinle
PHFaust
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Matt, It's time the reptile nation showed the politicians what it means to side with special interest groups instead of the will of the people. I'd like USARK to identify the Senators who did not oppose S.373. I'd like to know who will effectively vote to make it law before the real science is completed.I'd really like to know how many of the 36 Senate seats up for re-election in Nov. 2010 should be targeted by the reptile nation to eliminate- so we can send a very clear message!

Insulting! Please send this fool pictures of your kids and family's with a Python.....

I live in Md. Boy, is Cardin gonna get an earful from me in the next 2 days. And I'm on the Eastern Shore.

Be sure to remind him how the M.A.R.S Reptile show in Baltamore has bought over 3000 ac.of would be logging land in Central America from the proceeds of the CB Reptile show. Started by Tim Hoen. Vic Morgan....and give him this pic...........you

I reminded Cardin of it. And I've known Tim from the time before he started the show. I sent a lengthy message to Cardin, covering all the topics. I reminded him that if it got warm enough for Burms to live here on the Eastern Shore, it would no longer be a shore, just a bigger Chesapeake bay. I also emailed Sen Mikulski. She's not on his committe, but has more pull in the senate than he does.

Thanks for your time to do that. Few know of Tim's work behind the seen. He came by to visit me last summer. He fell in love with a tortoise species I brought to his show over 15 yrs ago. His life changed forever that day. Now he has um-teen of them and devotes his life to them as I do. This type of friendship and the resulting commitments to a reptile species will be one of the untold losses from our Governments actions in the devastation of the Reptile Nation. Their taking away more than our animals, but our future inspirations too. We've all been there. We are all really being railroaded on this and it is not the America I've known in my lifetime. Vic Morgan...........pic caption....we are next

TESTIMONY OF DAN ASHE, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, BEFORE THE SENATE ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS SUBCOMMITTEE ON WATER AND WILDLIFE ON H.R. 2188, THE JOINT VENTURES BIRD HABITAT CONSERVATION ACT OF 2009; H.R. 3433, TO AMEND THE NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACT; H.R. 3537, THE JUNIOR DUCK STAMP CONSERVATION AND DESIGN PROGRAM REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2009; S. 1214, THE NATIONAL FISH HABITAT CONSERVATION ACT; S. 1421, THE ASIAN CARP PREVENTION AND CONTROL ACT; S. 373, TO AMEND TITLE 18, U.S. CODE, TO INCLUDE CONSTRICTOR SNAKES OF THE SPECIES PYTHON GENERA AS AN INJURIOUS ANIMAL; S. 1519, THE NUTRIA ERADICATION AND CONTROL ACT OF 2009; S. 1965, THE FERAL SWINE ERADICATION AND CONTROL PILOT PROGRAM ACT OF 2009; AND H.R. 509, THE MARINE TURTLE CONSERVATION REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2009

S. 373, A BILL TO AMEND TITLE 18, U.S. CODE, TO INCLUDE CONSTRICTOR SNAKES OF THE SPECIES PYTHON GENERA AS AN INJURIOUS ANIMAL
S. 373 would amend Title 18 Section 42, U.S. Code, to include constrictor snakes of the Python genus as an injurious animal. The Department appreciates Senator Nelson bringing attention to this important conservation issue. While the Department generally prefers the administrative process to run its course, we support S. 373, and recommend amending the legislation, in light of a USGS risk assessment published in October, to include the nine species of large constrictor snakes that were evaluated by the risk assessment. The nine species that were assessed include the Burmese python, northern African python, southern African python, reticulated python, green anaconda, yellow anaconda, Beni or Bolivian anaconda, DeSchauensee’s anaconda, and boa constrictor.
The threat posed by the Burmese python and other large constrictor snakes is evident. Thousands of Burmese pythons are now breeding in the Everglades, and threaten many imperiled species and other wildlife. In addition other species of large snakes are or may be breeding in the Everglades including the Boa Constrictors and Northern African Pythons. Given the value of the Everglades, its biological diversity and the threat of invasive species, the Department is committed to addressing this threat and restoring the ecosystem.
In June 2006, the Service received a request from the South Florida Water Management District to list Burmese pythons as an injurious species under the Lacey Act. At the time the petition was submitted, no scientific information had been compiled on Burmese pythons that would enable a rigorous assessment of risk and potential impacts to the Everglades and other ecosystems. As a result, in 2007 the Service partnered with the National Park Service to jointly provide funds to USGS towards completion of a risk assessment of nine non-native boa, anaconda, and python species considered invasive or potentially invasive in the United States. USGS finalized the risk assessment on October 13, 2009. The assessment considered what effects these species could have on the ecology of the United States if they became established in the wild.
Of the nine large constrictor snakes that were assessed, five were shown to pose a high risk to the health of the ecosystem, including the Burmese python, northern African python, southern African python, yellow anaconda, and boa constrictor. The remaining four large constrictors—the reticulated python, green anaconda, Beni or Bolivian anaconda, and Deschauensee’s anaconda—were shown to pose a medium risk. None of the large constrictors that were assessed was classified as low risk. As compared to many other vertebrates, giant constrictors pose a relatively high risk as potential invasive species, especially in terms of risk to stability of native ecosystems.
While a few of the very largest species have been known to attack humans in their native range, such attacks appear to be rare. Most of these species are difficult to detect in the field,
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complicating efforts to identify the range of populations or deplete populations through visual searching and removal of individuals. While the Department of the Interior, U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), and the State of Florida entities have conducted limited research on control tools, there are currently no such tools available that would appear adequate for eradication of an established population of giant snakes once they have spread over a large area.
In addition to the recent USGS risk assessment the Service published a Notice of Inquiry in the Federal Register on January 31, 2008, to solicit biological, economic, or other data related to the potential of adding large constrictor snakes to the list of injurious wildlife. During the public comment period, which closed on April 30, 2008, the Service received 1,528 responses.
The Service is using the information provided by the public and the USGS risk assessment in our ongoing evaluation of adding large constrictor snakes under the Lacey Act. The Service is now completing an economic analysis of a potential Lacey Act rulemaking, which is a requirement under the Regulatory Flexibility Act and Executive Orders 12866 and 13272. In addition, we are drafting documentation required under NEPA. The Service expects to complete our internal review and determine the appropriate Lacey Act role by early 2010. Should a Proposed Rule be issued, the publication would be followed by a public comment period and a final decision most likely within one year thereafter. Given the importance of this issue, the Service is working diligently to thoroughly and expeditiously complete the required reviews.
S. 373 includes the entire Python genus and the Service notes that some of the species in the genus are not considered large constrictors and may not pose a threat. The nine large constrictor snakes evaluated in the recently finalized USGS risk assessment will be the focus of the Service’s internal assessment under the Lacey Act, and we recommend the legislation be amended to include the nine species of large constrictor snakes that USGS evaluated in its risk assessment.
entire testimony of Dan Ashe

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Cindy Steinle
PHFaust
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Edmond C. Mouton, Jr.
Biologist Program Manager, Coastal and Nongame Resources Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries

Testimony centered on Feral Swine and Nutria issues
Edmond Mouton Testimony

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Cindy Steinle
PHFaust
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Eric C. Schwaab
Deputy Secretary Maryland Department of Natural Resources, on behalf of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies

Did not discuss S373
Eric C. Schwaab testimony

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Cindy Steinle
PHFaust
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Robert L. Bendick
Director, US Government Relations The Nature Conservancy

Statement of Robert L. Bendick
Director of Government Relations
Before the Subcommittee on Water and Wildlife
Committee on Environment and Public Works
December 3, 2009
Mr. Chairman and members of the Subcommittee, on behalf of The Nature Conservancy I
appreciate the opportunity to provide testimony in support of legislation before this subcommittee
on three major themes:
(1) Control of exotic invasive wildlife that harm native ecosystems;
(2) Expressly authorize and formalize landscape-scale habitat conservation collaboratives such as
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Joint Ventures for Bird Habitat Conservation and, the similar
activities authorized by the National Fish Habitat Conservation Act; and
(3) Amendments to the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (referred to as NAWCA).
My statement today will provide support and comments on seven bills before you today:
• S. 373 and S. 1421 that will prohibit exotic invasive Pythons and Asian Carp from being
shipped or imported into the United States.

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S. 373
If passed, S. 373 would immediately place all species of the Python genus on the federal injurious
species list under the Lacey Act. While we do not feel that there is the body of scientific evidence to
support the listing of the entire Python genus, we do recommend that this bill be amended to include
all 9 large constrictor species assessed by the U.S. Geological Survey in the report, "Giant
Constrictors: Biological and Management Profiles and an Establishment Risk Assessment for Nine
Large Species of Pythons, Anacondas, and the Boa Constrictor," dated 2009. This comprehensive
scientific risk assessment reviewed nine species of large constrictor snakes and found that all nine
pose high or medium risk to our environment. Two of these species, the Burmese and North African
pythons are already present in conservation lands in Florida and are predicted to spread farther
north. The harm caused by the Burmese python to the native wildlife of Florida is well documented
and includes predation on state-listed wading birds, the federally-endangered Key Largo wood rat
as well as more common species from round-tailed muskrats to small bobcats.
The South Florida Water Management District petitioned the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service to
include the Burmese python as an injurious wildlife species under the Lacey Act (18 U.S.C. 42) in
June 2006. The Nature Conservancy has written letters to support this petition as well. To date, the
Service has not made a determination for listing this species. This delay in listing is not unique to
the Burmese python. In October of 2007, the black carp was designated as injurious by the Service,
seven years after the original petition. During that time, the black carp spread to Arkansas, Illinois,
Mississippi and Missouri, harming both native fish and mussel populations. This delay in regulatory
action highlights not only the current need for S. 373 to expedite the overall listing process for the
Burmese python and the other 8 large constrictor species in the USGS report, but it also
demonstrates the need for an overall revision to the Lacey Act and the process for listing species as
injurious.
Robert Bendick full testimony

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Cindy Steinle
PHFaust
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Gordon Robertson
Vice President American Sportfishing Association

No testimony on S373
Gordon Robertson testimony

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Cindy Steinle
PHFaust
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