<DOC>
[108 Senate Hearings]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access]
[DOCID: f:94603.wais]
S. Hrg. 108-503
S. 1366, THE CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE ACT OF 2003,
AND TO CONSIDER VIEWS ON THE SUBJECT
OF CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE
=======================================================================
HEARING
before the
SUBCOMMITTEE ON FISHERIES, WILDLIFE,
AND WATER
of the
COMMITTEE ON
ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS
UNITED STATES SENATE
ONE HUNDRED EIGHTH CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION
__________
APRIL 6, 2004
__________
Printed for the use of the Committee on Environment and Public Works
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COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS
ONE HUNDRED EIGHTH CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION
JAMES M. INHOFE, Oklahoma, Chairman
JOHN W. WARNER, Virginia JAMES M. JEFFORDS, Vermont
CHRISTOPHER S. BOND, Missouri MAX BAUCUS, Montana
GEORGE V. VOINOVICH, Ohio HARRY REID, Nevada
MICHAEL D. CRAPO, Idaho BOB GRAHAM, Florida
LINCOLN CHAFEE, Rhode Island JOSEPH I. LIEBERMAN, Connecticut
JOHN CORNYN, Texas BARBARA BOXER, California
LISA MURKOWSKI, Alaska RON WYDEN, Oregon
CRAIG THOMAS, Wyoming THOMAS R. CARPER, Delaware
WAYNE ALLARD, Colorado HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON, New York
Andrew Wheeler, Majority Staff Director
Ken Connolly, Minority Staff Director
----------
Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, and Water
MICHAEL D. CRAPO, Idaho, Chairman
JOHN W. WARNER, Virginia BOB GRAHAM, Florida
LISA MURKOWSKI, Alaska MAX BAUCUS, Montana
CRAIG THOMAS, Wyoming RON WYDEN, Oregon
WAYNE ALLARD, Colorado HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON, New York
C O N T E N T S
----------
Page
APRIL 6, 2004
OPENING STATEMENTS
Allard, Hon. Wayne, U.S. Senator from the State of Colorado...... 2
Crapo, Hon. Michael D., U.S. Senator from the State of Idaho..... 1
Baucus, Hon. Max, U.S. Senator from the State of Montana,
prepared statement............................................. 32
Inhofe, Hon. James M., U.S. Senator from the State of Oklahoma,
prepared statement............................................. 31
Feingold, Hon. Russell D., U.S. Senator from the State of
Wisconsin, prepared statement.................................. 32
WITNESSES
Clifford, John, Assistant Deputy Administrator, National Health
Policy and Programs, U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Washington, DC................................................. 6
Prepared statement........................................... 34
Responses to additional questions from:
Senator Feingold......................................... 35
Senator Allard........................................... 37
George, Russell, executive director, Colorado Department of
Natural Resources, Washington, DC.............................. 19
Prepared statement........................................... 44
Groat, Charles G., Director, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S.
Department of the Interior..................................... 7
Prepared statement........................................... 38
Responses to additional questions from:
Senator Allard........................................... 41
Senator Feingold......................................... 42
Taylor, Gary J., legislative director, International Association
of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Washington, DC; accompanied by
Tom Thorne, chair, Fish and Wildlife Health Subcommittee on
Chronic Wasting Disease, International Association of Fish and
Wildlife Agencies.............................................. 21
Prepared statement........................................... 46
Walther, Jack O., president, American Veterinary Medical
Association, Washington, DC.................................... 22
Prepared statement........................................... 49
Wolfe, Gary, project leader, Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance,
Missoula, MT................................................... 24
Prepared statement........................................... 53
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL
Position statement, American Veterinary Medical Association...... 51
Statements:
Bechtel, Richard F., senior legislative representative for
wildlife policy, National Wildlife Federation.............. 60
Hassett, P. Scott, secretary, Wisconsin Department of Natural
Resources, Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer
Protection................................................. 57
Text of bill, S. 1366............................................ 62
S. 1366, THE CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE ACT OF 2003, AND
TO CONSIDER VIEWS ON THE SUBJECT
OF CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE
----------
TUESDAY, APRIL 6, 2004
U.S. Senate,
Committee on Environment and Public Works,
Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, and Water,
Washington, DC.
The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 9:34 a.m., in
room 406, Senate Dirksen Building, Hon. Michael D. Crapo
(chairman of the subcommittee) presiding.
Present: Senators Crapo and Allard.
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. MICHAEL D. CRAPO, U.S. SENATOR FROM
THE STATE OF IDAHO
Senator Crapo. This hearing will come to order.
This is a hearing on the Subcommittee on Fisheries,
Wildlife, and Water of the Environment and Public Works
Committee. Today we will be dealing with S. 1366, the Chronic
Wasting Disease Financial Assistance Act of 2003, and to
consider views on the subject of chronic wasting disease.
The purpose of this hearing is to be sure that we are doing
all we can to determine the extent of this disease and to
manage it. States and Federal agencies have started on this
mission, in some cases, by diverting existing resources. This
shows how seriously all are taking the threat, but I want to be
sure that our efforts are sustainable.
Chronic wasting disease is a national problem. It has
existed in Colorado and Wyoming for 40 to 50 years and has
since been found in 11 other States and two provinces in
Canada. Although CWD is not yet found in Idaho, my home State,
Idaho is bordered by Montana and Wyoming, two States with known
positive animals.
CWD poses serious problems for wildlife managers.
Surveillance is costly and draws resources from other wildlife
management needs. Public concerns and perception about human
health risks may degrade hunters' confidence in their desire to
hunt in areas where CWD occurs. This could have substantial
economic implications for States where hunting and wildlife
watching contribute significantly.
The lack of understanding of CWD transmission and whether
it can cause disease in humans or other animals is of grave
concern. Management of this disease is hindered, in part, by
the fact that testing is not possible on live animals. Due to
scheduling conflicts, Senator Feingold could not testify today.
However, I would like to submit his testimony for the record.
Without objection, so ordered.
[The prepared statement of Senator Feingold may be found on
page 33.]
Senator Crapo. Today we are going to hear about the status
of existing efforts and a review of a bill that I am proud to
cosponsor with my friend, Senator Allard, Senator Feingold, and
Senator Domenici.
[The prepared statement of Senator Michael D. Crapo
follows:]
Statement of Hon. Michael D. Crapo, U.S. Senator from the State of
Idaho
The purpose of this hearing is to make sure we are doing all that
we can to determine the extent of this disease and manage it. States
and Federal agencies have started on this mission using--in some cases,
diverting--existing resources. This shows how seriously all are taking
the threat, but I want to be sure that our efforts are sustainable.
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a national problem. It has existed
in Colorado and Wyoming for 40 to 50 years and has since been found in
11 other states and two provinces in Canada.
Although CWD is not found in Idaho yet, it is bordered by Montana
and Wyoming, two states with known positive animals.
CWD poses serious problems for wildlife managers. Surveillance is
costly and draws resources from other wildlife management needs.
Public concerns and perceptions about human health risks may
degrade hunters confidence and their desire to hunt in areas where CWD
occurs. This could have substantial economic implications for states
where hunting and wildlife watching contribute significantly.
The lack of understanding of CWD transmission and whether it can
cause disease in humans or other animals is of concern.
Management of this disease is hindered in part by the fact testing
is not possible on live animals.
Due to scheduling conflicts, Senator Feingold could not testify
today. However, I would like to submit his testimony for the record.
Today we will hear about the status of existing efforts and review
a bill that I am proud to cosponsor with my friends, Senator Allard,
Senator Feingold, and Senator Domenici.
Senator Crapo. With that, we will turn to you, Senator
Allard, for your opening statement.
OPENING STATEMENT OF WAYNE ALLARD, U.S. SENATOR FROM THE STATE
OF COLORADO
Senator Allard. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I have spoken out strongly that we must deal with chronic
wasting disease, also known as CWD. It gives me great pleasure
to work with you. I appreciate your willingness to get involved
in both bills before us today and for holding this hearing.
I would like to welcome all the witnesses here today. I
sincerely appreciate the opportunity to learn more about the
more recent developments in research, management, and the
eradication of this disease.
I extend a special welcome to my friend, Russell George
from Colorado, the executive director of the Colorado
Department of Natural Resources. I welcome you to the
subcommittee, Director. Your expertise and leadership on this
matter will provide tremendous insight to the members of this
subcommittee and those listening today.
In 1967, one year before I received my Doctorate of
Veterinary Medicine at Colorado State University, scientists
just a few miles up the road were grappling with a strange, new
wasting disease that had decimated their deer population. The
discovery launched researchers at the foothills campus into the
field of prion research, a heretofore unknown field of science
that even today little is known about.
Three decades later, tragically chronic wasting disease was
discovered outside the fences of the campus in both wild and
captive cervid populations. As scientists work to unravel the
mystery of the folded proteins, State departments of resources
and agriculture scramble to get a handle on the spread of the
disease.
For agriculture, chronic wasting disease posed difficult
problems for the captive deer and elk farming industry. For
resource managers, the disease posed grave consequences for the
wild cervid population, as well as to communities across the
United States whose economies depended on deer and elk hunting.
In an all-out attack against the disease, tens of thousands
of animals were destroyed. In the meantime, State wildlife
management of budgets were quickly depleted as the demands of
testing and eradication siphoned off millions of unbudgeted
dollars. A perfect example: In just 2 years in Colorado,
chronic wasting disease funding jumped from $700,000 to $4
million.
While there was never any doubt that the States retained
undisputed primacy over wildlife, the economic and scientific
demands forced them to turn to the Federal Government for
assistance. The financial strain of management efforts, coupled
with the unique scientific demands, assure a limited role for
the Federal Government.
Through the Department of Agriculture's emergency powers,
millions of dollars were provided for culling and
indemnification. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service, Agriculture Research Service, and the U.S. Geological
Service reacted to the need for chronic wasting disease
research and management funding through their yearly budget
processes.
As the level of involvement at Interior and Agriculture
increased, it became quite clear that a coordinated plan was
needed to prevent duplication of services and research, improve
communication, and streamline Federal efforts with more
direction. A task force convened and a plan emerged.
Unfortunately, the plan has never been finalized, and no reason
has been provided as to why it never reached final approval.
The plan contained funding estimates and needs. To date,
despite congressional mandates, the plan remains on the shelf
collecting dust.
Nor have the Agencies presented specific reasons to
Congress that the efforts that they are undertaking and the
funding that they are requesting are in line with the plan.
Without a funding plan from the Federal Government, especially
one that included grants for CWD research, monitoring, and
control, the States continue to suffer financially.
In two separate hearings before the House Resources
Committee, State officials made it very clear that additional
resources were needed regardless of the plan's status. As a
result, I, along with Senators Campbell, Crapo, Feingold, and
several other colleagues, introduced S. 1036 and S. 1366. S.
1036 deals with the layers of Federal CWD responsibility and S.
1366 deals with State and tribal funding for research,
monitoring, and eradication of the disease.
During this morning's testimony, I will be listening for
ways to improve S. 1366 so that we can put in place a reliable
funding mechanism that will allow the States an opportunity to
secure the funding they need, while hopefully preventing a
parade of congressional earmarks for CWD through the
appropriations process.
I also believe that S. 1366 is important because without it
there is no incentive to keep money dedicated to chronic
wasting disease. Your input and support of this bill is
critical. The States desperately need assistance. We have
waited far long enough to provide them with it.
As we discuss various agency and departmental roles, I will
also be listening for ways that the Government is implementing
the yet-to-be-released CWD implementation plan. How are current
plans aligning with the implementation strategy? Is money being
spent as the plan suggested? How do budget requests reflect the
suggested budget amounts in the implementation document?
Through the task force, have the Agencies achieved a level of
cooperation and communication needed in order to avoid
duplication of services, responsibilities, and research?
This hearing is also important because it provides a forum
and platform for subject experts to provide the latest updates
on CWD. How has the disease changed? Are monitoring efforts
working? What does the best available science indicate about
the continued spread and transmissibility of the disease? If
CWD is more prominent in the buck, how does this impact the
gene pool?
Finally, this hearing is important because of the
implications that CWD has on the economy. Colorado's resource-
based Western Slope was heavily dependent on deer and elk
hunting, a $599 million industry to the region.
Nationally, if chronic wasting disease were to become
endemic it could create severe problems for game management and
producers. It could potentially cost the national economy $100
billion, according to Andrew Sidelin, associate professor at
Colorado State University. A strong coordinated front against
the disease will prevent a devastating blow to wildlife and the
economy.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I look forward to hearing from the
witnesses and continuing to work with you.
Senator Crapo. Thank you very much. We appreciate your
attention to this issue, Senator Allard.
[The prepared statement of Senator Allard follows:]
Statement of Hon. Wayne Allard, U.S. Senator from the State of Colorado
In 1967, one year before I received my Doctorate of Veterinary
Medicine at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, scientists just
a few miles up the road were grappling with a strange new `wasting'
disease that had decimated their deer population. The discovery
launched researchers on the foothills campus into the field of prion
research, a heretofore-unknown field of science about which, even
today, little is known. Three decades later, tragically, Chronic
Wasting Disease (CWD) was discovered outside the fences of the CSU
campus, in both wild and captive cervid populations.
As scientists worked to unravel the mystery of the folded protein,
several States' departments of resources and agriculture scrambled to
get a handle on the spread of the disease. For agriculture, CWD posed
difficult problems for the captive deer and elk farming industry. For
resource managers, the disease threatened grave consequences for the
wild cervid population as well as for communities across the United
States whose economies depend on deer and elk hunting. In an all-out
attack against the disease, tens of thousands of animals were
destroyed. In the meantime, State wildlife management budgets were
quickly depleted as the demands of testing and eradication siphoned off
millions of un-budgeted dollars. A perfect example: in just 2 years in
Colorado, CWD funding jumped from $700,000 to $4 million.
While there was never any doubt that the states retained undisputed
primacy over wildlife, the economic and scientific demands forced them
to turn to the Federal Government for assistance. The financial strain
of management efforts coupled with the unique scientific demands assure
a limited role for the Federal Government. Through the Department of
Agriculture emergency powers, millions of dollars were provided for
culling and indemnification. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service, Agriculture Research Service and the U.S. Geological Service,
reacted to the need for CWD research and management funding through
their yearly budget processes.
As the level of involvement at Interior and Agriculture increased,
it became quite clear that a coordinating plan was needed to prevent
duplication of services and research, improve communication and
streamline Federal efforts. A task force convened and a plan emerged.
Unfortunately, the plan has never been finalized and no reason has been
provided as to why it has never received final approval. The plan
contained funding estimates and needs. To date, despite Congressional
mandates, the plan remains on the shelf collecting dust. Nor have the
agencies presented specific reasons to Congress that the efforts they
are undertaking (and the funding they are requesting) are in line with
the plan.
Without a funding plan from the Federal Government--especially one
that included grants for CWD research, monitoring and control--the
States continued to suffer financially. In two separate hearings before
the House Resources Committee, State officials made it very clear that
additional resources were needed, regardless of the plan's status. As a
result, I, along with Senators Campbell, Crapo, Feingold, and several
other colleagues, introduced S. 1036 and S. 1366. S. 1036 deals with
the layers of Federal CWD responsibility and S. 1366 deals with State
and tribal funding for research, monitoring and eradication of the
disease.
During this morning's testimony, I will be listening for ways to
improve S. 1366 so that we can put in place a reliable funding
mechanism that will allow the States an opportunity to secure the
funding they need, while I hope to prevent a parade of Congressional
earmarks for CWD through the appropriations process. I also believe S.
1366 is important because without it, there is no incentive to keep
money dedicated to Chronic Wasting Disease. The States desperately need
assistance and we have waited far long enough to provide them with it.
This hearing is vitally important because of the impact CWD has on
the economy. Colorado's resource-based western slope is heavily
dependant on deer and elk hunting, a $599 million industry in the
region. If Chronic Wasting Disease were to become endemic, it could
create severe problems for game management and producers on a
nationwide scale, potentially costing the U.S. $100 billion, according
to Andrew Seidl, an associate professor at Colorado State University. A
strong, coordinated front against the disease will prevent a
devastating blow to wildlife and the economy.
Senator Crapo. Our first panel today will be Dr. John
Clifford, the Assistant Deputy Administrator of the National
Animal Health Policy and Programs at the USDA, and Mr. Chip
Groat, Director of the U.S. Geological Survey in Reston, VA.
Gentlemen, and to the rest of the witnesses who will
testify in our second panel, I want to remind you that we have
a time clock. If you are like me and most other witnesses, the
clock will run out before you have finished saying everything
you have to say. I encourage you to pay attention to the clock,
though, because we need to maintain our schedule.
Senator Allard and I want to have an opportunity to engage
in dialog with you. If you do not get through everything you
wanted to say in your initial 5 minutes, you will have plenty
of opportunity during the questions and answers to supplement
what you have to say.
Your written testimony has been entered in the record in
its entirety. It has been reviewed thoroughly by us. We
appreciate your summarizing it in the 5-minutes allotted for
your initial presentation. If you do forget the clock, I will
lightly rap the gavel up here to remind you to watch it and
encourage you to wrap up as quickly as you can when your time
does expire.
With that, we will go ahead.
Dr. Clifford, please proceed.
STATEMENT OF JOHN CLIFFORD, ASSISTANT DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR,
NATIONAL ANIMAL HEALTH POLICY AND PROGRAMS, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF
AGRICULTURE, WASHINGTON, DC
Mr. Clifford. Thank you, Senator Crapo.
Mr. Chairman and members of the subcommittee, thank you
again for the opportunity to speak on behalf of USDA about
chronic wasting disease. CWD is a transmissible spongiform
encephalopathy of deer and elk, in the same family of disease
as bovine spongiform encephalopathy and scrapie.
It has been diagnosed in farmed elk and deer herds in eight
States. CWD has also been identified in free-ranging deer and
elk in areas of Colorado, Illinois, Nebraska, New Mexico, South
Dakota, Utah, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. The origin and mode of
transmission of CWD are unknown.
To ensure a coordinated and cooperative Federal approach to
assisting States, a task force, including USDA, the Department
of the Interior, along with universities and State wildlife
management and agricultural agencies, drafted the plan for
assisting States, Federal agencies, and tribes in managing CWD
in wild and captive cervids. The plan was shared with Congress
in June 2002. The national plan's components include action
items for surveillance, diagnostics, and research, among other
things.
All agencies have been working together as budgets allow to
implement the plan. From fiscal year 2003 through fiscal year
2005, the President's budget, Department funding for CWD has
increased by 41 percent from $16.4 million to $23.1 million. In
fiscal year 2004, USDA-APHIS received $18.5 million which,
after congressional earmarks, is being divided roughly equally
between the captive cervid program and assistance with
addressing CWD in wild deer and elk.
An additional $3.2 million was provided for USDA research
activity in 2004 for a total of $21.7 million. The fiscal year
2005 budget includes $23.1 million, of which $20.1 million is
for APHIS, and $3 million is for research. However, funding
decisions must be made on an annual basis, taking into
consideration resource constraints and the many program needs
that compete for these resources.
In January, a working group, composed of many of the same
people that put the national plan together held a progress
meeting in St. Louis. This working group is currently compiling
a CWD progress report. By examining each action item set forth
in the national plan the progress report highlights
accomplishments and further needs. In addition to working with
other agencies on CWD, USDA is moving ahead to address CWD in
both captive and wild deer and elk populations.
We are continuing the development and implementations of
its national voluntary certification program to eliminate CWD
from farm cervids. On December 24, 2003, we published a
proposed rule on the certification program. We received 120
comments on those and are evaluating those comments now. We
anticipate publishing a final rule soon with a goal of
implementing the program by the end of this year.
Our goal is nothing less than the eradication of the
disease in the farm cervid population. We also are assisting
tribes in dealing with the wildlife aspects of the disease.
USDA plans to make approximately $5.75 million available to
tribal nations and State wildlife agencies for this purpose.
The funding will be distributed via cooperative agreements
according to a formula initially developed in conjunction with
the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and
through a cooperative agreement with the Native American Fish
and Wildlife Society, regional tribal biologists have also been
hired to help improve CWD surveillance on tribal lands.
Our Wildlife Service Program has been assisting State
wildlife agencies with their activities. Our personnel have
assisted with the harvesting of wild deer in Illinois and
Wisconsin, and both deer and elk in Colorado for CWD testing.
Additionally, we have assisted State wildlife agencies in
collecting CWD samples from hunter-harvested deer at check
stations in 10 States.
Our Center for Veterinary Biologics continues to approve
new diagnostic test kits for CWD. Currently, there are four
tests that have been approved. These diagnostic test kits are
only available to APHIS-approved laboratories contracted for
CWD disease surveillance, and are only licensed for use in wild
deer and elk.
The immunohistochemistry remains the internationally
recognized method of choice for testing for TSEs and is being
used for confirmation of positives as well as surveillance in
captive deer and elk.
Research in the area of CWD has continued as well. Our
National Wildlife Research Center is researching the
possibility of CWD vaccines, as well as to identify improved
barriers and repellents to keep wild deer and elk separated
from captive herds and other livestock.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would ask that my complete
testimony be included in the record in its entirety.
Senator Crapo. Without objection, so ordered.
Thank you very much. I see that you noticed the clock very
carefully. We will pursue the rest of your testimony with you
in questions and answers.
Mr. Groat.
STATEMENT OF CHARLES G. GROAT, DIRECTOR,
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, RESTON, VA
Mr. Groat. Thank you, Senator.
It is a pleasure to be here to present some views of the
Department of the Interior on your proposed legislation and on
CWD in general. The Department continues to be concerned with
the current and future effects of chronic wasting disease on
free-ranging deer and elk, which is where the Department of the
Interior's expertise is focused.
We support strongly the concept embodied in these bills,
particularly the recognition and facilitation of the key role
that State wildlife management agencies, universities, and non-
governmental organizations play in the struggle with the
disease.
While we recognize that States, particularly, and others
have a preeminent role, we also recognize, as do they, to
successfully combat CWD is going to take a joint effort and a
collaborative approach among the States, Federal agencies,
universities, and other organizations. Using this approach, the
Department of the Interior is conducting research into the
biology and management of the disease. We provide wildlife-
related laboratory services. We offer technical advice and
assistance to the partners. We work closely in cooperation with
the States.
In fiscal year 2004, the Department of the Interior has
committed $4 million, which is up from $3 million, to
investigate and combat the chronic wasting disease. These funds
were used by the USGS and to expand research and deliver
technical assistance and pertinent biological information about
the disease to both Federal agencies and the States.
Over the past year, the Department has embarked on an
aggressive program of research into the biology of CWD, its
hosts, and its transmission pathways. In addition, the USGS and
its partners are working to develop methods needed to identify
diseased animals before the designs of the disease are
apparent.
During fiscal years 2000 and 2004, the USGS committed a
total of $2.7 million to the Chronic Wasting Disease Program.
The Fish and Wildlife Service has been assisting the States in
CWD monitoring and surveillance, a key part of the program, as
it develops field guidelines at a national level for
coordinated monitoring and surveillance. These guidelines are
being designed collaboratively with the States to help
determine CWD distribution and movement.
As an example of the commitment to cooperate with the
States, USGS has recently developed a program to work
cooperatively with six States affected with CWD--Colorado,
Wisconsin, Wyoming, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Utah. The
$300,000 has helped to initiate projects that will develop
crucial information on issues ranging from deer movements and
the ecology of therapeutic agents.
In December 2002, we coordinated an effort with State,
Federal, and university partners to develop a strategy to
assist in the development of surveillance programs. This
document, ``Surveillance Strategies for Detecting Chronic
Wasting Disease in Free-Ranging Deer and Elk'' represents
another important part of the cooperative effort.
Let me close with some comments, as did Dr. Clifford, on
the status of the plans and proposed legislation. I concur with
what Dr. Clifford said about the implementation program. While,
as you pointed out, Senator Allard, that program sits on a
shelf somewhere as far as formal approval, the review that took
place with the States and Federal partners does do a decent job
of portraying where things are because we have not sat still
and waited for that plan to be approved.
We have moved within available funding to carry out the key
elements of that plan. I think you will find when that progress
report is released, some very useful information in terms of
the effort on each part, as well as the dollars that are needed
to carry out the efforts that the plan portrays.
Both pieces of legislation that you referenced include
grant structure which, to some degree, does duplicate
structural capabilities already existing at least in the
Department of the Interior. However, the funding is, in any
grant program whether it is new or old, a key part of getting
this work done.
As Dr. Clifford pointed out, the efforts that are ongoing
have had a significant commitment of funding in the Department
of Agriculture and, to a degree, we have funds available as
well. But I think we would both concur that more funding is
going to be needed to carry that out.
We think the concepts of the legislation are sound. What
you have intended the money to support are sound. We are
particularly supportive of the modeling program in S. 1036. I
think that is going to be a key part of understanding the
patterns and migration of the disease, and also the development
of a national data repository so we can all share in
information about the disease among State and Federal agencies.
Finally, you said a key word, Senator Allard, and I think
we say it often in connection with CWD, and that is
``unknown.'' We know so little about this disease. We know very
little about how the disease itself works and the work that
Agriculture is doing on the nature of the disease and its
characteristics is critical, but also the ecology of the
disease, as it relates to free-ranging herds.
The natural environment and its impacts, the transmittal of
the disease, mechanisms and patterns, the habitat effects, the
life cycle and early detection are all things in which much
more work is needed. Many people are working very hard on it.
We have a long way to go, Senator. I do not think there will be
any quick fix. Unless the kind of sustained efforts that you
support in your legislation are there, we will not get there.
So we endorse the concepts the legislation put forward. We
look forward to continuing the collaborative effort among
States, Federal agencies, and NGO's to deal with this tragic
disease.
Thank you. I would ask that my complete testimony be
included in the record in its entirety.
Senator Crapo. Without objection, so ordered.
Thank you very much, Mr. Groat.
I will ask a couple of questions first before turning it
over to Senator Allard.
This is to either of the two of you. Explain to me in a
little more detail the difference between the national plan,
which was presented to Congress in June 2002, and the
implementation document which was dated October 2002.
Mr. Groat. I will make one comment, Senator. The progress
plan that was referred to tracks the actual plan itself. It is,
in effect, to see how implementation is proceeding along each
of the elements. There are discrete parts of that plan. So it
does report efforts and dollars that are currently being spent.
Senator Crapo. That is the implementation document?
Mr. Clifford. Yes, I would concur with Mr. Groat on that.
That is exactly what we are doing.
Senator Crapo. So basically you are just tracking the
national plan step-by-step to assure its implementation?
Mr. Clifford. There may be some variations because APHIS
had initially already started before this activity started with
the captive cervid program. So that program and those dollars
both track that plan. We spend about half our dollars on that
and half on the wildlife. There may be small variations in
that.
Senator Allard. Mr. Chairman, he used ``captive cervid
program.'' Are you talking just about farming cervids or are
you talking about cervids that are also used in research?
They are also captive. Is there a distinction?
Mr. Clifford. I am talking about farm cervids.
Senator Allard. OK.
Senator Crapo. How closely, and again to either of you, has
the Administration's budget followed the budget in the
implementation plan? In other words, has the Administration
provided the necessary budget dollars that the plan
contemplates?
Mr. Clifford. In my opinion, it follows it pretty close.
Mr. Groat. I would say in our part the money that we spend
tracks the needs in the plan as far as the Department of the
Interior has capabilities to do them. On the other hand, I saw
a draft of the plan which talked about a total need over 3
years of something over $100 million to support the effort. Of
course, we are not coming anywhere close as far as the amounts
of money that they feel are necessary.
Senator Crapo. Thank you.
Senator Allard.
Senator Allard. On the finalization of the plan, why hasn't
OMB finalized it? I want to be clear on that. It is sitting
over there in OMB; is that not the understanding?
Mr. Clifford. I do not know that I can speak to that,
Senator.
Mr. Groat. That is my understanding, Senator. I think
because it involves both Federal and State agencies, and
because it is Federal involved, the OMB is taking a look at it.
I am not sure what the reasons are for where it is.
Senator Allard. It involves both agencies. Have they come
and ask you about input or anything like that?
Mr. Clifford. There have been questions that we have
responded to, yes, to OMB.
Mr. Groat. There have been questions to the Budget Office.
Senator Allard. Are there differences between the two
agencies? Is that why OMB cannot act on it?
Mr. Clifford. I do not know, Senator; not that I know of.
Mr. Groat. I do not either, Senator. I cannot respond to
that.
Senator Allard. As far as you know, you do not differ on
any of the issues that would be in that plan?
Mr. Clifford. No, sir.
Senator Allard. OK.
Mr. Clifford. We were all at the table to help put it
together.
Senator Allard. OK. On APHIS and the Department of
Agriculture and what not, there is a veterinary role ordinarily
when animals are shipped interstate.
Mr. Clifford. Yes, sir.
Senator Allard. There are health certificates that a
private practitioner would write. When we fill out that health
certificate, we become an agent for the state of origin. Do
many States require health certificates on farm cervid?
Mr. Clifford. Yes, sir; they do. A number of the States do.
Senator Allard. Is there an exemption on research cervid,
or do those same rules and regulations apply to research
cervid?
Mr. Clifford. There can be certain exemptions. As far as
interstate movement, then that would be coordinated with both
the receiving State as well as the State that is moving. Plus,
we would have to meet the Federal requirements as well.
Senator Allard. But a health certificate is not necessarily
required on a research cervid?
Mr. Clifford. It would probably move on a health
certificate, Senator.
Senator Allard. The fish and wildlife agencies do move
cervids around some; I would assume?
Mr. Groat. Are you talking about the State agencies,
Senator Senator Allard. Yes.
Mr. Groat. I am not certain of how they would do that.
Senator Allard. I would assume they would. When you move
your cervids around, are you required to have a health
certificate? How do you know the animals are healthy when you
move them around? That is my question, basically.
Mr. Groat. From the Department of the Interior's
perspective, I am not sure I know the answer to that, Senator.
Perhaps one of the State people on the next panel could
answer that.
Senator Allard. OK. Maybe it is something that needs to be
checked out.
States that do not have chronic wasting disease within
their borders, how are these States been notified there is a
problem? I notice Idaho did not get mentioned and they have a
pretty viable deer and elk population in that State. Have
States like Idaho put provisions in their animal import rules
that would say, ``Well, if you are coming from a state of
origin, you need to have a health certificate'' because if a
veterinarian, for example, wrote a health certificate in
Colorado, I would look at Idaho's regulations. If they do not
say a health certificate is required on a cervid, I would say,
``Well, there is no requirement. Go ahead and just transport
it.''
Mr. Clifford. Senator Allard, the new regulation that we
will be implementing soon will address the issue for captive as
well as wild cervids. Wild cervids from known endemic areas
would not be able to be moved to interstate commerce.
Senator Allard. That is my question. Very good. OK.
On the funding for the chronic wasting disease, in the
Department of Agriculture you are doing much of the research,
basically? Right? I am just trying to figure in my mind how
this breaks down between the Agencies.
Mr. Clifford. Yes, sir. The USGS as well as doing research.
Senator Allard. They are doing some research. But I would
think most of the research coordination would be through your
Agency. They would be more on surveillance of wildlife, and
what not. For example, in Colorado we have certain areas where
we require head collections from hunters. Then you go ahead and
test the head. Then we get the report back within a relatively
short period of time. It has been shorter here lately. But it
has been an issue because hunters do not like to sit around and
wait for days and days to get results. They like to have the
results very quickly.
Is that how that is breaking down between the Fish and
Wildlife and the Department of Agriculture?
Mr. Groat. Well, from the Fish and Wildlife Service,
Geological Survey prospect, we do focus on issues related to
free-ranging herds. So, for example, the life cycle of the
disease, what are possible hosts and paths of transmission in
the natural environment related to wildlife population. So we
parallel some of the things that are going on in Agriculture,
but specifically as it applies to free-ranging populations.
Senator Allard. OK. I think surveillance would be an
important issue as far as you are concerned.
Mr. Groat. Certainly.
Senator Allard. And working with the State Fish and
Wildlife agency would be important. Do you do any surveillance?
Mr. Clifford. Senator Allard, half of our budget goes to
surveillance activities to the States for wildlife
surveillance.
Senator Allard. Is there duplication on the surveillance?
Mr. Clifford. No, sir.
Senator Allard. You just do surveillance on domestic herds
and they would on the wild herds?
Mr. Clifford. We focus on both, sir. Half of our budget is
that we coordinate with the International Association of Fish
and Wildlife Agencies and develop cooperative agreements with
the State natural resource agency and provide dollars for them
for the surveillance in the wild cervid industry. We also
support that through laboratory testing as well. So over half
of our dollars go to that. There is no duplication on the side
of Interior and USDA on those issues.
Senator Allard. As far as research is concerned, the only
area where it seems like we have made much progress is this.
How is it that you dispose of infected tissues or potentially
infected tissues? I know that the Colorado State University has
developed a digester system that apparently is pretty effective
in eliminating prions and what not, from what I have been told.
There has been some research, but other than that we are not
finding out much about method of transmissibility or much about
the disease other than just that. Maybe that should be the
first priority.
Where do you think we are going to go from here now as far
as research is concerned?
Mr. Clifford. Well, ARS, plus our Wildlife Services
Division are both doing research in this area. ARS is looking
at the pathogenicity of the disease. Hopefully we can make
progress on that area soon. I mean, that is definitely what is
needed with regard to disposal. We have three disposal methods
that will vary from State to State. We are working with EPA and
others on the approval of three, that is, approved land fills,
incineration, and the tissue digesters.
Senator Allard. From any evidence that you have gained so
far, there is no evidence of transmissibility between species
of the transmissible spongiform encephalopathies; is that
correct?
Mr. Clifford. Are you including them all?
Senator Allard. Yes. Well, I guess the one exception would
be BSE in humans.
Mr. Clifford. Yes, in humans in the European population. I
think that is important to make that distinction. Just in the
European population.
Mr. Clifford. Yes, correct.
Senator Allard. We have had testimony that it is a little
different variety. Other than for that, as far as you know,
there is no transmissibility between species?
Mr. Clifford. As far as scrapie, no, and as far as chronic
wasting disease, not to our knowledge at this time.
Senator Allard. Very good.
Mr. Groat. Senator, I think one of the biggest challenges
in the natural environment is understanding the pathways of the
disease, the residence in soils, the residence in intermediate
hosts, and the methods of transmittal. Other than brute force
inoculations in the brains, it has been very difficult to see
those patterns develop and what causes those patterns.
As I said earlier, I think we have a long way to go, but we
have to get there if we are going to understand this disease.
Senator Allard. I agree. I think there needs to be much
research on the nature of the prion. We just do not know.
Mr. Chairman, I think my time has expired. I have more
questions, but I will turn back.
Senator Crapo. Well, I will ask another couple of questions
and then we can have another round if you have more questions.
Senator Allard. All right.
Senator Crapo. Dr. Clifford, in your testimony, you
indicated with regard to S. 1366 that because the Department is
already administering funds essentially in the way that the
bill implies it should be done, that the legislation is not
necessary. Could you elaborate on that a little bit?
Mr. Clifford. Basically, as I stated earlier, we are
working through IAFWA to provide funds to the States for the
surveillance activities now in the wildlife components. That is
already being done through APHIS-USDA.
Senator Crapo. So rather than establishing a new grants
program, basically the solution that we need is simply to have
higher appropriations of dollars for these purposes to the
Agency? Is that basically the position you take?
Mr. Clifford. Well, yes. The President's budget had an
increase for 2005 of $1.4 million; yes.
Senator Allard. Can I followup on that a little bit, Mr.
Chairman?
Senator Crapo. Certainly.
Senator Allard. So you say you already have a program now
where you can bring money into research for chronic wasting
disease. But it is pretty much left up to the discretion of the
Agency. If we had authorizing legislation, it would set up a
line item, and then when the money got appropriated, it would
be more apt to be allocated just for chronic wasting disease
and you would not have the discretion in the Agency. That is
basically the difference; correct? Did I go through that too
fast?
Mr. Clifford. Well, I mean we utilize all this money from
chronic wasting disease, Senator. So I am not sure----
Senator Allard. Oh, I have no doubt that you do. But you
pull it out of a general pot of money that you have available;
right? It is available for your research?
Mr. Clifford. No, sir; this is a line item.
Senator Allard. It is a line item that specifically says
for chronic wasting disease in your Department?
Mr. Clifford. Yes, sir; CWD.
Senator Allard. Is that true in the Department of the
Interior?
Mr. Clifford. No, sir. Our granting mechanisms are more
general than that. So the mechanisms are there but they are not
specifically for chronic wasting disease.
Senator Allard. So as far as the Agriculture budget is
concerned, that is line itemed. You take a little different
approach. Now, on the Department of the Interior, then, it is
not line itemed and that money is a little more fungible as far
as the Department is concerned.
Mr. Groat. It is to some degree. In our research budget,
for example, there is chronic wasting disease research spelled
out as a line. That is pretty clear. But as far as the granting
mechanisms is concerned, that is discretionary within the money
made available.
Senator Crapo. Mr. Groat, those grant mechanisms are
administered through the Fish and Wildlife Service; is that
correct?
Mr. Groat. The principal ones are, although the USGS,
through cooperative agreements, has provided money to State
agencies and universities for research using that mechanism.
But the principal means of getting support to the States for
this purpose is through the Fish and Wildlife Service, yes.
Senator Crapo. Well, I note that in your testimony as well,
you indicate that the grant programs authorized by S. 1366
appear to be duplicative of that which the Fish and Wildlife
Service already administers. I will followup on what Senator
Allard was proposing here.
If the legislation were enacted such that there were
specific line item appropriation dollars for these purposes,
would that assist in making certain that we had the adequate
resources to the grant programs, or do you have any problem
getting those resources there now?
Mr. Groat. Well, to be honest, Senator, I think any grant
program is subject to what the most important issues of the day
are, and they might change. So there is no guarantee that
existing grant mechanisms or contract mechanisms would focus on
chronic wasting disease.
On the other hand, the statement I made about the existing
mechanisms were just that they were there. I was not intending
to imply that they were there and were already doing in a
regular way what you are intending to do with the bill, which
is to make sure that money goes specifically for chronic
wasting disease.
I think some other aspects of the legislation does do a
good job, as we said, and support the idea of pointing out
needs that are there, for example, modeling programs, national
information systems, and those sorts of things that the bill
would empower that are not currently spelled out in anything
that is legislatively enacted.
On the other hand, the implementation plan does point out
those things as major elements. If we, being the Federal
Agencies, and the States follow that plan, then we will be
doing the right thing. The question is: Will the money be going
in the right place to get it done? I think that is one of the
things that you are trying to address.
Senator Crapo. In that regard, again in your testimony you
indicate that the USGS is already developing a prototype
wildlife disease information network that will include a CWD
national data repository for scientific, technical, and
geospatial information.
S. 1036 contemplates the establishment of modeling,
surveillance and monitoring programs as a national internet-
based repository of information.
Are we duplicating in S. 1036 or is S. 1036 going to be
able to supplement and strengthen the efforts of USGS?
Mr. Groat. Senator, I do not think it is duplicating. I
think what it is doing, and I think it is good news, is that it
is recognizing the importance of that activity. So some of the
things that we have started through our NBII program, for
example, and some of the discussions that we have had with
Agriculture and with the States about the need for the national
modeling surveillance and then the information system is
something we are all in agreement on. This legislation points
out the importance of that and would have the effect of
empowering something that is already underway.
So is it duplicative in fact that something is already
going on? Yes, but it gives it some incentive to proceed.
Senator Crapo. Thank you. Dr. Clifford, do you agree?
Mr. Clifford. Yes, within USDA we have our own data base
system where we collect data and information that is already
there from a domestic disease standpoint. We typically do not
collect and keep that much data on the wildlife side. We
definitely agree that this would not be duplicative.
We would add summary data from our generic data base to the
USGS data base on the captive side.
Senator Crapo. Thank you. That concludes my questions.
Senator Allard, do you have further questions?
Senator Allard. Yes, I do. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I guess we need to ask you both just this one basic
question.
Do both of you support S. 1036 and S. 1366, as currently
drafted?
Mr. Clifford. For S. 1366, on the USDA side, as we stated
in our testimony, we already have the things in place with
regard to the funding for the States on the wildlife
surveillance.
With the other bill, again I think we already have the
authorities we need to be able to carry out this program.
Senator Allard. So you do not think they are necessary?
Mr. Clifford. No, sir.
Senator Allard. What about you, Mr. Groat?
Mr. Groat. Senator, I think the Department's position was
more specifically aimed at the funding mechanisms, feeling that
those could be used to accomplish what you are intending to
carry out with the bill. There was no position taken on whether
the other aspects that you are pointing out need to be done,
and were unnecessary as such.
So the Department did not take a position in opposition to
the bill in any way. We support the concept. We just felt that
there was some duplication through the funding mechanism.
Senator Allard. OK. Are there some suggestions on improving
the legislation that you might make?
Mr. Groat. Well, I think the degree to which the
legislation can reflect upon the implementation plan and the
progress that has been made as a way of updating it would be
helpful. Not knowing what that final progress report is going
to say, I could not tell you what that is, but I think the
progress report does detail that there are things being done
along the lines that your bill indicates. There may be some
things you may want to add or even modify based on that because
that does truly reflect how the whole community feels--State,
Federal, and NGO's.
Senator Allard. OK. I think it was you, Dr. Clifford, who
talked about some budget figures. You said $20.1 million; is
that what you have in your budget?
Mr. Clifford. Yes, sir.
Senator Allard. Is that for surveillance? Is that what that
is for?
Mr. Clifford. That is for both the surveillance and the
wildlife, as well as the captive program.
Senator Allard. So when you say ``surveillance in the
wildlife,'' is that surveillance in farm cervids?
Mr. Clifford. No, sir.
Senator Allard. It is the whole ball of wax?
Mr. Clifford. About half of that money, about half of that
$20 million would be used for wildlife surveillance, not
captive, not farm raised, but the wildlife.
Senator Allard. Now they are doing surveillance over here
in the fish and wildlife in the wild. Is there a duplication
between that surveillance function and the surveillance
function that is happening over there?
Mr. Clifford. I do not know how much money that DOI gives
to the States to support actual surveillance activities. Half
of our budget goes directly to the States through cooperative
agreements and through support at the laboratories for the
actual test and doing the actual surveillance of wildlife,
which is not untypical for USDA with regards to wildlife
components and other diseases as well.
Senator Allard. The surveillance on the Interior Fish and
Wildlife side, that is for your own personal surveillance and
is not necessarily grants to the States for them to do
surveillance; do I have that right?
Mr. Groat. There is funding that goes to the States to
support, as we did with the handbook, development of
surveillance processes and techniques. So included in money
going to the States is money for that.
Senator Allard. So it is the development of process and
techniques. Basically it is research related to surveillance
procedures?
Mr. Groat. We are focusing more on that; yes, sir.
Senator Allard. So then most of the money at the Department
of Agriculture on that goes to the States.
You have $3 million out of your budget that goes to
research?
Mr. Clifford. Yes, sir.
Senator Allard. And how much out of yours?
Mr. Groat. Our total funding in 2004 for chronic wasting
disease in the Department of the Interior was $4 million. Of
that, $1.3 million that the U.S. Geological Survey spends is
for research. So that is not the maximum because some of the
other goes to aspects that are research, but it is a small
amount.
Senator Allard. Between both of you, that is about $4.2
million for research. Is that adequate?
Mr. Groat. I come from a research organization, Senator,
and research organizations are never allowed to say it is
adequate. There is always more work that needs to be done.
[Laughter.]
Mr. Groat. But as I said earlier, I think the unknowns of
this disease are so critical and so important that one way to
accelerate progress is for more money and another is to have
the teams work together as effectively as possible. So I think
more of both is needed.
Senator Allard. Well, how much research in the Department
of Agriculture is going on for just prion diseases, like
scrapie, and mad cow disease. We really cannot do mad cow
disease in the United States unless we do it at Plum Island, I
suppose. There are cases of scrapie in the States?
Mr. Clifford. Yes, there is.
Senator Allard. So I assume that kind of prion research
gets done here on the mainland.
Mr. Clifford. Yes.
Senator Allard. Would you make a comment on prion research
and the Department of Agriculture? Does that duplicate in with
what we are talking about here?
Mr. Clifford. Senator Allard, if I may, could I ask Dr. Rob
Becker to respond to that for you, sir? He is from the
Agriculture Research Service.
Senator Allard. OK.
Mr. Becker. Senator, we do have research programs in all of
those areas, TSEs, and as you know, they do overlap with each
other. Not that we completely understand how they
differentiate, but scrapie does lend to our understanding
somewhat of chronic wasting disease. As you pointed out, TSE is
related; however we have not done any research on that in the
United States at the moment. We are starting to do that.
The little bit of moneys that we do have for that are sent
overseas for research in England. So we do learn one from the
other, although they are different from each other. I am not
implying that they are the same. So our program, in that we
have so much money for it, is helpful in that we can learn from
one disease and extrapolate to some extent to the other. But
certainly we need to do more research, as has been pointed out,
for chronic wasting disease specifically.
Senator Allard. It just seems to me that the $4.2 million
is rather meager concerning the implications of chronic wasting
disease on wildlife and management. We need to do surveillance.
That is an important part of it. I am pleased that you have the
States coming in and doing it and helping out.
But I hope that there is communication. It sounds as though
you are talking. That is always heartening as far as your
research efforts and what not are concerned. When you have such
meager resources, you have to be careful that you do not do
duplication, although when you have a young disease like this,
or a relatively new disease, it is very hard to know what is
duplicative because you do not have much information out there.
I would encourage you to work with that.
Mr. Groat. Senator, I think that as with any understood
process or phenomenon, as is true in most research, the more
people that are working on it with capabilities, the more
likely we are to make progress. I think that is true in health.
that is true in many areas.
So I do not think the duplication at this level of funding
is a real issue. I think it is getting everybody with
capabilities engaged.
Senator Allard. Dr. Clifford, I have one final question.
What percentage of the money that you get goes to the States in
the form of grants for surveillance and research? Do you have
that figure?
Mr. Clifford. Yes, sir. For 2003, I think it was $18
million that we received. I am sorry, Senator. For 2004, it is
$5.75 million of the $18 million will go directly to the States
and tribal nations in forms of cooperative agreements.
Senator Allard. I do not know if you were the one who made
the testimony, but I think there was testimony from the USDA on
the House side that said: ``We now have 26 laboratories that
can run the IHC test.''
Mr. Clifford. Yes.
Senator Allard. ``The estimated capacity is now at a
quarter of a million samples, more than adequate to meet the
current demand.'' Is that still true today?
Mr. Clifford. Yes, sir; it is.
Senator Allard. It sounds like you almost have surplus
there. If fish and wildlife needs more testing, and if you have
more than enough money, is there a way of making it available
to fish and wildlife agencies, maybe at the State level, so
that they can do their testing programs? Is there a way that
that happens or can happen?
Mr. Clifford. I am not sure I understand. When you say
there is ``surplus''----
Senator Allard. Well, the testimony said there was plenty
of money for testing for your 26 laboratories.
Mr. Clifford. What we are saying is that we have that
capacity. We are not saying that we have extra money. We have
the capacity to do that. Those are contract laboratories within
the State and Federal systems.
Senator Allard. Oh, OK. I see.
Mr. Clifford. So for every test that they do, we pay them a
certain amount for each test.
Senator Allard. So that States are happy that you have the
capability to test their samples in a timely way?
Mr. Clifford. Correct, yes; yes, sir.
Senator Allard. If it is not timely, it's just because it
takes that long to take the test, not because of a backlog?
Mr. Clifford. That is correct, plus we have the other four
tests that are more rapid that have come on line for cervids as
well.
Also, if I may, sir; of the $18.5 million, there was some
earmarked money also for some of the States in that. So it
would actually be $5.75 of something like $16.75 million that
would go directly to the States.
Senator Allard. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Senator Crapo. All right. Thank you very much. We would
like to thank this panel for your testimony and for the
information that you have provided to us. This panel will be
excused.
We will call our second panel. Our second panel is composed
of Russell George, executive director, Colorado Department of
Natural Resources; Gary Taylor, legislative director,
International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies; Jack
Walther, president, American Veterinary Medical Association;
and Gary Wolfe, project leader, Chronic Wasting Disease
Alliance.
Gentlemen, we welcome all of you, and appreciate your
appearance before us today. I would like to remind each of you
of the instructions I gave earlier with regard to trying to
keep your eye on the clock so that we have plenty of time for
questions and answers and a dialog among ourselves.
With that, let us proceed with you, Mr. George.
STATEMENT OF RUSSELL GEORGE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, COLORADO
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, WASHINGTON, DC
Mr. George. Thank you, Mr. Chairman and Senator Allard.
I listened closely to your opening statements and
subscribed totally to the summary that each of you have given
us about this increasingly larger and more complex scientific
issue. Thank you for the opportunity to be here today. My goal
will be to bring you current on where Colorado is on these
number of issues.
Prior to 2002, we in Colorado believed with some confidence
that chronic wasting disease was confined to populations of
wild deer and elk in the Northeastern portion of the State. As
we all now know, unfortunately, 2 years ago we detected the
disease in deer and elk herds in Colorado's Western Slope, and
those are the largest deer and elk herds in the West.
This required us to significantly expand our surveillance
and customer service efforts, all at considerable expense.
Since that time, chronic wasting disease has regrettably been
detected in several other States as well. In response, Colorado
has willingly shared its experiences with wildlife officials
from those States in order to help them eradicate, combat, as
well as to try to understand better this wildlife disease.
As a result, the knowledge that we have gained, and the
programs we have initiated in Colorado are often used as a
model by others. I am pleased that the pioneering CWD work done
in Colorado and Wyoming have allowed other States to save
scarce funds and limited personnel time by enabling them to
focus on initiatives, technologies, and approaches that we have
already determined to be effective.
Colorado has invested heavily in tackling the challenge of
CWD, and we have done so largely with State funds, primarily
revenues derived from the sale of hunting licenses. Congress
and Federal agencies have an important role to play in
providing additional support to help the States fight this
disease.
I recommend that the Federal role should focus heavily on
contributing additional funding to State efforts delivered
through already existing mechanisms and agencies. Earlier
congressional initiatives on chronic wasting disease, including
legislation, direction to Federal agencies, and critically
needed funding have been helpful to many States.
I am also pleased to report that those efforts have
recognized the primacy of the States in policymaking authority
with regard to wildlife management, both in general terms and
specifically with respect to chronic wasting disease. I thank
you for that. The recognition of primacy remains critically
important to the States.
We have used a screening technique now, the rapid screen
test, to test more than 45,000 wild deer and elk for chronic
wasting disease over the last two hunting seasons. Two years
ago, it took 3 to 6 months for hunters to obtain the results of
their test. This past hunting season we had that down to 2
weeks. That is critical for customer service. That is critical
for the science because that reporting gives us a data base
that we can share and work from across the Nation.
Despite the unprecedented actions taken by the State of
Colorado and other States, it is clear much more work remains
to be done. The needs of the Colorado Division of Wildlife, the
Colorado Department of Agriculture, and Colorado State
University are extensive and beyond the ability of our State to
fully fund the loan.
We believe Federal funding for this work is a wise
investment, not only for the wildlife resource, but for the
thousands of jobs dependent on wildlife recreation. In Colorado
alone we estimate that three-quarters of a billion dollars in
economic activity is generated from hunting annually. This
activity is especially important to rural towns and businesses.
I would like to emphasize that there are many opportunities
for the Federal Government to assist States in chronic wasting
disease management research. I urge congressional support for
legislation and funding that will allow State wildlife agencies
to fight the disease. I urge you to provide that assistance
through the most streamlined and efficient mechanisms
available, and particularly already established grant programs
in both the Department of Agriculture and the Department of the
Interior.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would be happy to answer any
questions you may have. I would ask that my complete testimony
be included in the record in its entirety.
Senator Crapo. Without objection, so ordered.
Thank you very much, Mr. George.
Mr. Taylor.
STATEMENT OF GARY TAYLOR, LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR, INTERNATIONAL
ASSOCIATION OF FISH AND WILDLIFE AGENCIES, WASHINGTON, DC;
ACCOMPANIED BY TOM THORNE, CHAIR, FISH AND WILDLIFE HEALTH
SUBCOMMITTEE ON CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE, INTERNATIONAL
ASSOCIATION OF FISH AND WILDLIFE AGENCIES
Mr. Taylor. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and Senator Allard,
for the opportunity to share the Association's perspectives
with you. With me today is Dr. Tom Thorne, a wildlife
veterinarian with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department who also
chairs our Association's Fish and Wildlife Health Chronic
Wasting Disease Subcommittee.
As you know, all 50 State fish and wildlife agencies are
members of our Association. The Association looks forward to
continuing to work with you in particular to provide the State
and Federal agencies with the fiscal resources that they need
to manage this disease.
In my remarks today, I will also share with you some
information regarding the progress of chronic wasting disease
management, as outlined in the implementation strategy deriving
from the national plan. Federal and State agencies involved in
this endeavor concur that collectively all the authorities that
are necessary to manage this disease currently exist in law.
While we, therefore, are not convinced of the need for
further authorizing legislation, the Association commends you
and Senator Allard, Senator Feingold, and others for their
diligence in ensuring that a coordinated State/Federal effort
is directed at this issue.
What is most needed, as other speakers have mentioned, are
adequate congressional appropriations to Federal agencies for
both their efforts and to pass through to the State fish and
wildlife agencies, State Departments of Agriculture, State
universities, and other agencies to manage chronic wasting
disease. We look forward to working with you to increase
appropriations for this purpose.
My written statement describes the development of the
national plan and the implementation strategy so I will not
repeat any of that here. But let me simply observe that the
budget recommendations that are reflected in the implementation
strategy were very thoughtfully constructed under the
constraint of reasonable and realistic. They are not ``pie in
the sky'' requests.
I would like to thank Bobby Acord and his staff at APHIS
for making funds available, as Dr. Clifford described to you,
in fiscal year 2003 and anticipated in 2004, and for enlisting
the State fish and wildlife agencies through our Association in
designing an equitable protocol for the distribution
expeditiously of this money to the State fish and wildlife
agencies through cooperative agreements.
On the issue of funding, Mr. Chairman, we all agree that
more is needed and we are committed to working with you and
Congress to make that happen. With respect to fiscal year 2005,
the Association and its member State fish and wildlife
agencies, are requesting a total of $19.2 million through
appropriation to USDA-APHIS which would subsequently be granted
to the State fish and wildlife agencies for managing chronic
wasting disease in free-ranging cervids. This would bring the
total in the President's request up to $29.2 million. It is
approximately $10 million more than is in the President's
budget request for this line item.
The President's budget request is approximately $19.5
million, half of which, as Dr. Clifford indicated, would likely
go to management of chronic wasting disease in captive cervids.
We are advocating for an additional $10 million to be provided
to the State fish and wildlife agencies for managing this
disease in free-ranging cervids.
Let me share with you a little bit of some of the
perspectives and information that was compiled in the progress
report that both Dr. Clifford and Mr. Groat mentioned to you.
This reflects work that has been done collectively by the State
and Federal agencies from the period of October 2002 to
September 2003. I believe we have seen considerable progress in
research, surveillance, management, and information
dissemination concerning this disease, but as all three
speakers preceding me have indicated, significant additional
work needs to be accomplished.
The implementation strategy identified budget needs of
approximately $108 million over a 3-year period. While a
significant portion of these funds are expected to be
congressional appropriations, State and tribal agencies have
considerable financial commitment in managing this disease.
Let me share with you some expenditures from the first
year's effort that reflect that commitment. First of all, from
the Federal agencies in fiscal year 2003, USDA agencies
expended approximately $18.5 million. In the same fiscal year,
the U.S. Department of the Interior agencies expended
approximately $3.3 million.
According to a survey conducted by our Association, 44 of
the 50 State fish and wildlife agencies that responded spent a
total of $15.2 million in State money in managing this disease,
and an additional $2.7 million in Pittman-Robertson funds for a
total of approximately $18 million in fiscal year 2003.
We also have some preliminary surveillance results from
2002 to 2003 to share with you. I will quickly close with those
observations. Every State is engaged in sampling free-ranging
cervids and other ruminants. 265 out of 88,935 white-tailed
deer tested positive for chronic wasting disease in that
sampling season. 288 out of 15,937 mule deer tested positive,
and 39 out of 12,843 elk tested positive. Positive tests were
not manifest in several other species that were tested.
With that, Mr. Chairman, I will close. Thank you again for
the opportunity to appear before you. I would be happy to
answer any questions. I would ask that my complete testimony be
included in the record in its entirety.
Senator Crapo. Without objection, so ordered.
Thank you very much, Mr. Taylor.
Mr. Walther.
STATEMENT OF JACK O. WALTHER, PRESIDENT, AMERICAN VETERINARY
MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, WASHINGTON, DC
Mr. Walther. Thank you, Mr. Chairman and Senator Allard. I
am Jack Walther. I am a veterinarian and president of the
American Veterinary Medical Association. I hail from a small
town in northeastern Nevada, who is a neighbor to the chairman.
The AVMA represents 86 percent of the active veterinarians
in the United States, and are over 70,000 members, most of whom
at some point in their career, have treated wildlife. Today,
many veterinarians are dedicating their professional skills to
studying chronic wasting disease and other diseases that affect
animals and humans.
Chronic wasting disease is one of the many transmissible
spongiform encephalopathies. I am going to refer to those as
TSEs. The AVMA and its members have been proactive for many
years in addressing these important disease issues. As a
result, we have developed a scientifically based position
statement that supports the purposes of S. 1366.
Our position statement commits AVMA to disseminating
scientific knowledge, encouraging and enhancing surveillance,
monitoring, and control programs, and encouraging government
support for the development of new rapid diagnostic tests and
control measures.
We recognize and applaud the ongoing efforts of the
Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture,
and State and tribal agencies to implement the national plan
for assisting State, Federal agencies, and tribes in managing
chronic wasting disease in wild and captive cervids. Much have
been accomplished, but much more needs to be done.
At the same time, we urge the subcommittee to remember the
need to address not only CWD, but also other diseases impacting
wildlife and livestock. Some of these diseases also affect
humans as well as animals, such as brucellosis in bison and elk
in the Greater Yellowstone area, brucellosis in feral swine,
and tuberculosis in wild deer.
We live in a world of disease threats. TSE is one such
threat. TSEs in animals include scrapie, BSE, which we all call
mad cow disease, and chronic wasting disease.
Colorado Governor Bill Owens recently told a panel of
experts and key stakeholders from the public and private
sectors that CWD ``affects every Coloradan'' and has the
potential to severely damage hunting, tourism, and related
industries, as well as the State's unique natural resources.
Because CWD touches so many stakeholders, it is essential
that programs addressing CWD be cooperative in nature. Nowhere
is cooperation more vital than between agriculture and wildlife
management agencies and groups at the State, national, and
international level. Disease does not respect fence lines or
State or international borders. CWD already has affected deer
and elk in 13 States and 2 Canadian provinces.
The AVMA supports Section 4 of the bill that provide grants
to assist States in responding to CWD outbreaks. We also
support Sections 3 and 5 of the bill that provide capacity-
building grants to States and tribal wildlife management
agencies.
The extent of testing and surveillance that is needed now
and in the foreseeable future exceeds resources available to
State departments of natural resources and tribal
organizations. Financial support from the Federal Government
will be required to comprehensibly and effectively test wild
elk and deer populations.
One clause in Section 4 that deserves further study,
however, is the language that assigns priority for funding to
States on the basis of previous State expenditures on CWD,
management, and research. We agree with the idea that States
should be rewarded for being proactive in managing CWD.
However, States with fewer available resources, such as Nevada,
may be inadvertently precluded from receiving grants. They may
also be unable to fund surveillance funds and, therefore, have
not been able to detect CWD in their States. These States
should be given grants to support surveillance programs to
determine whether CWD exists within their borders.
CWD could potentially affect the entire United States.
Therefore, Congress must be sure that States and tribal
governments with the greatest need receive money and a fair
share of those available.
In keeping with our official policy, the AVMA has a strong
presence and significant positive impact on professional and
public education with respect to TSEs. Thank you very much. I
would ask that my complete testimony be included in the record
in its entirety.
Senator Crapo. Without objection, so ordered.
Thank you very much, Mr. Walther.
Dr. Wolfe.
STATEMENT OF GARY WOLFE, PROJECT LEADER, CHRONIC WASTING
DISEASE ALLIANCE, MISSOULA, MT
Mr. Wolfe. Good morning, Mr. Chairman and Senator Allard. I
represent the Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance, which is a
coalition of 15 organizations and businesses that are working
together to positively address CWD. We really appreciate this
opportunity to share our recommendations regarding chronic
wasting disease, an issue which is obviously of considerable
importance to our sportsmen, conservationists, wildlife
managers, and the outdoor industry across all of North America.
I would like to take just a moment and provide a brief
overview of the CWD Alliance. Over the past few years, the
Boone and Crockett Club, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, and
the Mule Deer Foundation became increasingly concerned about
the impact CWD was having, and may continue to have, on our
wild deer and elk populations. Moreover, they were also
concerned about the impact this could have upon millions of
hunters' confidence to continue hunting.
These concerns led to the establishment of the CWD Alliance
in January 2002. The Alliance is a collaborative project. It is
not an organization. It is a project whose mission is to
promote responsible and accurate CWD communications and to
support strategies that effectively control CWD.
During the past 2 years other prominent organizations and
businesses have joined the Alliance, and it now includes a
total of 15 participating partners. My written testimony lists
all those partners.
The Alliance recognizes that public information and
education are vital to the resolution of the CWD dilemma and
has placed a high priority on working with our State and
Federal agency partners in implementing the Communications
section of the national CWD plan.
In that regard, the Alliance's most visible activity has
been the development of a comprehensive chronic wasting disease
website which has received more than a quarter of a million
visits since we launched it in July 2002. The Alliance partners
are very committed to this. During the last 2 years, they have
committed over $102,000 to this project and have pledged an
additional $83,000 for the activities of the Alliance in 2004.
But now turning to the Federal role and how Congress can
help. The National CWD Plan lays out an aggressive and
coordinated interagency strategy for managing CWD. The Plan was
followed up by an implementation document that identified
specific action steps and budget needs of approximately $108
million over a 3-year period.
As an Alliance, we have had a chance to work with the State
and Federal agencies, observe how they have worked together,
and how they have been implementing this. We appreciate the
funding that Congress has appropriated to date and the support
that the Department of Agriculture and the Department of the
Interior provided to the State wildlife agencies.
However, there has not been adequate funding for full
implementation of the national CWD plan. State wildlife
agencies are on the front lines in the battle against CWD and
they need additional financial support. Several States have
redirected significant funds from other wildlife programs to
the chronic wasting disease effort. We are especially concerned
that this redirection of limited State wildlife funds could
have disastrous impacts on other important wildlife management
programs and it is not adequate to fully address chronic
wasting disease.
We would like to offer the following general
recommendations on how Congress can best support the efforts to
combat CWD. First, continued and increased funding for the
national CWD plan should be a top priority. The International
Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies recently identified
$34 million of CWD funding needs for the fiscal year 2005
Federal budget. We urge Congress to give serious consideration
to the International's recommendations, especially their
request for $19.2 million for grants to State and tribal
wildlife management agencies.
Second, the CWD Alliance does not believe that additional
legislation granting new authorities to address CWD or creating
additional bureaucracy is what is needed at this point in time.
We believe the respective Federal and State agencies do have
the authority and the mechanisms to address this issue. There
has been an exceptional level of interagency coordination and
cooperation. An excellent strategy has been developed with the
National CWD Plan and specific actions have been identified in
the implementation document. Congress can now best assist with
this effort through the appropriations process.
We would like to thank Senators Allard, Feingold, and Crapo
for introducing S. 1366. It addresses many of the concerns we
have regarding adequate funding for the national CWD plan and
is consistent with our general recommendations. We are pleased
that this bill recognizes that States retain undisputed primacy
and policymaking authority with regard to wildlife management.
We support the bill's proposed grants program to assist
States and tribes in developing and implementing CWD management
and control strategies. We believe that $20.5 million of grants
authorized by the bill is urgently needed and is necessary to
adequately implement the national plan.
In conclusion, America's wild deer and elk populations are
priceless treasures. They are a source of beauty, inspiration,
and recreation for millions of Americans and they infuse
billions of dollars annually into our national economy. Their
health and vitality must be protected.
Once again, thank you for the opportunity to share our
recommendations on this very important wildlife disease issue.
I will be glad to help answer questions. I would ask that my
complete testimony be included in the record in its entirety.
Senator Crapo. Without objection, so ordered.
Thank you very much, Mr. Wolfe.
I would like to thank all the members of the panel, as well
as the preceding panel. You have all been very good at
succinctly summarizing your written testimony. I believe that
your written testimony has been very well done. I want to thank
you for the effort that has been put into this.
I also just want to make a couple of comments. I appreciate
the focus on this panel of making certain that we recognize the
importance of solidifying the primacy of the States in terms of
managing wildlife. Often we here in Congress, whether it is
water issues, wildlife issues, fisheries issues, or whatever it
may be, face the tendency that is there in so many other
Federal programs, to not only find a Federal solution, but to
basically federalize the jurisdiction and take control over the
management of the issue away from the States. I think it is
critical as we address CWD that we not start down that track. I
want to thank Senator Allard as well for drafting this and
helping to make sure that we recognize that in this
legislation.
Virtually all of the witnesses today have indicated that
the authorities necessary for the wildlife agencies at the USDA
and the Department of the Interior are in place for the
mechanism to get resources to get to the needed research and
management efforts.
Do any of you disagree with that general summary of the
testimony that we have heard today?
Mr. George. No, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Taylor. No, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Walther. No, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Wolfe. No, Mr. Chairman.
Senator Crapo. Mr. Taylor, I wanted to go into a couple of
points in your testimony specifically just to be sure that I
understand it clearly. Any of the others that would like to can
jump in on this.
In your testimony you indicate that the implementation
strategy for the national CWD plan identified budget needs,
excluding funding for environmental compliance activities of
about $108 million over a 3-year period.
If I correctly understood the resources that you went
through that were provided, it included about $22 million from
the USDA agencies and from the USDI agencies together, and
about another $18 million that came from 44 of the 50 State
fish and wildlife agencies that have responded, I assume that
that was in one year; is that correct?
Mr. Taylor. That is correct, Mr. Chairman; yes.
Senator Crapo. Which is about $40 million of effort
collectively among the various agencies, State and Federal; is
that correct?
Mr. Taylor. That's approximately correct; yes.
Senator Crapo. If we are now seeing about $40 million a
year going into the issue, and the national plan identified a
$108 million need over a 3-year period, does that mean that we
are meeting the need financially?
Mr. Taylor. We are, because the States have set aside
priorities for other programs to spend money on chronic wasting
disease management. What you see reflected there, the $108
million, although it is not broken down like that in the
implementation plan, was largely anticipated to be
congressionally appropriated funds to the different agencies,
much of which would be passed through to the States.
But in the absence of meeting objectives for that, the
State fish and wildlife agencies in particular have found
moneys by establishing a high priority for chronic wasting
disease and unfortunately having to set aside some activities
for other fish and wildlife management programs in order to
adequately fund chronic wasting disease management and
surveillance activities.
So the short answer is yes. The expenditures of funds
appear to be on track with the needs, but it also reflects the
commitment of the States to get the job done in spite of the
fact that congressional appropriations were not adequate to
address their needs.
Senator Crapo. So if were to look to the Federal Government
for that $108 million need, the Federal Government would be
falling short by about $42 million over a 3-year period?
Mr. Taylor. If current levels of expenditure continue for
the subsequent 2 years; yes, Mr. Chairman. That is why we, in
our budget recommendations to the appropriations committees,
have asked for an additional $10 million over and above the
President's request for USDA-APHIS for the chronic wasting
disease line item. As I indicated, that would be specifically
directed to the State fish and wildlife agencies for continued
surveillance and management activities.
Senator Crapo. Put another way, what we are seeing right
now is that the States are diverting approximately $18 million
from other wildlife needs in order to meet the CWD research
needs?
Mr. Taylor. That is essentially correct.
Senator Crapo. Senator Allard.
Senator Allard. Mr. Taylor, you indicated you brought with
you Dr. Thorne from Wyoming; is that right?
Mr. Taylor. Yes, sir.
Senator Allard. He works with the fish and wildlife agency?
Mr. Taylor. He is with the Wyoming Game and Fish
Department.
Senator Allard. I would just point out that there, at the
University of Wyoming, you have one of the top recognized
experts on chronic wasting disease in deer and elk. You have a
good resource there. I hope that you work with her.
Mr. Taylor. Dr. Beth Williams?
Senator Allard. Yes.
Mr. Taylor. Who happens to be married to Dr. Tom Thorne.
Senator Allard. OK. Very good. All right.
[Laughter.]
Senator Allard. Beth is your top transmission of
information. Very good. So that is your wife, then; is that
correct?
Mr. Thorne. That is correct.
Senator Allard. I am just telling you what I hear out
there. I have never had an opportunity to meet her.
Mr. Taylor. Beth does tremendous work on this. In fact, she
was one of the original researchers that identified chronic
wasting disease in free ranging cervids.
Senator Allard. Exactly. I think she was a student at CSU
when she started work on it; if that is correct.
Mr. Taylor. Would you like to talk more about that?
Senator Allard. It is important work. I think you need to
know that the researchers have recognized her expertise. That
is good.
I would also like to recognize the rest of the panel and
particularly you, Dr. Walther. I know it is not always easy to
get here. I appreciate your being here and representing the
Association.
I just want to make sure that we have this on record. You
have all heard the testimony from the two Agencies that we had
here earlier. Do you agree with everything they said? If you do
not agree with everything they said, where do you disagree?
Anybody here on the panel want to disagree with them?
Dr. Walther?
Mr. Walther. I am not sure that I disagree, Senator Allard.
I think from our perspective our concern is that I heard that
in fact there was a line item and then I heard in the other
Agency there was not a line item.
Our concern is that the emphasis for dealing with this
disease does not get shuffled off because of something else.
There is much that we do not know about chronic wasting
disease and the potential for this to spread, I think, exists
greatly. I think we need to be sure that we are focused on the
research and the surveillance that is needed to keep this as
under control as possible.
Senator Allard. Mr. George?
Mr. George. Senator Allard and Mr. Chairman, the
observation that I would like to share with you I think goes to
what you are probing for and that is the question of: Are the
Federal agencies cooperating? Are they forthcoming? Are they
accountable in getting the Federal dollars onto the ground and
focusing on the work in the greatest efficiency as we can?
My observation is that over the last couple of years since
this has really become a high priority issue is that there is a
greater responsiveness, a greater interest in cooperating and
partnering than I am accustomed to seeing. I think that that
will continue. I really appreciate the emphasis being put on
what has happened to the implementation plan, why is the
national plan not moving any faster?
That plan was put together the right way. It was done
quickly but seriously and it is very comprehensive. The more we
can do to get that back to the top and do what it asks for, the
better. I think your legislation is helping us do that. I think
the interest in it shown by the two Agencies here today and
their effort to be consistent with the direction put forth in
the plan is all very important.
But I think the hallmark of what is happening in chronic
wasting disease nationally is: Look at your NGO's who have
stepped up on the education part of this. The States will
always be the foundation of this because the wildlife and the
domestic cervids are on the ground in the States. I think the
two Federal agencies are really making an extraordinary effort
to be there for us.
If we can keep that effort at partnering going the way it
started, I think it will work.
Senator Allard. What is your greatest challenge in Colorado
as far as managing the cervid population and chronic wasting
disease?
Mr. George. We felt that the first thing that had to be
done was to learn what we have and where is it. I guess I
should back up to say that the Colorado experience, as you
indicated earlier this morning, Senator Allard, started some
years ago at CSU and the environs where CSU researchers for the
first time identified symptoms and then eventually were able to
establish that there is a disease etiology going on there.
So Colorado and Wyoming together have been working on the
research side of this for a number of years. But in the most
recent years that has caused us for the most part to be here
today, it was the question of: Is this bigger than we thought
it was? Where is it? What is happening?
So at the Colorado Division of Wildlife, our first
challenge was: We need to know where it is and in what numbers.
To be able to collect that kind of a data base, particularly in
the wild, is an extreme challenge. We could not have done it
without the cooperation of our sportsmen.
So what mattered to us was: How do we get a test available
that is accurate and that the results can be returned to the
sportsmen and, therefore, to the data base, quickly? Colorado
State University stepped right up to the plate and said, ``We
will do all we can do.'' The Division of Wildlife put into
motion an extraordinary personnel effort to be able to get out
into the field and to make these tests available.
We went from a few thousand tests 3 years ago to 43,000
tests last year, and then around 23,000 this year. We went from
a 6-month return time period on the results to 2 weeks in that
3-year period. We could not have done that without help from a
number of sources, including our local veterinarians.
The Colorado Veterinary Medical Association membership
helped us. The Colorado State University brought together the
best science available in a rapid test. All of that worked.
That still, I think, is the important challenge, to be able to
get enough samples across the State to know where we have
infectivity and at what rates.
Senator Allard. That is a tremendous growth in cases, or in
animals that you are testing and a pretty substantial jump in
improvement as far as getting your results back. I suppose that
there is still some impatience out there amongst some of your
hunters. They want results the next day or something like that.
But at least it is much better than what it was.
Let me ask you this, Mr. Taylor. You represent the fish and
wildlife agencies here in the United States. How are they
paying for their surveillance processes? Are they like
Colorado? Have they increased their license fees in order to
pay for that? Are they diverting money from other dollars? Or,
are they expecting the Federal Government to come in and
provide most of it?
Mr. Taylor. I do not know any of our agencies that have
raised their license fees in response to this. Most of them, as
you know, are principally funded by licensees from hunters and
anglers plus the Federal aid and wildlife and sport fish
restoration money. That is the Pittman-Robertson funds that I
mentioned.
So most of the States are paying for this probably out of
license fee sources, but they are not getting additional
license fees. They are diverting money from other wildlife
programs in order to place high priority on this particular
issue. I am sure Director George could talk with you about some
of the decisions that they have had to make in order to reflect
the high priority on this.
Senator Allard. Thank you.
Mr. Chairman, I have no further questions.
Senator Crapo. Mr. Walther, I had a question with regard to
your testimony relating to one of the clauses in Section 4 of
the Act where you talk about the fact that the formula
basically provides funding to the States on the basis of a
previous State expenditure on CWD management and research. You
had a concern there about the fact that although a State should
be rewarded for focusing on CWD, that some States who do not
have the resources or who have had other difficulties, may be
shortchanged.
Could you expand on that a little bit?
Mr. Walther. I think I could maybe use Nevada as a good
example. The funding for this type of surveillance in the State
for chronic wasting disease probably is not available. I do not
know that for a fact, but just knowing the Fish and Game
Department and their budget, I would assume that.
It is certainly probable that because of the closeness, as
with Idaho, that chronic wasting disease may even right now be
present in Nevada, and if it is not, the chances of it
occurring certainly are high. It would seem to me that as
funding becomes available, that it should go to States like
that that have not actually done the surveillance, but probably
should be doing it. I think that funding would help them.
Senator Crapo. All right. Thank you very much.
I do not have any other questions either.
Senator Allard.
Senator Allard. I have just one followup question. Mr.
Taylor, I believe you mentioned the EPA role in funding.
Mr. Taylor. It was not funding, Senator Allard. It is the
issue that Region 8 raised about a year ago.
Senator Allard. Which States are in Region 8?
Mr. Taylor. Well, Denver is the headquarters. I am not sure
which States it covers. But it had to do with permit
requirements for laboratory facilities, testing for chronic
wasting disease and whether they would be required to have a
waste water discharge permit.
We believe that that has largely been solved by a recent
record of decision that EPA made that characterizes the
chemical agent that is used to neutralize prions as a pesticide
under FIFRA, and therefore, gives EPA the authority to exempt
those labs from requiring to have a waste water discharge
permit. At least that is my understanding of the decision and
its implications.
As I indicated in my written statement, EPA has been
participating in the national CWD task force. Hopefully, we are
reconciling some differences of opinions and some concerns
there that we had with respect to where they were going
previously.
Senator Allard. I think that is probably what has driven
CSU to develop the digestive process that I mentioned where
they had a tank. They put in a strong alkalizing agent of
sodium hydroxide. Apparently that kills the prion very
effectively. Ordinarily heat treatment does not do it and many
other chemical treatments do not do it. If you have 43,000,
that is a lot of ruminants of a carcass and a lot of heads that
you have to process. I know that they have been working on
that.
Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Senator Crapo. Well, thank you very much. That concludes
our questions. I want to again thank this panel as well as the
other panel for the excellent testimony that you have provided,
both your written testimony as well as your oral testimony here
today.
I want to let you know that it has helped us significantly
as we evaluate this legislation and try to make sure that we
bring necessary oversight to the issue so that we get the
funding there as is needed by the States and maintain States'
sovereignty.
Again, we want to thank everybody.
If there is nothing further, then this hearing will be
concluded.
[Whereupon, at 11:05 a.m., the subcommittee was adjourned,
to reconvene at the call of the chair.]
[Additional statements submitted for the record follow:]
Statment of Hon. James M. Inhofe, U.S. Senator from
the State of Oklahoma
I would like to thank Senator Crapo for holding this hearing. As we
have witnessed the devastating health, economic, ecological and
environmental impacts of similar transmissible spongiform
encephalopathy (TSE) diseases, such as scrapie and mad cow disease, it
is disturbing to have such a serious and mysterious ailment affecting
both wild and captive herds of deer and elk across our country.
I am thankful that there have not been any large outbreaks of
chronic wasting disease discovered in my State of Oklahoma to date,
although one captive elk herd in Oklahoma has been diagnosed with the
disease. The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation first began a
cooperative project in 1999 to test hunter-
harvested wild deer and elk with the help of the USDA. So far nearly
400 deer and elk have been tested for chronic wasting disease and all
test results have been negative.
Continued efforts to research the cause and spread of chronic
wasting disease are important as well as implementation of the best
methods for isolating and eliminating infected cervids. I am
particularly encouraged that research in this area has been receptively
facilitated by hundreds of cooperative hunters. Oklahoma plans to
expand its existing surveillance program. Hopefully, with the
cooperation of Federal and State agencies, private individuals and
organizations, we will develop even better practices for managing
infected wildlife, controlling the spread of chronic wasting disease,
and minimize its occurrences and effects.
__________
Statment of Hon. Max Baucus, U.S. Senator from the State of Montana
Mr. Chairman, thank you for calling this important hearing today on
chronic wasting disease. I am very sorry I could not be here in person,
but my Finance Committee duties have kept me away. I would like to
personally welcome Dr. Gary Wolfe, of Missoula, Montana, who will be
testifying on behalf of the Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance. Dr. Wolfe
has done an excellent job during his time with the Alliance. I am very
pleased he is here today to share his knowledge and describe the good
work of the Alliance in providing and distributing accurate information
about chronic wasting disease (CWD).
This hearing is very timely as there is increasing concern about
CWD and the impacts it could have on our wild deer and elk populations.
I know sportsmen and hunters are concerned about how CWD could impact
their ability to hunt these important game animals. This in turn could
hurt the important hunting and outfitting industry, particularly in
states like Montana where hunting, outfitting and related businesses
are vital to our economy. Montana is not currently affected by CWD like
other states, but some believe it may just be a matter of time before
CWD becomes a problem for us.
Given the potentially devastating impacts of CWD, I've been pleased
to learn that state and Federal wildlife agencies are working well
together to come up with a strategic plan for addressing the growing
CWD crisis. I fully support these efforts, and I will do what I can to
work with my colleagues to see that these efforts are adequately
funded. Coordinating research and information on CWD is extremely
important to finding the best way to maintain healthy elk and deer
populations across the country.
I would like to applaud the Chairman and Senator Allard for
introducing S. 1366 the Chronic Wasting Disease Financial Assistance
Act of 2003. This bill has received positive testimony from today's
witnesses, and I plan to study it carefully. I hope to be able to give
it my full support.
Thank you Mr. Chairman.
__________
Statement of Hon. Russell D. Feingold, U.S. Senator from
the State of Wisconsin
I am pleased to be able to present my views on chronic wasting
disease and the challenges faced by states and tribal governments in
dealing with this disease.
I would like to thank the chair of the Fisheries, Wildlife and
Water subcommittee, Senator Michael Crapo, for holding this hearing on
a topic of great importance to Wisconsin and allowing me to
participate. I would also like to thank the ranking member of the
Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, Senator Jim Jeffords,
for his assistance with this legislative hearing.
Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a serious problem affecting both
wild and captive deer and elk in my home state of Wisconsin. It was
first detected in my state in 2002 and has now been detected in the
neighboring states of Minnesota and Illinois. Wisconsin's experience in
getting Federal assistance to address this problem, though eventually
forthcoming, has been extremely slow and frustrating. The Federal
Government must make chronic wasting disease a higher priority, and
Congress must provide the relevant Federal agencies with the additional
funds and authority so that they can do so.
The state of Wisconsin completed an historic effort to test the
deer in our state in 2002 and followed up in 2003. My state began
intensive testing of deer after CWD was discovered on February 28,
2002. Results from more than 56,000 white tail deer tested in our state
have turned up 320 CWD-positive animals. Almost all of the infected
deer detected came from an eradication zone covering parts of Dane,
Iowa and Sauk counties. Other counties have detected CWD within their
borders including Columbia, Kenosha, Richland, Rock, and Walworth. CWD
has also been found in several captive herds in my state as well.
Over 1,200 people in my state have been involved, conducting
thousands of hours of work at millions of dollars of expense.
Management and control of CWD has cost the state approximately $4 to $5
million each year in staff resources and support funds. To cover these
costs, the state has been redirecting staff and funds from other
programs and activities, and concerns are growing that basic wildlife
programs might be impacted in the future. The state has requested
assistance in securing Federal support to ensure that CWD management
does not drain excessive amounts of resources from other wildlife
responsibilities.
Therefore, I am pleased to be able to present my views on S. 1366,
the Chronic Wasting Disease Support for States Act of 2003, which would
bring critical Federal support to the effort to eradicate CWD. I have
worked closely with the Senator from Colorado, Senator Wayne Allard, on
this legislation in this and previous Congresses. Companion legislation
has been introduced in the House (H.R. 2636) by Representatives Mark
Green, Scott McInnis, and Paul Ryan. I am pleased to be working with
this strong coalition to assist states and tribes in their efforts to
manage, control, and eradicate CWD.
The need for these funds is overwhelming, and the process for
obtaining them needs to be more certain and more transparent. This bill
authorizes direct grants to states and tribal governments battling CWD
to be awarded by a manner prescribed by the Secretary of the Interior.
Specifically, in the bill, the Interior Department is directed to give
up to $10 million in grants to states and $3 million in grants to
tribes to help them plan and implement management strategies to address
chronic wasting disease in both wild herds of deer and elk. The
Interior Department is directed to provide grants totaling $7.5 million
to assist States in developing and implementing long term management
strategies.
This bill is needed because state wildlife and agriculture
departments do not have the fiscal or scientific capacity to adequately
confront the problem. Their resources are spread too thin as they
attempt to prevent the disease from spreading. Federal help in the form
of management funding, research grants, and scientific expertise is
urgently needed. Federal and state cooperation will protect animal
welfare, safeguard our valued hunting and livestock industries, help
guarantee America's food safety, and protect the public health.
This legislation is comprehensive, addressing both captive and wild
animals and short term and long term needs. It authorizes a Federal
chronic wasting disease program that will be administered by the United
States Departments of Interior. I think it is extremely appropriate
that legislators from Colorado, the state that has the longest history
in chronic wasting disease, have made a concerted effort to work with
Wisconsin members who are struggling with a new outbreak. I deeply
appreciate the commitment of Senator Allard and others from the
Wisconsin and Colorado delegations toward finding a solution that works
for both our states.
In the past, the Forests Subcommittee of the House Committee on
Resources has delayed action on this bill based upon promises that the
Department of the Interior (DOI) and the Department of Agriculture
(USDA) would be acting quickly to put together a comprehensive CWD
management plan. That plan was to be delivered in two parts--a Plan for
Assisting States, Federal Agencies, and Tribes in Managing Chronic
Wasting Disease in Wild and Captive Cervids, released in June 2002, and
an Implementation document describing specifically what actions would
be taken, the agencies responsible for individual projects, project
timeframes, and the projected costs of completing each project.
It has now been almost 2 years since the Forest Subcommittee's
hearing, and the Implementation document has not been released. We now
know generally the actions that the agencies would propose to take to
assist states with the problem, but we need a better understanding of
the financial resources needed to implement those actions. In
correspondence dated January 22, 2003, the Department of Interior
stated that the Implementation document was transmitted to the Office
of Management and Budget (OMB) for review on December 18, 2002. I was
successful in getting a provision included in the 2003 omnibus
appropriations bill calling for the Implementation document to be
released no later than May 20, 2003. That deadline has long since
passed, and I have called for oversight hearings in the Senate.
Recently, on March 9, 2004, I led the Wisconsin and Colorado
delegations in sending a letter to OMB's Associate Director for Natural
Resources requesting the immediate publication of the Implementation
document. We continue to await a response. I am submitting a copy of
this letter to the Committee with my testimony.
Mr. Chairman, it is clear to me that Congress should wait no
longer. Legislation is sorely needed to provide the Federal resources
to address a wildlife problem that does not respect state borders. I
look forward to working with this Committee to seek passage of this
measure. This is a good bill, and it deserves the Committee's support.
Statement of Dr. John Clifford, Assistant Deputy Administrator,
National Animal Health Policy and Programs, USDA
Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee, thank you for this
opportunity to speak with you on behalf of the U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA) about chronic wasting disease.
CWD is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) of deer and
elk, in the same family of diseases as bovine spongiform encephalopathy
(BSE) and scrapie. It has been diagnosed in farmed elk and deer herds
in eight States. Currently, there are only three known positive captive
cervid herds in the United States: two positive elk herds in Colorado
and one positive deer herd in Wisconsin. Epidemiological investigations
are ongoing that follow trace animals from these and other positive
herds that have been depopulated. CWD has also been identified in free-
ranging deer and elk in areas of Colorado, Illinois, Nebraska, New
Mexico, South Dakota, Utah, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. The origin and mode
of transmission of CWD are unknown.
To ensure a coordinated and cooperative Federal approach to
assisting States, a task force including USDA and the Department of the
Interior (DOI), along with universities and State wildlife management
and agriculture agencies, drafted the ``Plan for Assisting States,
Federal Agencies, and Tribes in Managing CWD in Wild and Captive
Cervids'' (national plan). The national plan was shared with Congress
in June 2002. The national plan's components include action items for
surveillance, diagnostics, and research, among other things. All
agencies have been working together as budgets allow to implement the
plan. The Department is committed to working with our State and tribal
partners, as well as landowners and industry to implement an effective
national program to combat chronic wasting disease. From fiscal year
2003 through fiscal year 2005 (President's Budget), Department funding
for CWD has increased by 41 percent, from $16.4 million to $23.1
million. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2004, USDA-APHIS received $18.5 million
which, after Congressional earmarks, is being divided roughly equally
between the captive cervid program and assistance with addressing CWD
in wild deer and elk. An additional $3.2 million was provided for USDA
research activities in 2004, for a total of $21.7 million. The fiscal
year 2005 budget includes $23.1 million, of which $20.1 is for APHIS
and $3.0 is for research. However, funding decisions must be made on an
annual basis, taking into consideration resource constraints and the
many program needs that compete for these resources.
In January, a working group composed of many of the same people
that put the national plan together held a progress meeting in St.
Louis. This working group is currently compiling a CWD progress report.
By examining each action item set forth in the national plan, the
progress report highlights accomplishments and further needs. While
much has been done in the past 2 years, the report illustrates that
there is much left to do in the fight against CWD.
In addition to working with other Agencies on CWD, USDA is also
moving ahead to address CWD in both captive and wild deer and elk
populations.
USDA is continuing the development and implementation of its
voluntary national herd certification program to eliminate CWD from
farmed cervids. On December 24, 2003, we published a proposed rule on
the certification program. We received over 120 comments on this
proposal, and we are evaluating these comments now. We anticipate
publishing a final rule soon with the goal of implementing the program
by the end of this year. While we work on implementation of this
program, we will continue to pay for all laboratory costs associated
with CWD testing in the farmed cervid population, and positive and
exposed farmed cervid herds will continue to be eligible for indemnity.
USDA also pays the costs of depopulation and disposal. Our goal is
nothing less than eradication of the disease in the farmed cervid
population.
Although, as an agriculture agency, USDA's primary concern is with
farmed cervids, we are also assisting States and Tribes in dealing with
the wildlife aspect of the disease. USDA plans to make approximately
$5.75 million available to the Tribal Nations and State wildlife
agencies for this purpose. This funding will be distributed via
cooperative agreements according to a formula initially developed in
conjunction with the International Association of Fish and Wildlife
Agencies (IAFWA) in fiscal year 2003. That collaboration continues.
Under this formula, States are classified according to Tiers. Tier 1
States, which have known occurrences of CWD in free-ranging cervids as
of March 1, 2003, are eligible for the highest sums. States falling in
the Tiers 2 and 3 are eligible for lower amounts. Through a cooperative
agreement with the Native American Fish and Wildlife Society (NAFWS),
regional Tribal biologists have also been hired to help improve CWD
surveillance on Tribal lands.
Our Wildlife Services program has been assisting State wildlife
agencies with their activities. Our personnel have assisted with the
harvesting of wild deer in Illinois and Wisconsin, and both deer and
elk in Colorado for CWD testing. Additionally, we have assisted State
wildlife agencies in collecting CWD samples from hunter-harvested deer
at check stations in 10 States.
Our Center for Veterinary Biologics (CVB) continues to approve new
diagnostic test kits for CWD. Currently there are four tests that have
been approved: one for use in elk, mule deer, and white-tail deer;
another for mule deer and white-tailed deer; and two that are approved
for white-tailed deer only. These diagnostic test kits are only
available to APHIS approved laboratories contracted for CWD disease
surveillance and are only licensed for use in wild deer and elk. These
testing technologies provide wildlife agencies the ability to screen
the large numbers of animals that are part of hunter harvest
surveillance efforts. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) remains the
internationally recognized method of choice for testing for TSEs and is
being used for confirmation of positives as well as surveillance in
captive deer and elk. CVB officials have placed a high priority on
reviewing and evaluating other CWD test kits.
Research into the area of CWD has continued as well. Our National
Wildlife Research Center (NWRC) is researching the possibility of CWD
vaccines as well as ways to identify improved barriers and repellents
to keep wild deer and elk separated from captive cervids and other
livestock. NWRC also plans to examine new decontamination methods for
CWD-affected facilities.
The Agricultural Research Service has also undertaken several
research projects, including assessing the interspecies transmission of
TSEs among livestock species and cervids, assessing herbivore
susceptibility to TSE, and identifying and developing new methods for
detecting prion protein molecules in the environment and feedstuffs.
The Cooperative State Research Education and Extension Service
(CSREES) supports research projects to determine the causes and methods
for control of CWD through both competitive and formula-funded
programs, as well as a Congressional special grant. In fiscal year
2003, CSREES awarded $125,000 from the Critical Issues Program to
Colorado State University to study the association of micronutrients
and genetics with the prevalence of CWD in captive and free-ranging
Rocky Mountain elk. CSREES also awarded a $232,180 special grant to the
University of Wyoming to study the epidemiology and transmission of
chronic wasting disease in deer using radiotelemetry equipment.
Additionally, CSREES fiscal year 03 Hatch formula funds are supporting
CWD projects in epidemiology, prion propagation, environmental
persistence, and diagnostics at land grant institutions including the
University of Wisconsin, the University of Illinois, and Purdue
University. In fiscal year 04, several land grant and non-land grant
universities, and Canadian and U.S. Federal agencies, including CSREES,
have joined together to form a new multistate effort on transmissible
spongiform encephalopathies (TSE's) which will include a concentration
on CWD.
Now that I've summarized USDA activities on CWD, I'd like to take a
moment to discuss S. 1366. S. 1366 would authorize the Department of
Interior to make grants to State and Tribal governments to assist State
and Tribal efforts to manage and control the spread of CWD. For the
past 2 years, Congress has provided additional appropriations to the
APHIS program, which we have shared with the States and Tribes through
cooperative agreements. As I mentioned earlier in my testimony, APHIS
worked with IAFWA to develop criteria to distribute this funding to
State wildlife agencies and NAFWS to meet CWD surveillance and
management needs. Because this funding template has now been
established, we think it would be most efficient to continue to use our
existing system to pass CWD funds through to the States and Tribes,
rather than create a new system as contemplated in S. 1366. For this
reason, USDA does not think that this legislation is necessary.
CWD is an important issue to USDA. There is a lot of work being
done, and it will continue as we implement our herd certification
program and expand our efforts to assist the States and Tribes. By
continuing to work together with our Federal and State counterparts, we
believe we can provide the most comprehensive approach to addressing
the disease, even as the science continues to develop.
Thank you for the opportunity to comment.
______
Responses by John Clifford to Questions from Senator Feingold
Question 1. Both you and Chip Groat at the Interior Department
outlined the research agendas of your respective Agencies. What is the
current distribution of the research funds and from what account in
USDA's budget does the money come? What is the status of the research
and development of a live animal test for chronic wasting disease
(CWD)?
Response. During fiscal year 2004, USDA's Agricultural Research
Service (ARS) plans to invest approximately $2.6 million into CWD
research, and USDA's Cooperative State Research, Education, and
Extension Service plans to invest approximately $616,000. Through the
National Wildlife Research Center, USDA's Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service (APHIS) is also investing approximately $1 million
into CWD research and methods development activities.
With regard to your research question, ARS collaborated with the
Colorado Division of Wildlife and Colorado State University to develop
a first generation live-animal test for CWD that is based on
immunohistochemistry (IHC) of tonsil biopsies (the test is further
described below). ARS continues a comprehensive research program in
pathogenesis, disease transmission, and the application of novel
technologies to discover and develop improved second generation
diagnostics.
Question 2. Both you and Mr. Groat discussed efforts to develop
data bases to track CWD information. Mr. Groat indicated that the data
base should be developed through coordination between the Agencies.
What is the status of the development of this data base at USDA? Is
USDA's data base linked to any other data bases, such as that being
developed by Interior? If not, what are the plans to combine the data
and share this information? Who currently has access to this
information, and what are the plans for future access to data?
Response. APHIS' Veterinary Services (VS) program is developing a
farmed cervid data base to coincide with the launch of its CWD herd
certification program in late 2004 or early 2005. Under the voluntary
program, producers will submit elk or deer from their herds for CWD
testing if the animals are over 16 months of age when they die.
Surveillance data from these herds will be added to the VS data base
and after 5 years of monitoring, a herd will be certified as low-risk
if all of the animals tested were found free of CWD. VS is currently
working with the US Geological Survey at the Department of the Interior
to determine how information will be shared with the National CWD data
base they are developing.
Question 3. In Mr. Groat's testimony, he indicated that: ``Live
animal testing efforts, using tonsillar biopsy . . . will also continue
as an important management approach there.'' It is my understanding
from conversations with Wisconsin deer farmers that there is no live
animal test for CWD currently available. Is USDA using tonsillar
biopsies in its management efforts, either independently or in
conjunction with States and Tribal Governments? Can you provide
scientific justification for the use or non-use of this test?
Response. USDA is not currently using tonsillar biopsy in our CWD
management efforts because such a testing method is not practical on a
wide-scale basis. The National Park Service and the Colorado Division
of Wildlife, among others, are conducting some surveillance among deer
using tonsillar biopsy. This surveillance is for research purposes only
at this time and general anesthesia is used to collect the biopsy. The
tonsil biopsy procedure was adapted for deer by Margaret Wild (now of
the National Park Service) and Michael Miller of the Colorado Division
of Wildlife. ARS provided assistance with tissue testing. The test,
however, has some limitations. It utilizes existing technology,
primarily IHC, so it is not a rapid test nor one that can produce
results in the field. Tonsillar biopsy can be useful in ``test and
cull'' programs where the disease is known to exist, such as in urban
situations where killing deer is not acceptable to the public. However,
it is not a practical test for large-scale surveillance programs.
Neither is it particularly useful for farmed cervid surveillance as it
is stressful, costly, and requires immobilization which is always risky
and occasionally fatal. Mortality testing over time is a more effective
surveillance tool for detecting CWD in farmed cervids. In addition, the
test is not suitable for use in elk because the prion protein does not
accumulate in the lymph nodes to the same degree nor as early as in
white-tailed deer and mule deer.
Question 4. You testified that there are four diagnostic test kits
available for CWD disease surveillance and that these are only
available to APHIS-approved laboratories under contract. Could you
provide additional clarification as to the procedures for a laboratory
to be approved? What authority is USDA using to make this
determination? Does USDA have any plans to approve private laboratories
for prion disease testing, particularly CWD?
Response. Testing and laboratory capacity have been important
issues related to CWD. USDA expanded the number of laboratories
approved to perform the IHC assay for CWD after realizing an increased
testing capacity was necessary. USDA now has 26 laboratories that can
run the IHC test, with an estimated testing capacity of a quarter of a
million samples, more than adequate to meet current demand.
Official diagnosis of CWD continues to be performed exclusively by
Federal and State regulatory agency laboratories and this remains the
current USDA policy. Currently, in order to be approved these State and
Federal labs have to demonstrate competence with IHC techniques and
have experience with TSE diseases in general. The facilities also have
to have the required equipment to perform this testing and the ability
to prioritize CWD testing at the request of USDA when necessary.
The exclusive use of State and Federal regulatory laboratories is
consistent with existing policies and practices for the control and
elimination of program diseases. The system is designed to not only
ensure consistency and accuracy but also to preserve domestic and
international market confidence in U.S. agricultural commodities. A
``false positive'', for any disease, not just CWD, could result in
unnecessary public concern and costly regulatory action. And in the
case of a disease like bovine spongiform encephalopathy, a false
positive could be devastating, costing the U.S. economy billions of
dollars in unnecessary domestic and international market disruption
from which it could take years to recover.
______
Responses by John Clifford to Questions from Senator Allard
Question 1. In his testimony, it was mentioned that CWD has been
diagnosed in farmed elk and deer herds in eight States. You also stated
that there are only three known positive captive cervid herds in the
United States: two positive elk herds in Colorado and one positive deer
herd in Wisconsin. Is USDA currently planning any depopulation? If so,
when will it occur and where? Do you have any idea of how many animals
will be involved?
Response. USDA has established animal health regulations to provide
for the payment of indemnity for the voluntary depopulation of captive
cervid herds known to be infected with CWD. USDA stands ready and
willing to provide indemnity in order to encourage the depopulation of
infected herds thus reducing the risk of spreading CWD. However,
producers do have a choice between depopulating or quarantining their
herd. One of the Colorado producers you reference has chosen to
quarantine his herd of approximately 200 elk but is discussing a herd
plan with the State of Colorado, which could allow him to try to manage
out of the disease. The other Colorado producer you reference refused a
previous offer of indemnity, and the Wisconsin herd owner is currently
in litigation with the State of Wisconsin over the validity of tests
results that found CWD-positive animals in his herd. The Colorado herd
contains approximately 35 elk and the Wisconsin herd contains an
estimated 150 deer. In addition, in late May, another Wisconsin herd
with approximately 10 deer tested positive for CWD, and that producer
has expressed interest in indemnity and depopulation. As yet, no
appraisals have been obtained and no timetable set. All 4 herds are
under State quarantine.
Question 2. You mentioned the National Plan in your statement and
testimony. You also stated that the Department is committed to working
with our State and Tribal partners, as well as landowners and industry
to implement an effective national program to combat CWD. Congress has
demanded a final plan--why has the final plan not been promulgated?
What is the status of the National plan? If the problem is with OMB,
can you explain their reasoning?
Response. In June of 2002, a task force of Federal agencies and
State wildlife management agencies completed the ``Plan for Assisting
States, Federal Agencies, and Tribes in Managing Chronic Wasting
Disease in Wild and Captive Cervids'' and presented it as the
``National Plan'' to Congress. We are implementing this plan. As a
followup to that plan, State wildlife agencies, universities, and
Federal agencies developed a set of action items to help guide their
response and direct funds to the ongoing battle against CWD.
Information on these activities is contained in what is called the
``progress report,'' which is meant to identify progress made in fiscal
year 2003 on those actions consistent with the National Plan. The
report, which was reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget and
sent to members on May 27, also highlights areas for future steps for
the management of CWD.
Question 3. When discussing the National Plan, several witnesses
mentioned a progress report. What is the progress report and how does
it relate to the National Plan? When is the progress report due?
Response. The progress report described above was recently
finalized by APHIS on behalf of USDA, the U.S. Fish and the Wildlife
Service representing the Department of the Interior, and the
International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies representing
the States, after review by the Office on Management and Budget. On May
27, a copy of the report was provided to each member of the
Subcommittee.
Question 4. Please explain in further detail (matching funding to
program areas) how your spending on CWD matches the spending outlined
in the draft management plan, using the recommendations and categories
outlined in the final draft plan.
Response. As detailed in the ``Progress Report on the Plan for
Assisting States, Federal Agencies, and Tribes in Managing Chronic
Wasting Disease in Wild and Captive Cervids,'' during fiscal year 2004
USDA is estimating that it will spend approximately $79,000 on
communications; $114,000 on information dissemination; $766,000 on
diagnostics; $7.428 million on disease management; $4.216 million on
research (including $1 million for activities carried out at APHIS'
National Wildlife Research Center); and $6.92 million on surveillance.
These figures do not include approximately $2.25 million earmarked by
Congress for specific State projects.
__________
Statement of Charles G. Groat, Director, U.S. Geological Survey,
U.S. Department of the Interior
Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to provide the
Subcommittee with the Department of the Interior's (Department) views
regarding S. 1036, the ``Chronic Wasting Disease Support Act of 2003,''
and S. 1366, the ``Chronic Wasting Disease Financial Support Act of
2003.'' The Department continues to be concerned with the current and
future effects of chronic wasting disease (CWD) on free-ranging deer
and elk.
The Department supports the concepts embodied in these bills,
particularly the recognition and facilitation of the critical role that
state wildlife management agencies, universities, and non-governmental
organizations (NGO's) play in limiting the distribution and occurrence
of CWD. However, we note that several of its provisions direct the
Secretary to carry out programs which appear, at least in part,
duplicative of ongoing efforts within the Department. Moreover, the new
funding required for implementation must compete with other priorities
in the context of the President's Budget.
Before I provide specific comments on S. 1036 and S. 1366, I would
like to take this opportunity to inform you of the latest efforts
undertaken by the Department to understand and combat CWD.
RECENT DEPARTMENTAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS
The Department manages about one in every five acres of land in the
United States and has a variety of stewardship responsibilities for our
natural resources. Through the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the
National Park Service (NPS), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS),
the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and the Bureau of Indian Affairs
(BIA), the Department provides assistance to, cooperates with and, in
some cases, co-manages wildlife with states and tribes to ensure
healthy, viable wildlife populations.
Through increased surveillance and monitoring, CWD has been
discovered in free-ranging deer or elk in eight states, including
Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska, Utah, New Mexico, South Dakota, Wisconsin,
and Illinois. The possibility for detection of this disease in
additional states, coupled with the little information we know about
the nature and spread of this disease, increases the urgency and need
to find effective means of detection and control.
With this in mind, we recognize that states and tribes possess
primary responsibility for management of resident fish and wildlife
within their borders. However, in order to successfully combat CWD, we
believe we must continue to employ an approach that is built on the
strengths of Federal agencies and state and tribal entities. Using this
approach, the Department conducts research into the biology and
management of this disease, provides wildlife-related laboratory
services, offers technical advice and assistance to our partners, and
works in close cooperation with the states. Additionally, we are
working to foster and facilitate close working relationships with
private landowners and incorporate their needs into surveillance
strategies and outbreak responses.
The Department has taken an active role in fiscal year (FY) 2004 by
committing over $4 million to investigate and combat CWD. The funds are
used by USGS to expand research and deliver technical assistance and
pertinent biological information about the disease to Federal and state
agencies. The NPS is continuing its monitoring and surveillance efforts
at high risk parks and management efforts at Rocky Mountain National
Park and Wind Cave National Park. This effort is carried out in concert
with the Colorado Division of Wildlife efforts on adjacent State lands.
The FWS is developing field guidelines for enhanced surveillance and
the development of disease contingency plans in the event that the
National Wildlife Refuge System detects the disease within its borders.
Over the past year, the Department has embarked on an aggressive
program of research into the biology of CWD, its hosts, and its
transmission pathways. In addition, USGS and its partners are working
to develop methods needed to identify diseased animals before signs of
the disease are apparent. During fiscal year 2003 and 2004, the USGS
committed a total of $2.7 million to its CWD program.
The Department's land management bureaus have also contributed to
the application of science in the management of Federal lands under
their control. Most prominently, the NPS, which manages more than 84
million acres contained in 388 park units, is extremely concerned about
CWD and the potential impacts this disease could have upon the wildlife
resources of the parks and adjacent lands. To date, deer and elk with
CWD have been detected in only two National Parks, Rocky Mountain
National Park in Colorado and Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota.
The disease was first documented in Rocky Mountain National Park,
Colorado, in 1981. Based on samples taken from live deer at the park,
the prevalence of infection for deer is about 5-6 percent, roughly the
same for animals in the area surrounding the park. The prevalence of
the disease in elk in areas adjacent to the park was estimated by the
State of Colorado at 1-4 percent, and is likely similar within the
park. The park is continuing tactical management activities for CWD
within the Park and collaborative efforts on research and joint
strategy development with the Colorado Division of Wildlife (CDOW). The
park is culling deer and elk with clinical signs of the disease and
deer that test positive for CWD using tonsillar biopsy. Additionally,
an Environmental Impact Statement for the park's Elk and Vegetation
Management Plan is in preparation.
The first case of CWD at Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota, was
detected in November 2002. The park has stepped up surveillance and
live testing of deer and has to date documented CWD in five deer and
two elk. The park continues a collaborative planning effort with the
State of South Dakota on an elk management plan. Live animal testing
efforts, using tonsillar biopsy, and removal of CWD positive deer will
also continue as an important management approach there.
Due to their proximity to nearby infected wild deer and elk herds,
CWD can also threaten wildlife on adjacent Federal lands, including
Yellowstone National Park, in Wyoming and Montana, Dinosaur National
Monument in northwestern Colorado, and Agate Fossil Beds and Scotts
Bluff National Monuments in western Nebraska.
In addition to funding investigations of CWD at Rocky Mountain
National Park and Wind Cave National Park with Service-wide Natural
Resource Preservation and Protection project funding, the NPS received
additional funds in fiscal year 2004 to address emerging diseases,
especially CWD. The NPS is fielding a CWD Response Team, modeled after
the highly successful exotic plant management teams which it uses to
combat nonindigenous plants in park lands, to continue and expand on
the NPS's ability to respond quickly to CWD issues in park units. The
NPS is also continuing collaboration with researchers at Colorado State
University investigating CWD epidemiology, transmission, and pathology.
The FWS has been assisting states in CWD monitoring and
surveillance, as it develops field guidelines at a national level for
coordinated monitoring and surveillance. These guidelines are being
designed collaboratively with the states to help determine CWD
distribution and movement. In addition, disease contingency plans are
being coordinated with states to manage CWD in the event that the
National Wildlife Refuge System detects the disease within its borders.
New detections of CWD in Wyoming and expansion in Nebraska deer
indicate that CWD poses a critical threat to national cervid resources.
Similarly, elk and deer at the National Elk Refuge and Ft. Niobrara
National Wildlife Refuge are in the path of potential CWD expansions.
FWS has conducted CWD training workshops covering the eight states of
its Mountain-Prairie Region, which included participation of partners
and Native American tribes.
COOPERATIVE RESEARCH EFFORTS
As an example of our commitment to cooperate with States on this
issue, USGS recently developed a program to work cooperatively with six
states affected by CWD: Colorado, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Nebraska, South
Dakota, and Utah. This $300,000 effort has helped initiate projects
that will develop critical information on issues ranging from deer
movements and ecology to the develoment of theraputic agents.
In December 2002, USGS coordinated efforts with state, Federal, and
university partners to develop a strategy to assist agencies in their
development of surveillance programs. This document, ``Surveillance
Strategies for Detecting Chronic Wasting Disease in Free-ranging Deer
and Elk'' represents another important cooperative effort.
New USGS research initiated within the past year addresses the CWD
problem using both laboratory and field approaches. Through the USGS
National Wildlife Health Center in Madison, Wisconsin, we have
initiated studies with Montana State University to develop a serum test
for CWD biomarkers to facilitate early detection of the disease. These
investigators are also working on a rapid, strain-specific immunoassay
for CWD that will help detect differences in strains among populations
and newly emerging strains that may appear over time. We are also
working with the Wyoming Department of Fish and Game to establish a CWD
tissue bank to provide biological tissue resources for research
projects.
In addition, USGS scientists working with those at Michigan State
University and the University of Wisconsin are looking at specific
immune system genes that have been shown to influence transmissible
spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) pathogenesis. The purpose of this
investigation is to determine if there is an association between
specific genes and CWD resistance in wild white-tailed deer. There are
several field studies underway by the USGS Wisconsin Cooperative
Research Unit in Madison, Wisconsin in partnership with the University
of Wisconsin-Madison and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
Other evaluations underway include a look at the practice of
feeding and baiting deer, in order to determine if this increases the
risk of transmission in wild deer, and the role of small mammals and
scavengers that feed on deer carcasses is being investigated in the
context of the disease cycle. Also, the potential for other wildlife
species to contract CWD is being studied in the intensive deer
management zone in Wisconsin. Genetics relationships among deer with
CWD are also under investigation. Results from these studies will
ultimately be used in developing risk assessment and epidemiological
models. The USGS National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII)
has established a Wildlife Disease Information Node that highlights
activities and information related to CWD to assist in data sharing
across organizations.
The Department has also worked in conjunction with the Department
of Agriculture, as well as universities, state wildlife management and
agricultural agencies, to develop a coordinated management approach to
addressing CWD. This National CWD Plan approach, released in June 2002,
includes strategies for communication, information dissemination,
diagnostics, disease management, research, and surveillance. The
Department has also recently participated with the states and
Department of Agriculture in preparing the Progress Report to the
National CWD Plan.
DEPARTMENTAL VIEWS ON S. 1036 AND S. 1366
The potential for detection of CWD in free-ranging deer and elk in
additional states points out the need for continued coordination in the
effort to manage this disease. S. 1036 and S. 1366 would address this
need by directing the Department, through the USGS, the NPS, and the
FWS, to undertake work on several fronts important to limiting the
distribution and occurrence of CWD.
As previously noted, the Department supports the concepts embodied
in these bills, particularly the recognition of the critical role
played by state wildlife management agencies, universities, and NGO's
in limiting the distribution and occurrence of CWD. I should note that,
in fact, the Department has already initiated work on several of these
important initiatives, and we have done so in close coordination with
states, tribes, and other Federal agencies.
Generally S. 1366 would authorize the Secretary, through the FWS,
to make grants to states and tribes to assist in the development of and
implementation of long-term management strategies, and to state
wildlife management agencies to assist in responding to CWD outbreaks
in wild cervid populations. We note that the state grant programs
authorized by this section appear duplicative of the Fish and Wildlife
Service's existing authority to make state wildlife grants.
S. 1036 provides for a multi-agency cooperative effort against CWD
by the Departments of the Interior (through Title I) and Agriculture
(through II). Section 101 of S. 1036 would direct the Secretary of the
Interior to allocate funds directly to state wildlife agencies for the
purpose of developing and implementing CWD management strategies. The
criteria provided for the allocation of funds address the need to
prioritize this financial support based on the relative rate of
incidence, state financial commitments to CWD programs, integration of
state policies related to CWD management, and the need to respond
rapidly to disease outbreaks in new areas of infection. This grant
program also appears duplicative of the Fish and Wildlife Service's
state wildlife grants program.
Sections 102, 103, and 104 of S. 1036 would, generally, direct the
Secretary to establish a modeling program to predict the spread of CWD
in wild deer and elk; using existing authorities, a CWD surveillance
and monitoring program on Federal lands; and, finally, using existing
authorities, a national, internet-based repository of information on
CWD.
The Department supports modeling efforts, as well as the
development of a national data respository. We believe the need for
sharing information is critical to making informed, science-based,
management decisions. Such a data base will take full advantage of our
existing capabilities in biology, mapping, and scientific data base
development. Maintaining CWD-related data on both wild and captive
populations will facilitate integrated analyses and allow practical
``lessons learned'' in diagnosis, surveillance, and control to be
shared rapidly among a wide range of users. In fact, through its
National Biological Information Infrastructure, the USGS is already
developing a prototype Wildlife Disease Information Network, which will
include a CWD national data repository for scientific, technical, and
geospatial information. CWD data will be collected through state and
Federal agencies, tribes, and other sources. However, in terms of the
data base suggested by this legislation, we believe that it should be
developed in coordination with Department of Agriculture, which has
oversight responsibility for captive cervids.
As dicussed above, the establishment of surveillance and monitoring
programs are already underway. The NPS is currently conducting
surveillance programs and managing the disease on national park lands,
and the FWS is finalizing a plan for surveillance on National Wildlife
Refuges. The USGS has assisted both state and Federal agencies in the
design considerations for surveillance, and will continue its research
on critical aspects of the disease ecology and impacts.
CONCLUSION
The Department's role as stewards of our natural resources and our
strong cooperative relationship with states and other partners have
allowed us to facilitate development of a coordinated strategy to
combat CWD. We fully support the concepts
advanced by these bills, and offer to work with the Committee to ensure
that, if enacted, these bills provide an efficient and effective use of
our resources and authorities.
Mr. Chairman, this concludes my statement and I am pleased to
respond to your questions.
______
Responses by Charles G. Groat to Questions from Senator Allard
Question 1. Several witnesses at the hearing as in your statement
and testimony, mentioned the national management plan. Congress has
demanded a final plan--why has the final plan not been promulgated?
What is the status of the national plan?
Response. In June 2002, a task force representing Federal agencies,
state wildlife management agencies, academia, and other stakeholders
released the ``Plan for Assisting States, Federal Agencies, and Tribes
in Managing Chronic Wasting Disease in Wild and Captive Cervids''
(National Plan). This plan listed broad goals and actions needed to
meet the many challenges posed by chronic wasting disease (CWD). A
progress report on the National Plan's implementation was delivered to
the Colorado and Wisconsin Congressional delegations on May 27, 2004.
Question 2. How has your spending aligned with the spending
recommended in the draft management plan?
Response. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is using the technical
aspects of the National Plan to set research priorities for its $2.7
million CWD program. Current studies address transmission of the
disease, disease ecology and wild cervid populations, genetic
resistance, environmental persistence and transmission, and adapting/
developing rapid, live animal tests for wildlife.
Question 3. In your opinion, does CWD pose a greater threat for
wild cervid populations or captive cervids? If the wild cervid
population is more at risk than captives, do you believe the two
departments are receiving adequate appropriations for their respective
roles in CWD management?
Response. Due to the large number of unknowns regarding CWD, it is
difficult to compare the relative risk to captive herds versus wild
populations. Clearly, the disease has been a problem in both. It does
appear that traditional disease intervention methods, such as those
used by U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service (APHIS), have been largely successful in addressing
CWD within the captive cervid populations. These methods include early
detection and quarantine, as well as depopulation and indemnification
of owners of affected herds.
Management options for wild, free-ranging populations of deer and
elk are much more complex and need further research. As a responsible
steward of the National Parks, National Wildlife Refuges, and other
public lands, the Department of the Interior must balance many
competing demands for its limited resources. The two Departments are
working together to develop a coordinated effort to deal with this
disease in both captive and wild cervids.
Regardless of whether CWD poses a greater overall risk to wild or
captive cervids, it is clear that our limited understanding of this
disease will continue to constrain its effective long-term management,
especially with regard to wild, free-ranging populations.
______
Responses by Charles G. Groat to Questions from Senator Feingold
Question 1. USDA currently has a line item in the APHIS budget for
CWD. You noted that Interior distributes funds for CWD from some larger
accounts. What is the process or formula that Interior uses to make
these allocations of funds? What criteria are used to rank funding
priorities?
Response. The Department of the Interior is working closely with
the states and the USDA to follow the recommendations set forth in the
CWD National Plan. There is no set formula; instead we identify
internal needs and also hold coordination meetings with states to
review current information, identify priorities, and fund the more
urgent needs that will deliver the greatest amount of information
required for management of the disease. The coordination meetings are
well received by states and have resulted in cross-state cooperation in
research areas. The most recent multi-state coordination meeting, held
in April 2004, resulted in plans for a workshop to bring states, USGS,
and other Federal agencies together to share research results and set
priorities for research and management for the next year.
Question 2. Both you and Dr. John Clifford at the Agriculture
Department outlined the research agendas of your respective agency.
What is the current distribution of the research funds and from what
account in Interior's budget does the money come? What is the status of
the research and development on a live animal test for CWD?
Response. USGS has a $2.7 million effort in CWD research. All of
these funds are allocated through the USGS budget, under the Biological
Research and Monitoring sub activity. Most of these funds support our
base program and are allocated to our science centers to conduct CWD
research. A total of $300,000 is made available to states to support
cooperative research efforts.
As discussed in Question 4 below, a live animal test involving the
analysis of tonsil tissue has been successfully used to detect CWD in
live, free-ranging deer for several years. Because this is currently
the only technique available, research is focusing on identifying
sampling methods that are easier and less invasive and are more
effective in elk, and on testing methods that could be performed more
rapidly. For example, USGS recently began a study in cooperation with
Montana State University that will evaluate the possibility of a serum
biomarker for detecting CWD in early, pre-clinical stages.
Question 3. Both you and Dr. Clifford discussed efforts to develop
data bases to track CWD information. You indicated that the data bases
should be developed through coordination between agencies. What is the
status of development of this data base at Interior? Is the data base
linked between the agencies, such as that being developed by USDA? If
not, what are the plans to combine the data and share information? Who
currently has access to this information, and what are the plans for
future access to the data?
Response. The National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII)
received $250,000 in fiscal year (FY) 2004 for CWD information
management initiatives. Efforts are underway to finalize both the
functional and technical requirements for a web-based national CWD data
clearinghouse (data base). The NBII Wildlife Disease Information Node
is working closely with the USGS National Wildlife Health Center in the
development of this national CWD data base. We are constructing the
data base to accommodate CWD research, monitoring, and surveillance
information contributed by participating state, Federal, and tribal
agencies and other organizations. Our objective for 2004 is to create a
prototype that includes CWD data from two to four states and other
interested CWD data holders. We are working with USDA/APHIS Veterinary
Services to determine how best to integrate data from captive animals
with this prototype; our technical plan is to make the USGS/NBII and
USDA/APHIS CWD data bases interoperable.
Participating data providers will choose the amount and type of
data they wish to provide to the prototype. Through this prototype,
participating organizations will have the ability to browse, query,
report, and visualize basic data, and to test it. Testers of the
initial prototype will be asked to recommend changes to data collection
input screen designs. We expect to demonstrate the CWD national data
base prototype at the September 2004 IAFWA annual conference general
session and at several committee meetings.
Once a truly national CWD data clearinghouse is developed,
contributed data will be protected by a secure password system, with
access to the data base itself restricted in accordance with the
negotiated agreements among participating agencies and organizations.
In addition to the CWD data base, a web-based information resource
containing summary data for general public use is also slated for
development. Federal, state, and tribal agency participants at a June
2003 CWD data standards meeting proposed that summary data not of a
sensitive nature be made available and accessible to the general
public.
Question 4. In your testimony, you indicated that ``live animal
testing efforts, using tonsillar biopsy . . . will also continue as an
important management approach there.'' It is my understanding from
conversations with Wisconsin deer farmers that there is no live animal
test for CWD currently available. What is the current practice of using
tonsillar biopsies in the management of CWD? What is the scientific
basis for this practice and how effective is it?
Response. A live animal test utilizing immunohistochemistry (IHC)
testing of tonsil tissue has been reported in peer-reviewed scientific
literature and has been used successfully for several years to detect
CWD in live, free-ranging mule deer and white-tailed deer before the
appearance of clinical signs of the disease. The test uses the same
approach developed to detect scrapie in live domestic sheep.
The National Park Service, here in the Department, and the Colorado
Division of Wildlife have successfully used tonsillar biopsies as a
live-animal CWD surveillance tool for wild, free-ranging deer in some
instances for approximately 2 years. The process involves the capture
of deer, chemical immobilization, and collection of a small sample
(biopsy) of tonsil tissue. A radio transmitter is attached to each
animal prior to release. The sample is submitted to a diagnostic
laboratory where the tissue sample is tested for the presence of CWD-
associated prions using IHC. Animals testing positive are identified
and located via radio telemetry and subsequently euthanized. Tonsillar
biopsies have been used in Rocky Mountain National Park, Wind Cave
National Park and several states (especially suburban environments)
where hunter harvest is insufficient or unavailable for herd
surveillance.
Tonsillar biopsies have several benefits. The test has been useful
for detecting CWD-positive deer particularly in protected areas or in
populations where hunter harvest is low (i.e., not many deer are killed
by hunters). Additionally, CWD-associated prions can be detected in the
lymphatic system of deer, including lymphatic follicles in the tonsils,
months before the onset of clinical signs of disease. As a result,
infected animals can be removed from the population earlier,
theoretically reducing the probability of disease spread.
While tonsillar biopsies have been used in some limited situations
where intensive management is possible, it is not an ideal test for
wide-scale application. Tonsillar biopsy is a relatively invasive
technique and requires expertise in application to obtain a usable
sample. The cost and effort required to capture free-ranging deer for
tonsillar biopsy, or collection of any diagnostic sample directly from
the individual, is high. Because the biopsy sample must be submitted to
a laboratory for testing to determine disease status, the deer must be
located again for management action if a positive sample is detected.
An additional limitation to the test, and potentially other diagnostic
tests that may be developed, is that the prion protein is not commonly
detected in the lymphoid tissues of elk before clinical signs of the
disease appear, as is the case with deer. Therefore, tonsillar biopsy
is currently most applicable to deer. Finally, because CWD is a slowly
progressing disease, a negative tonsil biopsy is not proof that the
animal is in fact CWD-negative. Early in the disease course there is
insufficient accumulation of prion protein to be detected using
available technology.
In addition to other research, a recently initiated, collaborative
project between the USGS National Wildlife Health Center and the
University of Montana is investigating the development of a blood-based
live animal test for CWD. Researchers have noted that CWD prions can be
detected in the lymphatic system of infected animals many months before
the onset of clinical signs. Scientists believe that metabolic
byproducts (biomarkers) related to early infection may exist and may be
detectable in the blood of infected animals. Development and refinement
of more efficient and effective tests for elk and deer will likely be
long-term efforts.
__________
Statement of Russell George, Executive Director, Colorado Department
of Natural Resources, Washington, DC
Good morning, Mr. Chairman and distinguished members of the
Subcommittee. I am Russell George, Executive Director of the Colorado
Department of Natural Resources. Thank you for the opportunity to
appear before you today to discuss the management of chronic wasting
disease, commonly referred to as CWD, and in particular the role of the
Federal Government in helping to address this disease. I appreciate the
past support and leadership of Congress on the subject of CWD, an issue
of considerable importance to the State of Colorado and to many other
states across the country as well.
CWD IN COLORADO
Prior to 2002, we in Colorado believed with some confidence that
CWD was confined to populations of wild deer and elk in the
northeastern portion of our state. That assumption was based in part on
more than two decades of work on CWD conducted in cooperation with our
colleagues in Wyoming, at Colorado State University (CSU) and
elsewhere. Unfortunately, 2 years ago we detected CWD in deer and elk
herds on Colorado's western slope, requiring us to significantly expand
our CWD surveillance and customer service efforts at considerable
expense.
COLORADO ASSISTANCE TO OTHER STATES
Since then CWD has regrettably been detected in several other
states as well. In response, Colorado willingly shared its experiences
with wildlife officials from those states in order to help them
understand and combat this wildlife disease. For example, we have
shared with those states information not only on the disease itself,
but also regarding rapid testing procedures and our protocols for
surveillance and management. As a result, the knowledge that we have
gained and the programs we have initiated in Colorado are often used as
a model by others. I am pleased that the pioneering CWD work done in
Colorado and Wyoming have allowed other states to save scarce funds and
limited personnel time by enabling them to focus on initiatives,
technologies and approaches that we already have demonstrated to be
effective.
STATE NEEDS FOR FEDERAL ASSISTANCE
Allow me to assure you that no state understands better than
Colorado the tremendous resources wildlife agencies will have to commit
to CWD programs now and in the future. As I've noted, Colorado has
invested heavily in tackling the challenge of CWD and we have done so
largely with state funds, especially revenues derived from the sale of
hunting licenses.
But I think it is now clear that Congress and Federal agencies have
an important role in providing additional support to help states fight
this disease. I continue to recommend that the Federal role should
focus heavily on contributing additional funding to state efforts,
delivered through already-existing mechanisms and agencies (e.g., USDA
and Interior). I do not believe any new programs or institutions are
required.
IMPORTANCE OF STATE PRIMACY
Earlier congressional initiatives on CWD, including legislation,
direction to Federal agencies, and critically needed funding, have been
helpful to many states. I am also pleased to report that those efforts
have recognized the primacy of the States in policymaking authority
with regard to wildlife management, both in general terms and
specifically with respect to CWD. I thank you for that. The recognition
of primacy remains critically important to the states.
HIGHLIGHTS OF COLORADO EFFORTS
I would like to take a moment to highlight some of the actions
taken by Colorado over the past 3 years in response to CWD. We have:
<bullet> Coordinated with county and local governments and private
landowners to reduce deer populations in areas of especially high
prevalence.
<bullet> Redirected significant funding and personnel to CWD
control efforts. Since 2002, we have created and filled eight new
positions focused on CWD control efforts, and reallocated $3 million in
annual funding to those efforts. Those staffing and funding shifts have
occurred within the limits of a largely flat budget picture and very
tight personnel limits.
<bullet> Increased coordination and cooperation between the
Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDOA), Colorado's Department of
Public Health and the Environment, CSU and the Division of Wildlife on
CWD issues.
<bullet> Initiated and completed important research on transmission
mechanisms, rapid diagnostic approaches, live-animal testing, and
outbreak dynamics that will be key in refining management and
surveillance approaches for CWD.
<bullet> Joined with CSU and CDOW to implement an extensive CWD
surveillance and testing program for wild elk and deer. We were able to
offer statewide testing of hunter-killed deer and elk while helping to
CSU to validate a new rapid test that provided results in hours instead
of months and allowed for large-volume testing. As a direct result of
that experience, we understand that the new test is now being
considered by the USDA and Canada for screening large numbers of cattle
for Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE).
<bullet> Developed and implemented an electronic data capture
system into our sample submission and collection system, thereby
greatly improving both scientific data gathering and customer service
aspects of our ongoing CWD surveillance program.
<bullet> Involved volunteers from the Colorado Veterinary Medical
Associations, Federal agencies, conservation organizations and the
general public in an extensive surveillance and testing program for
CWD.
<bullet> With this cooperative and integrated effort, we have
succeeded in testing more than 45,000 wild deer and elk for CWD over
the last two hunting seasons with most results made available to the
hunter within 2 weeks of receipt of the sample. The CDOA and the
Division of Wildlife continue to coordinate, develop, and adopt
comprehensive regulations that govern the importation, intrastate
transportation and surveillance of captive deer and elk. As you can
see, we already have in place programs to study, monitor, and manage
CWD, in both captive and wild populations.
SPECIFIC COLORADO NEEDS
Despite the unprecedented actions taken by Colorado and other
states, it is clear much more work remains to be done. The needs of the
Colorado Division of Wildlife, the Colorado Department of Agriculture
(CDOA) and CSU are extensive and beyond the ability of our state to
fully fund alone. We believe Federal funding for this work is a wise
investment, not only for the wildlife resource, but for the thousands
of jobs dependent on wildlife recreation. In Colorado alone, we
estimate that three quarters of a billion dollars in economic activity
is generated from hunting annually. That activity is especially
important to rural towns and businesses.
Colorado has identified several initiatives and programs that are
in need of additional support if we are to be able to respond
effectively to CWD in the future. And as I described earlier, the work
we do in Colorado is often used by other states as well. Those needs
include:
Upgrading Certified Labs
$3.5 million to initiate the planning and construction of a new
veterinary diagnostic lab on the CSU campus in Fort Collins with the
potential to share laboratory space and equipment and co-house staff
from the CDOW, the CDOA and the University Veterinary Diagnostic
Laboratory. This new laboratory would help to address a number of
regional animal health needs, including but not limited to CWD and
other prion disease diagnostics. The CSU Board of Governors supports
the new lab.
$4 million to upgrade disposal processes at four CWD sampling/
testing facilities--in Grand Junction, Craig, Fort Collins and Rocky
Ford. I would like to emphasize that these upgrades will be necessary
if ``recommendations'' under consideration by Region 8 of the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are imposed. The rules would
govern our CWD labs' waste streams and our methods of carcass disposal.
We urge the EPA to continue proceeding slowly and cautiously, and only
after consulting with external third party prion disease experts, other
Federal agencies and all potentially affected states (including their
wildlife, public health and agriculture agencies).
Research
$2 million for research on therapeutics, live animal diagnostics,
environmental detection, field diagnostics, genetic resistance and
enhanced rapid laboratory tests.
$5 million to relocate and upgrade our live animal research
facility. The existing facility, which has been a key resource in
understanding many important aspects of CWD, is located on property
that is under a lease that will expire soon and is not likely to be
renewed by the property owner. This project will provide several
Colorado institutions the capability to continue a strong tradition of
collaborative animal research, and is a much more cost-effective
approach than creating a duplicate research effort elsewhere.
Surveillance, Monitoring and Management of Wild Deer and Elk
Colorado needs assistance with our annual expenses directly related
to CWD operations (expanded surveillance, testing, reporting, culling,
carcass disposal, etc.). Expenditures are estimated to be approximately
$3 million annually for the foreseeable future.
Surveillance, Monitoring and Management of Captive Deer and Elk Herds
We estimate Colorado would require $150,000 for detecting,
measuring and monitoring incidence of CWD in captive Colorado herds. We
also anticipate needing as much as $1 million for reducing the
incidence of CWD in captive herds (depopulation, indemnification, and
carcass disposal) should additional infected herds be found.
Education and Outreach
Finally, states like Colorado need support in the development of
brochures, fact sheets, videos, training clinics, website enhancement,
etc. for agency staff, hunters, veterinarians, meat processors,
taxidermists, conservation groups and the general public.
CONCLUSION
As I conclude, I feel it is important to note that the $3 million
in funding redirected by the Colorado Division of Wildlife represent
funds from our dwindling reserve balance. We are drawing on those
reserve funds, in addition to diligently reprioritizing existing
resources. Continuing to expend at this level will soon begin to
compromise other important wildlife programs--such as species recovery,
education and habitat protection.
Colorado greatly appreciates the $240,000 in assistance received
from USDA-APHIS-Veterinary Services this past year, as well as the
promise of $70,000 in additional support for ongoing CWD research from
USDI, but clearly the bulk of our work is still being funded from
within our state, and as I've noted, those resources are quickly
disappearing.
In summary, I would like to emphasize that there are many
opportunities for the Federal Government to assist States in CWD
management and research. I urge congressional support for legislation
and funding that will allow state wildlife agencies to effectively
fight CWD. I also urge you to provide that assistance through the most
streamlined and efficient mechanisms available, in particular already-
established grant programs in both the Department of Agriculture and
the Department of the Interior.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for the opportunity to share my thoughts
with you and the Subcommittee. Colorado's deer and elk are among our
state's most treasured natural resources. Your efforts to help us
protect this valued resource are greatly appreciated.
I would be pleased to answer any questions you might have.
__________
Statement of Gary J. Taylor, Legislative Director, International
Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Washington, DC
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for the opportunity to share with you the
Association's perspectives on S. 1366 and the status of management of
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in general. I am Gary Taylor, Legislative
Director of the Association, and accompanying me today is Dr. Tom
Thorne, a wildlife veterinarian with the Wyoming Game and Fish
Department, and Chair of the Association's Fish and Wildlife Health
subcommittee on Chronic Wasting Disease. All 50 State fish and wildlife
agencies are members of the Association. The Association looks forward
to continuing to work with you in particular to provide the state and
Federal agencies with the fiscal resources that they need to manage
this disease. Further, we continue to urge that decisions with respect
to management of this disease be well grounded in science. We continue
to stress the need for comprehensive Federal agency cooperation and
coordination to effectively manage this disease. And finally, we will
share with you some information regarding the progress of CWD
management as outlined in the implementation strategy deriving from the
national plan.
The International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies was
founded in 1902 as a quasi-governmental organization of public agencies
charged with the protection and management of North America's fish and
wildlife resources. The Association's governmental members include the
fish and wildlife agencies of the states, provinces, and Federal
Governments of the United States, Canada, and Mexico. All 50 states are
members. The Association has been a key organization in promoting sound
resource management and strengthening Federal, state, and private
cooperation in protecting and managing fish and wildlife and their
habitats in the public interest.
Federal and state agencies involved in this endeavor concur that,
collectively, all the authorities that are necessary to manage this
disease currently exist in law. While we therefore are not convinced of
the need for further authorizing legislation, the Association wishes to
commend Chairman Crapo, Sen. Allard, Sen. Feingold and others in
particular for their diligence in ensuring that a coordinated Federal
state effort is directed at this issue. What is most needed are
adequate congressional appropriations to the Federal agencies involved
for both their efforts and to pass through to the state fish and
wildlife agencies, state universities and state agriculture
departments, to manage CWD. The Association looks forward to working
with you to increase appropriations for these purposes.
Let me summarize where we are in management of this disease by
reflecting on the good progress that has been made over the last almost
2 years. About 2 years ago, the US Department of Agriculture and US
Department of the Interior convened a Federal task force to coordinate
CWD management. Under the chairmanship of Bobby Acord, Administrator,
APHIS, and Steve Williams, Director, U.S. Fish Wildlife Service, they
quickly recognized the need for and utility of adding state fish and
wildlife agency representatives to the Task Force. That was
expeditiously done and 6 working groups each comprised of Federal,
state and university representatives, ultimately drafted the national
plan that the Task Force released to the public (``A Plan for Assisting
States, Federal Agencies, and Tribes in Managing Chronic Wasting
Disease in Wildlife and Captive Cervids'') on June 26, 2002. The plan
proposes goals and actions and serves as a blueprint for future
activities to identify the extent of the disease and management actions
needed to eliminate it or prevent its spread. Let me commend Bob Acord
and Steve Williams for their patience and vigilance in overseeing it,
and all participants for their dedication and diligence in completing
the plan.
Subsequently, an Implementation Document for said plan was produced
on October 11, 2002 by a team of 3 State fish and wildlife agency
representatives, 4 USDA, and 4 USDI representatives working with input
from a myriad of wildlife management and animal health professionals
from across the Nation. The Implementation Document steps down the
goals in the national plan to action items, assigns agency
responsibilities, and identifies timelines and budgets for each of 6
categories of diagnostics, disease management, communications,
research, surveillance, and information dissemination. This
Implementation Plan effort chaired by Bruce Morrison, NE Game and Parks
Commission, represents what we believe is the best and most current
thinking with respect to what is necessary to successfully manage this
disease. The budget recommendations were thoughtfully constructed under
the constraint of ``reasonable and realistic''--they are not ``pie in
the sky'' requests. These budget recommendations are the basis for the
Association's appropriations request that we have asked each of our
State Directors to encourage their Members of Congress to support.
In April 2003, APHIS made available $4 Million in fiscal year 2003
appropriated funds to the State fish and wildlife agencies for
surveillance and management of CWD. Approximately $5 Million will
similarly be made available from APHIS in fiscal year 2004. In
designing the protocol for distribution of the funds, APHIS engaged Dr.
John Fischer (Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study), Dr. Tom
Thorne (WY Game and Fish Department) and myself to design an
appropriate and effective process. Collectively with APHIS we arrived
at a formula that established 3 tiers of States: Tier 1 includes states
with known occurrence of CWD in free ranging cervids; Tier 2 includes
states adjacent to Tier 1 states or states with known CWD occurrence in
farmed or captive cervids; and Tier 3 includes all other states. While
one could argue the need for more money in one tier versus the other,
we felt this was equitable, advanced our knowledge of presence/absence
of the disease which is one of the most critical pieces of information
we need, and assisted with the tremendous cost of managing the disease.
The solution to getting more funds to states with CWD in free-ranging
cervids, of course, is to grow the appropriated dollars, a goal to
which we are all committed. Many thanks to Bob Acord and his staff at
APHIS for both making these funds available and for enlisting the State
fish and wildlife agencies in designing an equitable protocol that will
expeditiously get money to them through a cooperative agreement.
Let me now reflect a little bit on the need for continued,
comprehensive Federal agency participation in a more coordinated effort
to manage CWD based on sound science. Attention to all Transmissible
Spongiform Encephalapothies (TSE) has increased dramatically in the
last year, not just because of CWD, but most recently due to the
diagnosis of Bovine Spongiform Encephalapothy (BSE) in a domestic cow
in Washington, and last year in Canada. Unfortunately there is a great
deal of misinformation and anxiety among the general public that ill-
founded Federal agency proposals may exacerbate.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has promulgated regulations
for the rendering industry regarding the ``Use of Material from Deer
and Elk in Animal Feed''. We believe these regulations unfortunately
hinder animal health and wildlife management agency efforts to identify
new areas where CWD occurs and simultaneously increase, rather than
decrease, the likelihood of CWD positive carcasses entering the non-
ruminant animal food chain.
The Association believes the regulations are an overreaction and
simply cannot be supported with good science. CWD is not BSE. BSE is
known to be a food-borne disease and consumption of material containing
BSE--contaminated tissues is the only known natural mode of
transmission of BSE. For this reason, the use of materials derived from
any ruminant, including cattle, sheep, deer and elk, cannot be fed to
ruminant animals according to 21CFR589.2000. By contrast, CWD is known
to be transmitted laterally from affected deer and elk to susceptible
deer and elk; and there is no evidence CWD is a food borne disease
transmissible to non-ruminant animals.
In addition to the inaccurate message it portrays, the Association
is most concerned about the provision in the FDA regulation that would
trigger a recall of feed or feed ingredients containing material from a
CWD positive animal. This actually hinders our ability to find new
areas where CWD occurs because it promotes avoidance of CWD testing,
thereby increasing the chances for CWD to go undetected and for
positive animals to enter the animal feed system. Experience has
demonstrated that current CWD surveillance techniques can detect the
disease in a new area while at relatively low prevalence but it takes
higher prevalence before discovery if detection is delayed. Early
detection offers greater opportunities to eliminate the disease and
early detection depends on the cooperation of hunters, meat processors,
taxidermists and renderers. We are concerned that the FDA regulations
would hinder this type of cooperation.
Finally, the Association continues to be concerned about some draft
recommendations that the USEPA has been working on in their Region 8
Office that could likewise seriously impede our ability to detect and
manage CWD in wild and captive cervids. The Region 8 proposal would
require certain standards and permits for treatment of wastewater from
laboratory facilities handling animals or samples from animals with
CWD. Labs wishing to continue or initiate work with CWD would incur
huge costs to come into compliance or would have to cease their efforts
related to CWD. Should this come to fruition, the Association is
concerned that the next application of these standards and permit
requirements would be to meat processors, taxidermists, and rendering
plants. Once again, the Association believes this proposal is not
science-based and seeks to impose a standard of ``no risk'' as opposed
to acceptable ``low risk''. Action of this type would seriously affect
the cooperation of hunters, meat processors, taxidermists and renderers
and thereby impede our ability to detect the disease in a new area.
Furthermore, these same standards do not now, nor is EPA proposing that
they apply to scrapie, another TSE that has been around for centuries,
and for several decades in the United States.
We are hopeful that a recent EPA Record of Decision that
characterizes as pesticides under FIFRA certain chemical agents used to
neutralize prions ,thus allowing the EPA to grant exemptions from
permit requirements for their use, will obviate the need for further
regulation. We are cautiously comfortable with this approach but will
continue to encourage greater coordination by EPA with the state fish
and wildlife agencies, state departments of agriculture, and state
departments of environmental quality.
We are further encouraged that both FDA and EPA participated in the
last state-Federal CWD task force meeting.
On the issue of funding, Mr. Chairman, we all agree that more is
needed, and the Association is committed to working with you and
Congress to make that happen. With respect to fiscal year 2005, the
Association and its member state fish and wildlife agencies are
requesting $19.2 Million through appropriation to USDA-APHIS to be
granted to the state fish and wildlife agencies for managing CWD in
free-ranging cervids. This is approximately $10 Million more than in
the President's request of approximately $19.5 million, half of which
would likely go to management of CWD in captive cervid herds. We
believe the needs in free-ranging cervids compels a higher appropriated
amount.
With respect to expeditiously getting money to the state fish and
wildlife agencies, we will work with any Federal agency, but let me
suggest the utility of using an agency that has an existing mechanism
for getting grant money to the State fish and wildlife agencies as the
most effective mechanism. As I indicated, USDA-APHIS has executed
cooperative agreements for granting CWD dollars to the State fish and
wildlife agencies and we support this mechanism for funds appropriated
in the Agriculture Appropriations bill. In the Department of the
Interior, the USFWS has a long-standing office, machinery and process
for annually granting funds from several programs to state fish and
wildlife agencies. It seems to us that using these existing grant
mechanisms would be the most expeditious way to deliver funds to the
State fish and wildlife agencies. We are appreciative that S. 1366
recognizes the utility of using the existing grant mechanism in the
USFWS for this purpose for any funds appropriated in the Interior and
Related Agencies Appropriations bill.
Let me now turn to the heart of this effort: its accomplishments.
The most important perspective, of course, is how we are doing on the
ground with respect to managing this disease. We are near completing
the progress report on the first year's effort (October 2002-September
2003) as described in the Implementation Strategy and I would like to
share some information and perspectives from that with you.These 12
months have seen considerable progress in research, surveillance,
management and information dissemination concerning CWD, but
significant additional work needs to be accomplished.
The Implementation Strategy for the National CWD Plan identified
budget needs, excluding funding for environmental compliance
activities, of approximately $108 Million over a 3 year period. While a
significant portion of these funds are expected to be congressional
appropriations, state and tribal agencies have considerable financial
commitment in managing this disease. Despite limited funding, there has
been considerable interagency collaboration and accomplishment
regarding CWD surveillance, management and research.
Perhaps the quickest way to get a perspective on this is to look at
some expenditures for fiscal year 2003. Details on all of these
activities will be in the final progress report, expected to be in
circulation shortly.
In fiscal year 2003, the USDA agencies (APHIS,ARS,CSREES) expended
approximately $18.5 Million. In the same fiscal year, the USDI agencies
(NPS,USGS,USFWS) expended approximately $3.3 Million.
According to a survey conducted by our Association, 44 of the 50
state fish and wildlife agencies that responded spent a total of $15.2
Million in state money and an additional $2.7 Million in Pittman-
Robertson funds, for a total of approximately $18 Million in fiscal
year 2003.Surveillance and management represented the largest
expenditures (over 50 percent of the total), followed by diagnostics
(approximately another 20 percent).
In a query of state livestock health agencies, 22 states responding
indicated that their expenditures in fiscal year 2003 were
approximately $2.0 Million.
Thus, as you can see, there is a considerable commitment by both
state and Federal agencies to manage this disease.
We also have preliminary surveillance results from 2002-2003 to
share with you. Every state is engaged in sampling free-ranging cervids
and other ruminants.265 out of 88,935 white-tailed deer tested positive
for CWD in that sampling season. 288 out of 15,937 mule deer tested
positive and 39 out of 12,843 elk tested positive. Positive tests were
not manifest in the other tested species.
In conclusion, Mr. Chairman, the Association looks forward to
working with you to continue to improve our capability to manage this
disease. Dr. Thorne and I would be pleased to answer any questions.
Thank you for the opportunity to share the Association's perspectives
with you.
__________
Statement of Dr. Jack O. Walther, President, American Veterinary
Medical Association, Washington, DC
Thank you Mr. Chairman and members of the Subcommittee for giving
the American Veterinary Medical Association the opportunity to come
before you today to speak in support of Senate Bill 1366.
I am Dr. Jack Walther, President of the AVMA. I was born and raised
on a small ranch near Reno and now practice in Elko, Nevada.
The AVMA represents 86 percent of active veterinarians in the
United States. Our membership consists of 70,000 members, most of whom
have treated wildlife during their careers. In addition, hundreds of
veterinarians have a primary professional focus in wildlife medicine.
For the past 141 years, the AVMA has worked to advance the science and
art of veterinary medicine. Veterinarians have a long history of
positively impacting the health and well being of humans, animals and
the environment. A few noteworthy members of my profession are Dr.
Daniel Salmon, who first described salmonella in 1855, and Dr. Tracey
McNamara, who first identified West Nile virus in the United States.
Additionally, many of our members are public servants, such as Dr.
Lester Crawford, Acting Commissioner of the Food and Drug
Administration, and Dr. Ron DeHaven, Deputy Administrator of Veterinary
Services at USDA. Veterinary public servants also include the Senator
from my home State of Nevada, Senator Ensign, and the Senator from
Colorado, Senator Allard. Today, many veterinarians are dedicating
their professional skills to studying chronic wasting disease and other
diseases that effect both animals and humans.
CWD is one of many transmissible spongiform encephalopathies
(TSEs). These are important diseases worldwide that are of particular
concern to the veterinary community. The AVMA was proactive many years
ago in addressing this important disease and issue. We developed a
scientifically based position statement (attached) that supports the
purposes of Senate Bill 1366.
Our position statement commits the AVMA to:
<bullet> disseminating scientific knowledge;
<bullet> encouraging enhanced surveillance, monitoring, and control
programs; and
<bullet> encouraging governmental support for the development of
new rapid diagnostic tests and control measures.
We recognize and applaud the on-going efforts of the Department of
Interior and the Department of Agriculture, and state and tribal
agencies to implement the National Plan for Assisting States, Federal
Agencies, and Tribes in Managing Chronic Wasting Disease in Wild and
Captive Cervids. Much has been accomplished but more remains to be
done. Additional funds must be allocated for state and tribal
activities to ensure that the outcome of the comprehensive effort will
be successful.
At the same time, we urge the Subcommittee to remember the need to
address not only CWD, but also many other diseases impacting both
wildlife and livestock. Some of these diseases also affect both humans
and animals, such as brucellosis in bison and elk in the Greater
Yellowstone area, brucellosis in feral swine, and tuberculosis in wild
deer.
We live in a world of emerging disease threats. TSEs are one such
threat. TSEs in animals include scrapie, bovine spongiform
encephalopathy, and chronic wasting disease. They all pose serious
risks to the health and welfare of animals. For states and communities
that depend on income derived from outdoor activities, including
hunting, these diseases pose serious economic risks.
Colorado Governor Bill Owens recently told a panel of experts and
key stakeholders from the public and private sectors that CWD ``affects
every Coloradoan'' and has the potential to severely damage hunting,
tourism and related industries as well as the state's unique natural
resources.
Additionally, the most recent statistics from the Wisconsin
Department of Natural Resources estimate that hunters in Wisconsin
spend $897,000,000 annually on supplies, lodging and other expenses.
CWD can have a profound effect on agriculture, wildlife, and zoo
management. Because CWD touches so many stakeholders, it is essential
that programs addressing CWD be cooperative in nature. Nowhere is
cooperation more vital than between agriculture and wildlife management
agencies and groups at the state, national and international levels.
Disease does not respect fence lines or state and international
borders. CWD has affected deer and elk in Colorado, Illinois, Kansas,
Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Utah,
Wisconsin, Wyoming, and in the Canadian provinces of Alberta and
Saskatchewan.
We must work together to find solutions. Effective solutions will
require a philosophical and economic commitment to disease
surveillance, to disease management, to diagnostics, and to research.
The AVMA supports Section 4 of the bill that will provide grants to
assist states in responding to CWD outbreaks in wild deer and elk.
Additional funding to permit rapid and effective responses is
absolutely essential. We also support Sections 3 and 5 of the bill that
provide capacity-building grants to state and tribal wildlife
management agencies. These grants will enable implementation of long-
term management strategies, including surveillance. Testing is needed
in more states and tribal lands to determine whether the disease exists
in new locations. If CWD does exist in other areas, additional testing
is needed to define its prevalence, incidence, and distribution.
The extent of testing and surveillance that is needed now, and for
the foreseeable future, exceeds resources available to state
departments of natural resources and tribal organizations. Financial
support from the Federal Government will be required to comprehensibly
and effectively test wild elk and deer populations.
As an example, Governor Doyle of Wisconsin recently directed that
$900,000 be spent to improve testing capacity for CWD in his state.
This amount will support testing for research and disease management,
but does not fund testing of hunter-harvested deer. Federal grants are
needed to provide additional funds to enable the states to do more
surveillance testing.
The ``Chronic Wasting Disease Financial Assistance Act of 2003''
positively and rightfully recognizes and rewards states and tribal
governments that have integrated CWD wildlife and agriculture programs.
The AVMA supports this prioritization.
One clause of Section 4 that deserves further study, however, is
the language that assigns priority for funding to states on the basis
of previous state expenditures on CWD management and research. We agree
with the idea that states should be rewarded for being proactive in
managing CWD. However, states with fewer available resources may be
inadvertently precluded from receiving grants. They may have been
unable to fund surveillance programs and, therefore, have not been able
to detect CWD in their state. These states should be given grants to
support surveillance programs to determine whether CWD exists within
their borders. CWD could potentially affect the entire United States
therefore, Congress must be sure that states and tribal governments
with the greatest need receive a fair share of the available Federal
moneys.
Senate Bill 1366 goes a long way in preventing any further negative
impact from CWD on animal health, the environment and our national
economy. The leadership, staff and members of the American Veterinary
Medical Association stand ready to assist in any way that we can in
this matter.
In keeping with our official policy, the AVMA has a strong presence
and significant positive impact on professional and public education
with respect to TSEs. We keep our members informed through two
scientific journals, background materials (copy attached) on our Web
site, and continuing education sessions presented during the
Association's annual convention. In turn, veterinarians provide
accurate and useful information to clients and the public. To further
assist veterinarians in educating the public, the AVMA produced
brochures dealing with CWD and BSE. More than 15,000 copies have been
distributed. We regularly respond to public and media needs for
information by issuing print, electronic, and audio news releases, and
by participating in interviews with writers and broadcasters.
TSEs present a serious and possibly growing threat to many of our
nation's animal populations, as well as to state and local economies.
Senate Bill 1366 is an important step toward successful control of CWD
and we are extremely pleased and proud to have been afforded an
opportunity to appear before you to speak in support of its passage.
______
American Veterinary Medical Association Position Statement on
Spongiform Encephalopathies
Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSEs) are important
diseases worldwide. The AVMA will disseminate scientific knowledge of
the etiology, epidemiology, prevention, and control of TSEs. AVMA
supports and encourages enhanced national and state surveillance,
monitoring, and control programs. The AVMA encourages the USDA and DHHS
to support research for the development of new rapid diagnostic tests,
control measures, cleaning and disinfecting procedures, and the
zoonotic potential. The AVMA further encourages FDA to provide
educational materials and to monitor and enforce the mammalian protein
ban in ruminant feed. (EB 5/03)
CAUSATIVE AGENT
Chronic wasting disease (CWD) belongs to the family of diseases
known as the transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE). The
causative agent of CWD has not been fully characterized, but three
possibilities have been proposed: an unconventional virus, a prion (a
self-replicating protein), or a virino (incomplete virus) comprising
naked nucleic acid protected by host proteins. The CWD agent does not
invoke a detectable immune response or inflammatory reaction in its
host. On the basis of what is known about other TSEs such as bovine
spongiform encephalopathy and scrapie, it is assumed the causative
agent of CWD is extremely resistant to sterilization processes.
NATURAL DISTRIBUTION
An infectious, neurologic disease, CWD develops naturally in North
American deer and elk. Species found to be affected include Rocky
Mountain elk, mule deer, white-tailed deer, and black-tailed deer.
Chronic wasting disease was first diagnosed in a Colorado captive elk
research facility in 1967, and was identified as a TSE in 1978. It was
found in the mid 1980's in free-ranging deer and elk in adjoining areas
of Colorado and Wyoming. In May of 2001, CWD was identified in deer
residing in the adjacent portion of Nebraska. Free-ranging cervids in
Illinois, South Dakota, New Mexico, Utah, Wisconsin, and the Canadian
province of Saskatchewan have also been affected. The first infected
farmed herd was discovered in South Dakota in 1996. Chronic wasting
disease has also been diagnosed in captive cervids in Colorado, Kansas,
Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Wisconsin and the Canadian
provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan.
TRANSMISSION
Although many years of research have been conducted, the exact
mechanism of transmission of CWD is still unknown. Currently
transmission is believed to be lateral (animal to animal) and to take
place through contact with or exchange of bodily fluids such as saliva,
urine, feces, or placental tissue. Evidence also exists suggesting that
vertical (mother to offspring) and environmental transmission is
possible. Feed contamination is not considered to be a likely means of
transmission; however, supplemental feeding may concentrate populations
of cervids and facilitate animal-to-animal spread.
CLINICAL SIGNS OF CWD IN CERVIDS
Most cases of CWD develop in adult animals. Chronic wasting disease
causes progressive degeneration of the central nervous system. The most
obvious and consistent clinical sign is progressive weight loss and
dehydration. Other clinical signs include changes in temperament (e.g.,
loss of fear of humans, nervousness, or hyperexcitability), changes in
behavior (teeth grinding, walking in repetitive patterns in pens),
incoordination, polydipsia, polyuria, drooping of the head and ears,
and excessive salivation. Incubation period is typically 18 to 24
months, but can range up to 36 months. The health of affected animals
typically deteriorates over a period of 12 months after infection.
Chronic wasting disease is uniformly fatal.
DIAGNOSIS
At the present time, CWD is diagnosed by postmortem microscopic
examination of brain stem (particularly the obex portion) and lymphoid
(lymph nodes and tonsils) tissues. Lesions of CWD resemble those of
other spongiform encephalopathies. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) is very
sensitive and specific to CWD and is used to confirm diagnosis by
measuring accumulations of proteinase-resistant prion protein (PRPres)
in brain tissues of infected deer and elk. Accumulations of proteinase-
resistant prior protein have not been found in uninfected cervids.
Positive test results are not detected until at least 3 months after
infection so negative results cannot confirm the absence of disease (it
is possible that the animal is infected, but the stage of the disease
is so early that the prion is not detectable). Colorado researchers
have developed an antemortem (live animal) tonsillar biopsy test for
CWD, which appears to work well for mule deer, but not for elk.
PREVENTION
Because transmission mechanisms are still not well understood, it
is difficult to recommend measures to prevent spread of the disease.
Surveillance, culling, and testing are performed in areas where cases
of CWD have been identified in an attempt to contain the disease within
that endemic area. Unfortunately, no vaccine or preventatives exist and
there is no evidence that immunity to CWD develops.
TREATMENT
No treatment currently exists for cervids with CWD. The disease is
uniformly fatal.
INFECTION CONTROL
The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and
Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) provides assistance to state
officials in diagnosing CWD and in monitoring international and
interstate movements of captive animals to help prevent its spread.
Several state and national appropriations bills have been passed to
provide funding for much needed research on CWD. In an effort to
contain and eventually eradicate CWD, state and Federal agricultural
and wildlife agencies are taking action including regulating and/or
banning interstate movement of captive cervids, enforcing more
stringent hunting policies, creating joint task forces, and developing
state-specific guidelines.
Members of the general public, hunters, and owners of cervid game
farms must be informed of the dangers CWD poses to deer and elk
populations, and take precautions necessary to reduce transmission.
Animals appearing to be ill should be reported to wildlife officials.
Deer feeding and baiting should be limited as this is an activity that
brings deer into close contact with one another. Double fencing of
captive herds will lessen contact with wild animals, and vigilant
surveillance and testing of these herds is recommended. Hunters should
avoid harvesting deer or elk that appear sick; should wear rubber
gloves while field dressing animals; should remove all bone and fatty
tissue from the meat of the animals; should minimize handling of the
brain, spinal cord, spleen, tonsils, lymph nodes, or eyes; should avoid
consuming any animal with positive test results for CWD; and should not
remove anything but pure meat (muscle) from endemic sites.
TRANSMISSIBLE SPONGIFORM ENCEPHALOPATHIES IN OTHER ANIMALS
The family of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE) in
animals includes scrapie, affecting sheep and goats; transmissible mink
encephalopathy; bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), commonly
referred to as ``mad cow disease,'' affecting cattle; and, in humans,
kuru, classic and variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), Gerstmann-
Straussler syndrome, and fatal familial insomnia.
At the present time there is no evidence that CWD is easily
transmittable to livestock or other ruminants such as sheep, cattle, or
goats under natural conditions. Livestock housed with infected deer or
elk, or those having ingested brain tissue of infected animals, have
not developed the disease. Chronic wasting disease has been
experimentally transmitted to mice, ferrets, mink, goats, squirrel
monkeys, and calves.
IMPLICATIONS OF CWD FOR HUMANS
There is currently no evidence that CWD is naturally transmitted to
humans, either through contact with affected animals or by eating meat
from infected animals. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
however, has issued the following statement:
``It is generally prudent to avoid consuming food derived
from any animal with evidence of a TSE. To date, there is no
evidence that CWD has been transmitted or can be transmitted to
humans under natural conditions. However, there is not yet
strong evidence that such transmissions could not occur. To
further assess the possibility that the CWD agent might
occasionally cause disease in humans, additional epidemiologic
and laboratory studies could be helpful. Such studies include
molecular characterization and strain typing of the agents
causing CWD in deer and elk and CJD in potentially exposed
patients. Ongoing national surveillance for CJD and other
neurologic cases will remain important for continuing to assess
the risk, if any, of CWD transmission to humans.''
Routine precautions should be taken when handling carcasses of
animals that may be infected.
__________
Statement of Gary J. Wolfe, Ph.D., Project Leader, Chronic Wasting
Disease Alliance, Missoula, MT
Good morning Mr. Chairman and distinguished members of the
Subcommittee. My name is Gary Wolfe and I represent the Chronic Wasting
Disease Alliance . . . a coalition of 15 organizations and businesses
who are deeply concerned about Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). We
sincerely appreciate the opportunity to appear before you today to
share our concerns regarding CWD, an issue of considerable importance
to sportsmen across the country. Thank you for giving this serious
wildlife disease issue your attention.
CWD ALLIANCE
I would like to take a moment to share with you a brief history of
the CWD Alliance, as it illustrates the significant concern CWD has
generated among America's sportsmen, conservationists and the outdoor
industry.
In January 2002, the Boone and Crockett Club, Mule Deer Foundation
and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (three of the nation's leading
sportsmen's-based, nonprofit wildlife conservation organizations) were
becoming increasingly concerned about the impact CWD was having, and
may continue to have, on North America's wild deer and elk populations.
They were also concerned about the impact this disease may have upon
millions of hunters' desire and opportunity to hunt deer and elk each
fall, and upon their confidence to put healthful wild venison on their
families' tables. In response to these concerns, these three
organizations initiated a collaborative project . . . the Chronic
Wasting Disease Alliance.
During the ensuing 2 years, other organizations and businesses
joined the Alliance's effort. The CWD Alliance currently consists of 15
partners and sponsors: Boone and Crockett Club, Mule Deer Foundation,
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, National Shooting Sports Foundation,
Pope and Young Club, Quality Deer Management Association, Wildlife
Management Institute, Bowhunting Preservation Alliance, Izaak Walton
League of America, Camp Fire Conservation Fund, Dallas Safari Club,
Whitetails Unlimited, Cabela's (sponsor), Bio-Rad Laboratories
(sponsor), and IDEXX Laboratories (sponsor).
The mission of the CWD Alliance is to promote responsible and
accurate communications regarding CWD, and to support strategies that
effectively control CWD to minimize its impact on wild, free-ranging
deer and elk populations.
Alliance partners pool resources, share information and cooperate
on projects and activities to positively impact the CWD issue. The
Alliance recognizes that appropriate public information and education
are vital to the resolution of the CWD dilemma. In an effort to promote
responsible, timely and accurate communications the Alliance has:
<bullet> Developed and maintained a comprehensive, informative CWD
website to facilitate the public's access to basic CWD information,
breaking CWD news, scientific literature, recommendations from
professional wildlife management agencies, and links to other CWD
information sources. The website (www.cwd-info.org) was launched in
July 2002, and has received more than 257,000 visits.
<bullet> Co-sponsored and/or participated in CWD conferences and
seminars in numerous locals throughout North America.
<bullet> Served as a resource for media sources seeking credible
information about CWD.
<bullet> Published responsible and accurate CWD articles in their
respective organization's member magazines.
<bullet> Collaborated on the development of a CWD information and
training video for hunters.
<bullet> Participated on several interdisciplinary, multi-agency
CWD task forces and committees.
<bullet> Participated as a partner with state and Federal agencies
to assist with implementing the ``Communications'' section of the Plan
for Assisting States, Federal Agencies and Tribes in Managing Chronic
Wasting Disease in Wild and Captive Cervids.
Alliance partners and sponsors collectively contributed more than
$102,000 during 2002-2003 to support the CWD Alliance project, and have
pledged and additional $83,000 for the Alliance's 2004 activities.
NATIONAL CWD STRATEGY
The CWD Alliance has actively monitored the responses of the
various state and Federal agencies to CWD, and has participated in
numerous planning activities and task force meetings. We believe there
has been an exceptional level of interagency coordination and
cooperation in responding to this wildlife disease crisis.
In June 2002, a task force of Federal agencies and state wildlife
management agencies completed the Plan for Assisting States, Federal
Agencies and Tribes in Managing Chronic Wasting Disease in Wild and
Captive Cervids (National CWD Plan) and presented it to Congress. The
National CWD Plan lays out an aggressive, coordinated interagency
strategy for managing CWD, and was followed-up by an Implementation
Document that identified specific actions for addressing CWD. State
wildlife agencies, universities, and Federal agencies have utilized the
Implementation Document to guide their response to CWD and have
directed funds to the ongoing battle against this disease.
The Implementation Document identified budget needs to address CWD,
excluding funding for environmental compliance activities, of
$108,360,000 over a 3-year period. The majority of this funding was
identified to come from congressional appropriations, while the
remainder would be redirected funds from various Federal, state, and
tribal agencies.
We appreciate the funding Congress has authorized for CWD, and the
support APHIS and the USGS have provided to the state wildlife
management agencies. Considerable progress has been made, especially in
terms of surveillance and management of CWD in free-ranging cervids,
research, dissemination of information, and publication by APHIS of the
proposed rules on Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Herd Certification
Program and Interstate Movement of Captive Deer and Elk. However, there
has not been adequate Federal funding for full implementation of the
National CWD Plan.
HOW CONGRESS CAN HELP
Significant progress has been made addressing the challenges of
managing CWD, but much more work is needed. State wildlife management
agencies are on the front line of CWD management, surveillance, and
research; and are the agencies in greatest need of financial support
for CWD activities.
State wildlife agencies have redirected critical wildlife
management funds from other programs to address CWD issues. The
International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (IAFWA) reports
that state wildlife agencies collectively expended approximately $15.2M
on CWD in fiscal year 2003 (Progress Report on the Implementation
Document for the Plan for Assisting States, Federal Agencies and Tribes
in Managing Chronic Wasting Disease in Wild Cervids, October 2002-
September 2003). The CWD Alliance is especially concerned that this
redirection of limited state wildlife agency funds is not adequate to
address the CWD issue, and will have negative impacts on other
important wildlife management and conservation programs.
We would like to offer the following general recommendations
regarding how Congress can support state wildlife management agencies,
state agricultural agencies, tribal governments and Federal agencies in
the control of CWD:
<bullet> Expanded funding for the National CWD Plan is a top
priority. The International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies
(IAFWA) recently identified $34.15M of CWD funding needs for the fiscal
year 2005 Federal budget (Appendix A). We encourage Congress to
seriously consider IAFWA's recommendations when determining
appropriations for the National CWD Plan in the fiscal year 2005
Federal budget, especially the suggested $19.2M of grants to assist
states and tribes.
<bullet> Additional legislation granting agencies authority to
address CWD or creating additional bureaucracy is not needed.
Successful control and eradication of CWD will depend upon a
cooperative approach and a well-coordinated effort between Federal and
state agencies. The respective Federal and state agencies have the
necessary authority and mechanisms to address this issue. They have
been doing an exemplary job of coordinating and collaborating with each
other; an excellent strategy has been identified via the National CWD
Plan; and specific action plans have been identified in the
Implementation Document. Congress can best assist through the
appropriations process.
<bullet> Any CWD legislation should recognize and reinforce the
principle that state wildlife agencies have the primary responsibility
for managing wild cervid populations. We encourage Congress to rely
heavily on the recommendations of the state wildlife agencies when
considering CWD legislation.
<bullet> We would like to thank Senators Allard, Feingold and Crapo
for introducing S. 1366, the Chronic Wasting Disease Financial
Assistance Act of 2003. It addresses many of the concerns we have
regarding adequate funding for the National CWD Plan, and is consistent
with our general recommendations regarding how Congress can help state
and tribal wildlife management agencies deal with CWD. Specifically we:
<bullet> Are pleased that S. 1366 recognizes that ``The States
retain undisputed primacy and policymaking authority with regard to
wildlife management . . .'' (section 2(b)(1)).
<bullet> Support ``grants to assist States in developing and
implementing long term management strategies to address chronic wasting
disease in wild cervids'' (section 3(a)), and ``in responding to
chronic wasting disease outbreaks in wild cervids'' (section 4(a)).
<bullet> Support ``grants to tribal wildlife management agencies to
assist Indian tribes in developing and implementing long term
management strategies to address chronic wasting disease in wild
cervids'' (section 5(a)).
<bullet> Believe the $20.5M of grants to states and tribes
authorized by S. 1366 is urgently needed by the states, and is
necessary to adequately implement the National CWD Plan.
<bullet> Request that any CWD funding that is administered through
the Federal Assistance Program of the United States Fish and Wildlife
Service (section 6) not be a redirection of existing Pitman-Robertson
Federal Aid funds to CWD, but newly appropriated money.
In conclusion, America's wild deer and elk populations are
priceless treasures. They are a source of beauty, inspiration and
recreation for millions of Americans, and they infuse billions of
dollars annually into our national economy. Their health and vitality
must be protected!
Once again, thank you for the opportunity to share our concerns and
recommendations on this very important wildlife disease issue.
______
Appendix A.--Assistance to States, Federal Agencies, and Tribes in
Managing Chronic Wasting Disease in Wild and Captive cervids
(Recommendations from the International Association of Fish and
Wildlife Agencies (March 3, 2004))
States, Federal agencies, and Tribes are addressing chronic wasting
disease (CWD) according to the 2002 Plan for Assisting States, Federal
Agencies and Tribes in Managing Chronic Wasting Disease in Wild and
Captive Cervids (National CWD Plan) and the Implementation Document for
the National CWD Plan. Considerable progress has been made, especially
in terms of surveillance and management of CWD in free-ranging cervids,
research, dissemination of information, and publication by APHIS of the
proposed rules on Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Herd Certification
Program and Interstate Movement of Captive Deer and Elk. To date, there
has been no consistent or unified Federal funding for full
implementation of the National Plan. However, USDA/APHIS/Veterinary
Services has provided funding toward control of CWD in the farmed
cervid industry and to the 50 state wildlife management agencies for
public education, as well as surveillance and management of CWD in wild
deer and elk. USDI agencies have redirected limited resources toward
their own CWD research and monitoring programs, and USGS has provided a
small amount of funds to several States for CWD monitoring. Because of
inadequate funding to all State and Federal agencies, important CWD-
related activities are being implemented incrementally and with limited
coordination. State wildlife management agencies are on the front line
of CWD management, surveillance, and research and are the agencies in
greatest need of financial support for CWD activities. To date, APHIS
grants for CWD work have been the most significant and helpful sources
of Federal assistance to State Wildlife Management Agencies.
Disease Management.--Goals are prevention, elimination, maintenance
or reduction of established prevalence, and/or containment of CWD,
depending onsite-specific CWD status. Needs are $9M (through USDA-
APHIS) for States, $2M for USDA, and $3.5M for USDI, including enhanced
funding through USGS-BRD for the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife
Disease Study (SCWDS).
Surveillance.--Goals are development of sampling plans, early
detection, determination of distribution and prevalence of CWD in free-
ranging cervids and epidemiologic investigations in the case of CWD in
farmed cervids. Funding needs are $7M (through USDA-APHIS) for States,
$1M for USDA, and $2.25M for USDI, including enhanced funding through
USGS-BRD for SCWDS.
Research.--Goals are rapid diagnostic tests, better understanding
of epidemiology and pathogenesis of CWD, management tools, and
understanding human dimensions related to CWD. Needs are $3.2M (through
USDA) for States, $1.5M for USDA, and $3.5M for USDI.
Diagnostics.--Objectives are to establish sufficient laboratory
capacity for testing, continue use of the immunohistochemistry
technique as the gold standard, assure diagnostic sample quality, and
assist with validation and application of high throughput screening
tests. Funding needs are $625K for USDA to assist State laboratories
and validate new tests and $50K to USDI for training assistance.
Communications.--Objectives are to increase awareness and educate
target audiences, provide timely scientific information on current
knowledge and advances in CWD management, and provide scientific and
technical training to agency personnel regarding CWD. State and Federal
(USDI) needs are approximately $105K and $400K, respectively.
FISCAL YEAR 2005 NEEDS TOTALS
States (through appropriations to USDA) for free ranging cervids:
$19.2M, USDA: $5.1M, USDI: $9.85M
Statement of P. Scott Hassett, Secretary, Wisconsin Department of
Natural Resources and Rod Nilsestuen, Secretary, Wisconsin Department
of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection
Thank you for the opportunity to present the following comments on
Wisconsin's experience with Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). We wish to
express our appreciation for the $18.6 million Congress allocated in
fiscal year 2004 funding to control CWD nationwide, especially the
$1.75 dedicated to CWD control work in Wisconsin. We value our Federal
partnership, and especially the vigilance of our Wisconsin
congressional delegation in getting the Federal Government to help
Wisconsin in our CWD management efforts.
Since the discovery of CWD in Wisconsin in February 2002, state
government has done everything in its power to find out where this
disease is located within our state and take actions to minimize the
long term damage it might cause. Wisconsin has formed an Interagency
CWD Response Team, consisting of representatives from the Wisconsin
Departments of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP),
Natural Resources (DNR) and Health and Family Services (DHFS). All
three agencies have already directed substantial resources to identify
the scope and magnitude of the problem and begin treatment--over $1
million for DATCP and over $16 million for DNR through December 31,
2003.
FARMED DEER AND ELK
In Wisconsin, DATCP manages CWD control efforts for Wisconsin's
farm-raised deer population. As of October 20, 2003, DATCP has 827
registered cervid farms containing about 35,000 cervids.
DATCP's CWD monitoring program requires individual animal
identification, detailed recordkeeping for all animals that join or
leave the herd, testing, and reporting escapes. Herds must be enrolled
if live animals move off the farm for any purpose other than slaughter.
There are 550 herds enrolled in the monitoring program, amounting to 67
percent of registered farms. Many of the remaining farms are hunting
preserves, which cannot enroll because of difficulties in keeping
animal censuses, or hobby farms that do not move live animals.
Wisconsin's farm-raised deer program also includes:
Animal Movement/Import: Deer and elk moving within Wisconsin must
be enrolled in the monitoring program and meet tuberculosis testing
requirements. Deer and elk entering Wisconsin must come from herds
under CWD surveillance/monitoring for 5 years, and must meet
brucellosis and tuberculosis testing requirements.
Testing: All deer and elk 16 months or older that die, go to
slaughter, or are killed must be tested for CWD, regardless of whether
they are in monitored herds. Since 1999 6,736 farm raised cervids have
been tested. The vast majority of those have been since February 2002.
CWD Positive Animals: To date, DATCP has found 15 CWD-positive
whitetails on farms and one CWD-positive elk. These have been in four
herds:
<bullet> Buckhorn Flats, a Portage County hunting preserve, has had
seven positive whitetails. DATCP has ordered the herd killed for
testing, pending a decision by an administrative law judge.
<bullet> A Walworth County breeding herd received whitetails from
one of the same sources as Buckhorn Flats. Early testing showed two
positives; when DATCP killed the herd, they found four more.
<bullet> A Manitowoc County farm received elk from a Minnesota farm
later found to be infected. A routine test turned up one positive.
DATCP killed the herd for testing and found no more.
<bullet> A Sauk County hobby farm had only four whitetails, one of
which tested positive in a routine test.
Quarantines: DATCP has 16 quarantines in place: seven related to
the Portage County positives; two where herds received elk from
infected Minnesota herds; one related to the Sauk County farm; and six
because they are within the DNR's disease eradication zone.
We support USDA's effort to establish a nation-wide CWD herd
certification program. The plan has set a goal of eradicating CWD
within the farmed cervid herds in the U.S. This is an important goal
and will put Wisconsin producers on equal footing with other producers
around the country and keep our U.S. producers competitive
internationally. We hope the committee will do what it can to assist
this important effort.
WILD DEER AND ELK
Wisconsin wildlife biologists began testing wild deer for CWD in
1999 and news of CWD in western wild and farmed deer and elk herds
became more common. In February 2002 Wisconsin discovered its first
confirmed cases on CWD when three deer harvested in southern Wisconsin
tested positive for CWD.
To date, 317 CWD positive wild white-tailed deer have been found in
Wisconsin, including 109 positives from the 2003-2004 hunting/sampling
seasons. Two apparently separate foci of CWD have been identified--the
approximately 800-sq. mile affected area in southwestern Wisconsin and
an area spanning 3 counties in the southeastern Wisconsin that border
the Illinois' CWD affected counties.
Over the past 2 years, our objectives have included:
<bullet> doing a comprehensive surveillance effort to determine
where CWD was found in our wild herds;
<bullet> undertaking and assisting research to better understand
the ecology of this disease;
<bullet> find better diagnostics;
<bullet> educate Wisconsin citizens about CWD; and
<bullet> prevent the spread of the disease from infected areas by
reducing the size of the infected deer herds.
Surveillance
Over the past 2 years, we have tested over 56,000 wild deer in
Wisconsin. In our statewide surveillance efforts we sampled with
sufficient intensity in most of our counties to give us a 90 percent
probability of detecting CWD if the disease was present at 1 percent
level of prevalence. We have sampled more intensively in and near our
known infection areas to give us information on whether prevalence is
changing and better define the geographic boundaries of the infection.
As part of our surveillance efforts, we worked very hard to develop
informational support systems that provides hunters with specific
information on the testing results for the deer they bring in. A
tracking program was developed that identifies each deer and the sample
from that deer with a unique bar coded number. The testing results are
then shared with the hunter, as soon as those results are available
from the laboratory. Both the surveillance program and the system to
track results from individual deer have been extremely valuable in
determining where CWD is located in the wild herd, and in providing
information many Wisconsin's deer hunters want. This information has
been critical in the development of a plan for addressing CWD in
Wisconsin, and in helping to assure the continuation of deer hunting as
an important tradition and wildlife management tool.
Research
Wisconsin continues to invest into CWD research programs, focused
on studies that will aid in management of CWD. Partnerships have been
established with University of Wisconsin, the USGS-National Wildlife
Health Center, USDA-ARS, and others, with a strong emphasis on sharing
Wisconsin CWD data and archived deer tissues. Recent findings of
significance to our management program include (1) evidence that
prevalence of CWD is significantly related to density of deer, and (2)
that there is significant spatial variation in deer harvest rates in
the Disease Eradication Zone. We will be undertaking Human Dimension
research this summer to better understand landowner attitudes regarding
CWD in the infected areas. Wisconsin research played a key role in the
USDA approval of an additional CWD diagnostic test in 2003.
Disease management
The best available research suggests that without management CWD
will spread steadily outward from infected areas and eventually impact
most of Wisconsin. In infected deer populations, the disease is
projected to significantly reduce the deer population as the prevalence
of the disease steadily increases. White-tailed deer are highly
regarded in Wisconsin and deeply ingrained in our way of life. An
estimated $1 billion dollars of economic activity is generated from
deer associated recreation. CWD represents a long-term threat to deer-
related activities.
In addition to CWD impacts on the abundance and health of wild deer
and elk herds, there are serious human health considerations to be
considered. We are grateful that no direct human health problems have
yet been attributed to CWD. We no links are ever found. However, we are
confronted with the reality that World Health Organization and Center
for Disease Control recommend that CWD-positive deer not be consumed.
As CWD prevalence increases and the size of the infected areas grow, an
increasing number of deer taken by hunters will be unsuitable for
consumption. There are very serious implications for wild herd
population control, as well as testing services.
CWD is a difficult disease to control. It is especially challenging
when it is found in wild herds. Our effort has required a tremendous
commitment of staff resources, expertise and funding. We've reallocated
significant resources from other wildlife management activities and
projects in Wisconsin over the past couple years. These reallocated
resources have been combined with funding received through the state
budget process, and the additional funding that has been made available
in the Federal budget to offset some of the costs associated with this
intensive effort to manage CWD.
WISCONSIN NEEDS
The work we do in Wisconsin is part of a national effort to control
this disease. As you can see, we have been busy in Wisconsin and still
have much to do. In spite of no official recognition of the National
CWD plan, much has been accomplished. We request your help in moving
the Federal Government to fully embrace the National CWD Plan and more
importantly provide the appropriations needed to implement the plan and
effectively manage the disease.
It is crucial for the Federal Government to provide coordination
and assistance on a national level with research, surveillance, disease
management, diagnostic testing, technology, communications, education,
and funding for state CWD programs. Federal agencies should provide
tools and financial assistance to states and help develop consistent,
unified approaches to CWD management.
Since May 2002, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and
Department of Interior (DOI), along with state and tribal wildlife
management and agriculture agencies, have been working together on a
National CWD Plan. A CWD Task Force was formed to ensure that Federal
and state agencies cooperate in the development and implementation of
an effective national CWD program.
Today--nearly 2 years later--we are still waiting for the release
of the proposal. We seek your assistance in encouraging the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) to release the National CWD Plan. A
comprehensive, multi-agency, long-term plan to fight CWD is needed with
support from the highest levels of the Federal Government. Issues
needing our collective attention include:
<bullet> development of a national data base to track and store
information about CWD;
<bullet> expansion of Federal ability to test for CWD;
<bullet> distribution of Federal dollars to help states data entry,
testing and control actions; and
<bullet> acceleration of state and other grants for the study of
the disease
<bullet> incentives for private landowners to control the disease
in wild herds using their land
Over the next few years, we estimate that it will cost about $7
million annually on an on-going basis in order for the DNR to carry out
the wild herd work needed to meet the goals of the CWD management plan.
These costs include staff resources that are being reallocated from
other areas, and there are some additional state and Federal funds that
have been made available. However, there are significant gaps in the
level of resources available for specific work in comparison to what is
needed on an on-going basis. This includes, for example, funding to
carry out the surveillance work, costs associated with herd reduction
efforts in those areas where CWD has been detected, and other costs
associated with disposal of unwanted carcasses and various research
efforts.
Both nationally and in Wisconsin, much still needs to be done. We
support S. 1036 because it provides a comprehensive blueprint to
address many of these issues, as it authorizes funds for CWD management
in both wild and farm-raised deer. In addition, we support the
following:
<bullet> Add that private labs must report to state any positives.
<bullet> Sec. 202 should read ``farm-raised'' deer and elk
<bullet> Narrow the ``captive wildlife'' reference to ``captive
cervid'' under Title II. Sec. 202 (2). All references to captive should
probably read ``farm-raised''--or perhaps ``farmed and captive'' to
cover farms, zoos, roadside exhibitors, cervids captured for research
or translocation, etc.
<bullet> For farm raised herd management, Wisconsin has sought
funds to make exposed--not just infected--captive deer herds eligible
for indemnity; subsidize sampling costs for CWD tests; and for a one-
time buyout for herds in eradication zones.
With the discovery of CWD in the wild and captive herds of
Wisconsin and other states, the farm raised cervid industry has lost
substantial value. In addition, new regulatory programs are proving to
costly to many herd owners. Unfortunately, the nature of the programs
and the disease make it very difficult and costly to go out-of-business
and there is little incentive to do it legally. In order to prevent
deer, with unknown health status, from being released into the wild or
moved without record in commerce, the Federal Government should provide
money for herd destruction and disposal costs to herd owners wanting to
cease operating.
Additional Federal funds could also be used to help cervid farmers
like Wes Ramage of Oakfield, Wisconsin. Officials in Pennsylvania and
Colorado denied Mr. Wes Ramage's request to ship elk to those states--
despite certification from Wisconsin officials that he had complied
with Wisconsin's CWD program for farm-raised cervidae--because those
states have stricter fencing requirements. Additional funds would help
Mr. Ramage pay for extra fencing on his property so that other states
would accept his elk.
Thank you again for your time and efforts on behalf of Wisconsin.
We appreciate your consideration of this request to join with us as
partners to ensure the health of our deer herd and the Wisconsin family
hunting tradition that depends on it. We look forward to continuing
this partnership as we work together to develop the strongest possible
Federal CWD program for Wisconsin and the Nation.
__________
Statement of Richard F. Bechtel, Senior Legislative Representative for
Wildlife Policy, National Wildlife Federation
Thank you for the opportunity for the National Wildlife Federation,
the Nation's largest conservation advocacy and education organization,
to submit testimony in support of S. 1366, the Chronic Wasting Disease
Financial Assistance Act of 2003. NWF can not emphasize enough the
bill's central purpose of providing increased funding for State fish
and wildlife agencies to manage and coontrol the disease.
Chronic Wasting Disease is a significant threat to our free-ranging
deer and elk populations, it heaps expenses upon affected State fish
and wildlife departments and is forcing the departments to divert
funding from important programs to surveillance, management, and
research of the disease. Where Chronic Wasting Disease occurs, it can
lower numbers of hunters, depress critical license revenues, and reduce
the economic activity so vital to rural communities that rely upon
economic contributions of hunters. Control and eradication of the
disease is extremely important as over 13 million people hunt each year
and spend over $20 billion dollars pursuing the activity.
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) has been a priority for NWF since the
early 1990s and became a major priority when the disease moved across
the Mississippi River into the wild and captive herds of Wisconsin.
Although the exact means of transmission is still unknown, evidence
indicates a major route of transmission is from captive to wild herds.
The recent spread of the disease to South Korea clearly illustrates the
danger posed by moving captive cervids within the country and overseas.
While control of captive herds may be difficult, management of the
disease is even more difficult and expensive when it moves to wild
herds.
NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION POLICY ON CWD
The National Wildlife Federation advocates disease management of
free-ranging wildlife populations by wildlife professionals working
under the authorities of State and Federal wildlife agencies. NWF
appreciates S. 1366's strong recognition of the primary authority of
States and tribes in management of fish and wildlife resources. NWF
supports Federal funding for research and management of wildlife
through the Department of the Interior and for research and management
of domestic livestock through the Department of Agriculture. However,
NWF is especially heartened by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service's realization that CWD must be addressed in both captive and
wild populations of cervids and its decision to pass through funding
for management and surveillance of CWD in wildlife to State fish and
wildlife agencies. Of all Federal CWD funding, this pass through has
been of the most help to States in their struggle to manage and
eradicate the disease. While Federal and State agencies believ they do
not need additional authority to address Chronic Wasting Disease, S.
1366 might be amended to codify the memoranda of agreement process that
APHIS has implemented to pass these funds through to State fish and
wildlife agencies. However, the funding pass thorough mechanism
proposed by APHIS cannot be used to leverage or dictate management to
State or Federal wildlife agencies. It must be provided to the
appropriate agencies with no management strings atached that would lead
to livestock style test and slaughter management of our Nation's
incredible wildlife resource.
NWF opposes cervid and big game ranches because of the increased
risk of disease transmission. NWF advocates physical barriers such as
double-fencing be erected and be maintained at trophy big game ranches
to absolutely preclude physical contact between wild and contained
animals as one mode of transmission is lateral from animal to animal.
Mechanisms to clearly identify and track captive deer and elk, such as
high visibility ear tags with registered numbers, are also necessary.
NWF also advocates strict limits on interstate transport of cervids and
other big game ranched animals until effective tests are developed to
certify the health of transported animals and mandatory testing of
those animals prior to transportation. Preventing the spread on CWD is
a small political and financial investment in our Nation's wildlife.
There is no known treatment or vaccine against CWD and this issue is a
classic case of ``an ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of
cure.'' Curing or eradicating CWD is impossible; preventing its spread
is a much more achievable goal.
The proposed rule, ``Chronic Wasting Disease Herd Certification
Program and Interstate Movement of Captive Deer and Elk,'' which APHIS
recently circulated for comment is a good first step in preventing CWD
in captive herds and poreventing transmission of the disease from
captive to wild herds. However, the proposed rule contains several
provisions, which breach the protection the regulation is designed to
provide, especially its voluntary nature, its grandfather provisions,
and its allowance of interstate transport of captive cervids before
herds achieve 5-year certification.
In conclusion, the National Wildlife Federation supports the
increased funding that enactment of S. 1366 would authorize for State
fish and wildlife agencies. NWF also endorses CWD appropriations at the
levels recommended by the International Association of Fish and
Wildlife Agencies to implement the National Plan for Assisting States,
Federal Agencies, and Tribes in Managing Chronic Wasting Disease in
Wildlife and Captive Cervids. NWF especially wants to thank the
sponsors of S. 1366 and the members of the subcommitttee for providing
critically needed oversight of the coordination and funding needs of
Federal Chronic Wasting Disease programs. NWF also promises to work
with the sponsors and members of the subcommittee to seek appropriation
at these levels for State and tribal fish and wildlife agencies.
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