HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 10152002 - C.20 ANA
i 11 l
TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS *'� "` CONTRA
COSTA
FROM: John Sweeten,County Administrator `` COUNTY
DATE: October 15,2002
SUBJECT: Support HR 2144(Woolsey)
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATION(S):
SUPPORT HR2144 (Woolsey)which directs the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct research, monitoring,
management,treatment and outreach activities relating to Sudden Oak Death Syndrome,provides funding in
support of these activities and establishes a Sudden Oak Death Advisory Committee, as recommended by the
Agricultural Commissioner.
BACKGROUND/REASON(S)FOR RECOMMENDATION(S):
Sudden Oak Death is a newly discovered disease that appears to have been introduced into California in the last
10 - 15 years. The disease is so new that a great deal of research is needed to determine how to control and
manage the disease.
Sudden Oak Death is a disease similar to a water mold that destroys plant tissue. The disease seems to be
capable of developing on a broad range of unrelated plant species. In some cases, such as with Coast Live Oak,
Tan Oak, Shreve's Oak and Black Oak the disease results in the apparent rapid decline and death of the tree.
Other plant species seem to serve as hosts capable of spreading the disease while showing little effect other than
foliar damage.
The host list for this new disease is growing rapidly. Coast Redwood and Douglas Fir were added to the list of
hosts in September. In addition to threatening the native ecosystem in the State,the disease is viewed as a
growing economic threat as federal and international quarantines are being developed against California's
nursery and forest products.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: 7 YES SIGNATURE:
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR_RECOMMENDATION OF D COMMITTEE
.,40PROVE _OTHER
SIGNATURE(S): -
._r' d.- -c. ... z
ACTION OF BOAD
N ocwh=_15, 2002 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER
d'
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A
X UNANIMOUS(ABSENT Norse j TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF AN
AYES: NOES: ACTION TAKEN AND ENTERED
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: ON MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
Contact:Sara Hoffman,335-1090
ATTESTED October 15, 2002
cc: Agricultural Commissioner JOHN SWEETEN,CLERK OF
CAO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
Marin County(via CAO) AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
Federal Lobbyist(via CAO) ;
BY, ('a `r, � .. DEPUTY
BACKGROUND/REASON(S) FOR RECOMMENDATION(eont'd).
Contra Costa County is considered to be one of 12 California counties infested with Sudden Oak Death,
including Alameda, Humboldt, Marin, Mendocino,Monterey,Napa, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz,
Solano and Sonoma. Sudden Oak Death was discovered in Marin County and they are coordinating an effort
among Bay Area counties to support this bill.
Representative Ellen Tauscher and Representative George Miller are among the California Representatives
introducing HR2144.
CONGRESS T
107TH Cl..f'L�ttXRE SS
SO ��* * 2144
S. SESSION
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct research, monitoring, man-
agement, tmatuient; and outreach activities relating to sudden oak death
syndrome and W establish a Sudden Oak Death Syndrome Advisory
Committee.
IN TFIE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
J?7N E 12, 2001
Ms. Wooz.sEy (for herself Mrs. TAusc.ER, Ms. PELOS , Mr. LANTOS, Mr,
HONDA, Mrs. CAPPS, Ms, LEE, Mr. TF-o PsoN of California, Mr. STA�x,
Mr. GEo z Mm EZ of California, Mr. FAitR of California, Ms.
LopGaEN, and Ms. Esnoo) introduced the following bill; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on Agriculture
BILL
To direet the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct research,
monitoring, management, treatment, and outreach activi-
ties relating to sudden oak death syndrome and to estab-
lish a Sudden Oak Death Syndrome Advisory Committee.
1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa_
2 tives of t1w, Ignited States ctf 1lriveriea in Congress assembled,
3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
4 This Act may be cited as the "Sudden Oak Death
5 Syndrome Control Act of 2001".
2 4.t
1 SEC. 2.FINDINGS.
2 Congress finds that-
3 (1) tan oak, east live oak, Shreve's oak, and
4 black oak trees are among the most beloved features
5 of the topography of California and the Pacific.
6 Northwest and efforts should be made to protect
7 those trees from disease;
8 (2) the die-off of those trees, as a result of the
9 exotic Phytophthora fungus, is approaching epidermic
10 proportions;
11 (3) very little is known about the new species
12 of Phytophthora, and scientists are struggling to un-
1.3 derstand the causes of sudden oak death syndrome,
14 the methods of transmittal, and how sudden oak
15 death syndrome can best be treated;
16 (4) the Phvtophthora fungus has been found
17 on-
18 (A) Rhododendron plants in nurseries in
19 California; and
20 (B) wild huckleberry plants, potentially en-
21 dangering the commercial blueberry and cran-
22 berry industries;
23 (}1 sudden oak death syndrome threatens to
24 create major economic and environmental problems
25 in California, the Pacific 'northwest, and other re-
26 gions, including
*RR 2144 rx
3
I (A.) the increased throat of fixe aril fallen.
2 trees;
3 (B) the cost of tree removal and a reduc-
4 tion in property values; and
5 (C) loss of revenue clue to--
6 (i) restrictions on imports of oak
7 products and nursery stook.; and
8 (ii) the impact on the commercial rho-
9 dodendron, blueberry, and cranberry indus-
10 tries; and
11 (6) Oregon and Canada have imposed an erner-
12 gency quarantine on the importation of oak trees,
13 oak products, and certain nursery plants from Cali-
14 fornia.
15 SEC. 3. RESEARCH, MCD2l�ITORINI G, -AND TREATMENa OF
16 SUDDEN OAK DEATH SYN DRO-W.
17 (a) IN GHNF RAL.—The Secretary of Agriculture (re-
18 ferrel to in this Act as the " eretary") shall carry out
19 a sudden oak death syndrome research, monitoring, and
20 treatment program to develop methods to control, manage,
21 or eradicate sudden oak death syndrome, from oaks trees
22 on both public and private land..
23 (b) RESEARCH, MONITORING, ANI) TREATMENT Ac-
24 TY ITIES.—Ira carrying out the program under subsection
25 (a), the Secretary may—
'HR 2144 IR
4
1 (1) conduct open space, roadside, and aerial
2 surveys;
3 (2) provide monitoring technique workshops;
4 (3) develop baseline information on the dis-
c, tribution, condition, and mortality rates of oaks in
6 California and the Pacific Northwest-,
7 (4) maintain a geographic information system
8 database;
9 (5)) conduct research activities, including re-
10 search on forest; pathology, Phytophthora ecology,
I I forest insects associated with oak decline; urban for-
12 estry, arboriculture, forest ecology, fire management,,
13 silviculture, landscape ecology*, and elideniology;
1.4 (6) evaluate the susceptibility of oaks and other
15 vulnerable species throughout the United States; and
16 ('t) develop and apply treatments.
17 SEC. 4. ,MANAGEMENT, REGULATION, AND FIRE PREVEN-
18 TION.
19 (a) IN GENrE AL.--The Secretary shall conduct sud-
20 den oak death syndrome management, regulation, and fire
21 prevention activities to reduce the threat of fire and fallen
22 trees killed by sudden oak death syndrorne.
23 (b) MANAGEMENT, REGULATION, AND I'nI E PRE-
24 VENTioN ACTIVITIES.--In carrying out subsection (a), the
25 Secretary may
—
*HR 2144 IH
5
1 (1) conduct hazard tree assessments;
2 (2) provide grants to local units of government
3 for hazard tree removal; disposal and recycling, as-
4 sessment and management of restoration and initi-
5 gation projects, green waste treatment facilities, re-
6 forestation, resistant tree breeding, and exotic weed
7 control,
8 (3) increase and improve firefighting and emer-
9 gency response capabilities in areas where fire haz-
10 and has increased due to oak die-off:
11 (4) treat vegetation to prevent fire, and assess-
12 meat of fire risk; in areas heavily infected with sud-
13 den oak death syndrome;
14 (5) conduct national surveys and inspections
15 of-
16 (A) commercial rhododendron and blue-
17 berry nurseries; and
18 (13) native rhododendron and huckleberry
19 plants;
20 (6) provide for monitoring of oaks and other
21 vulnerable species throughout the United States to
22 ensure early detection.; and
23 (7) provide diagnostic services.
*HR 2144 IH
�i
1 SEC. b. EDUCATION AND OUTREACH.
2 (a) IN GF,-NERAL.—The Secretary shall conduct edu-
3 cation and outreach activities to make information avail-
4 able to the public on sudden death oak syndrome.
5 (b) EDUCATION AND 'OUTREACH Ai TIVITIES.--In
6 carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary may—
'7 (1) develop and distribute educational materials
8 for horneo-wriers, arborists, urban foresters, park
9 managers, public works personnel, recreationists,
10 nursery workers, landscapers; naturists, firefighting
11 personnel, and other individuals, as the Secretary
12 determines appropriate;
13 (2) design and maintain a website to provide in-
1.4 formation on sudden oak death syndrome; and
15 (3) provide financial and technical support to
16 States, local governments, and. nonprofit, organiza-
17 tions providing information on sudden oak death
18 syndrome.
19 SEC. 6. SUDDEN OAK DEATH SYNDROME ADVISORY COM-
20 IMITTEE.
21 (a) ESTABLISMIE,NT.-
22 (1.) IN (3EN ER�AI:.—The Secretary shall establish
23 a Sudden Oak Beath Syndrome Advisory Committee
24 (referred to in this section as the "Committee") to
25 assist the Secretary in carrying out this Act.
26 (2) MmwiERsmP.--
*HR 2144 IR
1 (A) CONIPOSITIO .-�–'.the Committee shall
2 consist of-
3
f3 (i) 1 representative of the Animal and
4 Plant Health Inspection Service, to be ap-
5 pointed by the Adnninistrator of the Ani-
6 mal and Plant Health Inspection Service;
7 (ii) I representative of the Forest
8 Service, to be appointed by the Chief of the
9 Forest Service;
10 (iii) 2 individuals appointed by the
1 I Secretary from each of the States affected
12 by sudden oak death syndrome; and
13 (iv) any individual, to be appointed by
14 the Secretary, in consultation with the
15 Governors of the affected. States, that the
16 Secretary determines---
17 (I) has an interest or expertise in
18 sudden oak death syndrome; and
19 (II) would contribute to the Com-
20 Inittee.
21 (P) DATE OF rjs:PPOINTIL' 1NTS.—The ap-
22 pointment of a member of the Committee shall
23 be made not later than 90 days after the enact-
24 ment of this Act.
1 (3) INITIAL MEETING.—Not later than 30 days
2 after the date on which all members of the Com-
3 mittee have been appointed, the Connnittee shall
4 hold the initial meeting of the Committee.
j (b) DUTIES.-
6 (1) IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.---The Committee
7 shall prepare a comprehensive implementation plan
8 to address the management, control, and eradication
9 of sudden oak death syndrome.
10 (2) REPoRTs.--
11 (A) INTERBI REPORT.—Not later than 1
12 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the
13 Committee shall submit to Congress the imple-
1.4 mentation plan prepared under paragraph (1).
15 (R) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than 3
16 years after the date of enactment of this Axt,
17 the Committee shall submit to Congress a re-
18 Bort that contains--
19 (i) a summary of the activities of the
20 Committee;
21 (ii) an accounting of funds received
22 and e�q)ended by the Committee; and
23 (iii) findings and recommendations of
24 the Committee.
*HR 2144 IH
1 SEC. 7.AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
2 There are authorized to be appropriated for each of
3 fiscal. years 2002 through 2007----
4 (1) to carry out section 3, $7,500,000, of which
up to $1,500,000 shall be used for treatment.,
6 (2) to cam:~ out section 4, $6,000,000,
IV �3 j to carryout section 5, $500,000, and
4 to carry out section Vii, $250,000.
0
+HIS`. 2144 IM