WASHINGTON, D.C. - Third District Congressman Jon Porter today introduced legislation in the House of Representatives that will make it easier to protect natural resources from invasive plant species.  H.R. 4294, the “Natural Resources Cooperative Agreement Act,” will allow the National Park Service to work with state, local, educational and tribal experts to protect our Park lands from tamarisk and other weeds.

“The National Park Service has done a remarkable job of maintaining the Lake Mead Recreation Area and other popular tourist destinations across the country,” said Porter.  “Unfortunately, their hands are tied when it comes to preventing tamarisk and other insidious weeds from entering many of these areas before it’s too late.  My legislation will address this issue by creating mutually beneficial cooperative agreements aimed at eliminating the invasive plant threat and keeping our natural resources beautiful and accessible.”

According to the Department of the Interior, the National Park Service currently manages 388 units, which make up 84.4 million acres of land throughout the United States.  Of these units, 196 have been cited as having “serious problems” due to invasive plant species.  Tamarisk, one of the most prevalent weeds, poses a dire threat to water supplies in the Western states. This is particularly relevant in Nevada, where water resources are a precious commodity.

Under current law, the National Park Service has to wait until invasive plants actually cross into Park land before treating them.  This results in treatment costs rising exponentially, and lessens the likelihood of being able to fully eradicate the land of the weeds.

H.R. 4294 will correct this problem by allowing the National Park Service to enter in cooperative agreements with neighboring land owners, so that both parties can work together to address a common problem.  This solution will reduce the Park Service’s financial burden, and, more importantly, minimize the environmental threat to many of America’s national treasures.

H.R. 4294 now awaits action in the House Resources Committee.

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