Representative Thaddeus M. McCotter (R-Livonia) today joined Michigan’s congressional delegation in signing a letter to Office of Management and Budget Director Mitchell Daniels asking he promptly support a recent request by United states Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Veneman for $16.4 million to combat the Emerald Ash Borer problem in southeastern Michigan.

 

“The Emerald Ash Borer has devastated local Ash trees and we need funding now,”said McCotter.  “The more time is lost, the more trees are lost.”

 

Rep. McCotter, Rep. Dingell and the entire delegation sent a letter to Secretary Ann Veneman the first week in March urging her to consider an earlier request by Governor Granholm to provide all necessary financial and technical assistance from the USDA to maximize the success of the state declared quarantine before the re-emergence of the pest this spring.

 

Rep. McCotter has been working on the state level with Michigan State Senator Bruce Patterson (R-Canton) who introduced a resolution in the State Senate Natural Resources and Environment Committee urging Congress and the USDA to provide assistance to deal with the Emerald Ash Borer infestation.

 

"Now that we have identified the problem, we cannot stand idly by watching our quality of life and a great natural resource die," Patterson said.  "Michigan needs the technical and financial
assistance from Congress and the United States Department of Agriculture before it's too late."
 

The beetle has been plaguing Ash trees in Southeastern counties, the core area of species infestation, including Wayne and Oakland Counties located in Rep. McCotter’s district. Six counties have been declared a state quarantine area by the Michigan State Department of Agriculture on September 5, 2002; thus, prohibiting any Ash tree material from leaving the quarantined counties.