Congress to take up white nose

May

Two House subcommittees on Thursday will hold a hearing on what’s killing bats across the Northeast.

The hearing will explore the profound public health, environmental, and economic implications of white-nose syndrome (WNS) in bats, which, to date, has spread to at least nine states, from New Hampshire to West Virginia. Bats, which can eat their body weight in insects each night, provide important ecosystem and economic services in suppressing insect populations, which can spread diseases and damage crops. This oversight hearing will highlight the work of the Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological Survey, National Park Service, and U.S. Forest Service, in conjunction with state and local partners, to research, manage, coordinate, and educate the public on WNS.

The subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands and the Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife will hold the joint hearing. Those bodies are part of the Committee on Natural Resources.

Environmental groups and others have been pressing Congress to fund more research on white-nose syndrome.

Previously on TNOT: Bats still threatened by mysterious ailment.

This entry was posted on Friday, May 29th, 2009 at 5:52 pm by Mike Risinit.
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