Noxious Weed Information
- The Plant Protection Act
- Colorado Noxious Weed Act
- Colorado's Strategic Plan to Stop the Spread of Noxious Weeds
- Noxious Weed Links
- Colorado
- Federal and Other States
The
Plant Protection Act (PPA) was signed into law in 2000. It replaces
the Federal Noxious Weed Act of 1975, which gave the USDA the responsibility
to designate certain foreign weeds as noxious and to prevent the entry
of these weeds into the U.S. New infestations of noxious weeds were quarantined
and controlled or eradicated. A permit from USDA was required to import
plants or plant products into this country. Another permit was required
to move designated noxious weeds into and throughout the U.S., whether
by mail, freight, baggage, or by carrying them.
The PPA:
- Streamlines, modernizes, and enhances the
authority of the Secretary of Agriculture relating to plant protection
and quarantine
- Prohibits the import, export, and movement in interstate commerce, or mailing of any plant pest unless authorized by the Secretary of Agriculture
- Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture, and through delegated authority, USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), the ability to prohibit or restrict the import, export, or movement in interstate commerce of any plant, plant product, biological control organism, noxious weed, or means of conveyance to prevent the introduction or dissemination of a plant pest or noxious weed
- Combines all or a portion of 11 existing
USDA plant health laws into one comprehensive law, including the authority
to regulate plants, plant products, certain biological control organisms,
noxious weeds, and plant pests
The PPA expands the definition of a noxious
weed from the definition in the Federal Noxious Weed Act, which included
only weeds that were of foreign origin, new to, or not widely prevalent,
in the U.S. The PPA defines a noxious weed as a weed that could bring
harm to agriculture, the public health, navigation, irrigation, natural
resources, or the environment. Under the PPA, regulations for noxious
weeds are similar to those for plant pests.
Under the PPA, the Secretary of Agriculture
and APHIS have the authority to declare an extraordinary emergency when
a newly introduced or not widely prevalent noxious weed poses a significant
threat and to declare an emergency that would enable the transfer of money
from other agencies or corporations of the USDA to cover the cost of eradicating
the weed. An extraordinary emergency declaration gives APHIS the authority
to hold, seize, quarantine, treat, or destroy any plant or plant product
being moved within a State that is believed to be infested with a plant
pest or noxious weed. This authority is used when a State is unable to
take the necessary measures itself.
The PPA allows the Secretary of Agriculture
to develop a classification system to describe the status and action level
for a specific noxious weed. In conjunction with the classification system,
the Secretary may develop integrated management plans for noxious weeds
for the specific geographic region or ecological range where the noxious
weed is found in the U.S.
A list of noxious weeds that are prohibited
from entering the U.S. or moving among States, except under a permit with
restricted conditions, is currently available on the APHIS
website. Any person may petition the Secretary of Agriculture to add
or remove a plant species from this list.
Colorado Noxious Weed Act - Return to top -
Click here for the State Noxious Weeds List (including Noxious Weed Profiles Images and Maps)
Under the Colorado
Noxious Weed Act, Title 35, Article 5.5, the Colorado general assembly
has placed all Colorado lands under the jurisdiction of local governments
that have been delegated the responsibility and power to assure the management
of state and locally designated noxious weeds. Generally speaking, the
Colorado Noxious Weed Act has five parts:
- Definition of a Noxious Weed. The
law defines noxious weeds as plant species that are not indigenous (native)
to the state of Colorado and meet at least one of several criteria regarding
their negative impacts upon crops, native plant communities, livestock,
and the management of natural or agricultural systems. This definition
applies to species listed by both state and local governing bodies.
- Native plant species, those species
that are indigenous to Colorado, may not be designated as noxious weeds
by either state or local governments. Furthermore, the law does not
permit distinctions to be made regarding the historical range or habitats
of native species. Therefore, even a native species that expands its
range within Colorado due to human influences and otherwise meets the
descriptive criteria as a noxious weed may not be listed as such.
- Duties and Powers of Local Governing Bodies. The law confers upon the local governing bodies of counties and municipalities a number of responsibilities and powers to manage noxious weeds on both public and private lands.
- Duties of State Government Entities.
The law outlines the responsibilities of state government entities to
manage noxious weeds on properties subject to their jurisdiction. If
these entities fail to carry out these responsibilities, they are liable
to the appropriate local governing body.
- State Weed Coordinator. The law creates
the position of state weed coordinator and outlines his/her duties.
Noxious Weed Management Fund. The law
creates the fiscal structure for a noxious weed management fund and provides
restrictions governing its uses. The law stipulates that the general assembly
must appropriate moneys in the fund annually to cover costs incurred by
the CDA in administering the law and to provide grants or contracts to
communities, weed control districts, and other entities considered appropriate
for noxious weed management projects.
Colorado Noxious Weed Management Program
The goals of the Colorado Noxious Weed Management
Program are to prevent the introduction of new invasive plant species,
eradicate species with isolated or limited populations, and contain and
manage those invasive species that are well established and widespread
in Colorado.
To accomplish these goals, the Noxious Weed
Management Program:
- implements preventative strategies to reduce
the opportunity for new invasive species to spread into Colorado
- provides information and resources to local
weed managers to quickly and effectively eradicate small populations
of established noxious weeds
- helps establish local weed management areas
emphasizing coordinated efforts among public and private landowners
to effectively manage widespread weed populations
- educates public agency staff and private
citizens about the negative impacts associated with noxious weeds and
how to manage them successfully
Colorado's
Strategic Plan to Stop the Spread of Noxious Weeds
The purpose of the strategic plan is to provide
a framework for a coordinated, statewide effort among Colorado's citizens,
private landowners, public agencies, businesses, non-governmental organizations,
and elected officials to manage noxious weeds successfully now and into
the future. It describes a shared vision for Colorado's future and identifies
the goals that must be met to make this vision a reality. It also provides
a framework for prioritizing and allocating resources for education, management,
research, and other efforts that will be necessary to meet these goals
in a cost-effective and timely manner.
Colorado's strategic noxious weed management
plan has identified four goals, or conditions, that must be met:
- Curb the introduction of new noxious weed
species into Colorado
- Prevent the establishment of newly introduced
noxious weed species in Colorado
- Stop the spread of noxious weed species
that are already so well-established within Colorado that statewide
eradication is no longer possible
- Restore lands of exceptional agricultural
and environmental value
Noxious Weed Links - Return to top -
- Colorado
The Colorado Department of Agriculture has compiled a great deal of information about noxious weeds, including the following:- Noxious Weed Management Program - Goals of the program and links to information about funding, weed management efforts in CO, and a summary of the Noxious Weed Act.
- County Noxious Weed Programs - Colorado county noxious weed programs, including county website links, county noxious weed lists, and weed board members.
- Rules and Regulations - Rules and regulations pertaining to the administration and enforcement of the Colorado Weed Management Act.
- Federal and Other States
- USDA Plants Databases - Invasive Plants
- USDA Federal Noxious Weeds Program
- USDA Ag Research Service - Invaders Database System
- Bureau of Land Management Weed Website
- Arizona Department of Ag Plant Services Division
- California Bureau of Land Management - Noxious Weeds
- Idaho Department of Ag - Noxious Weed Program
- Idaho OnePlan - Noxious Weeds
- Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board
- Weed Science Society of America
- Western Society of Weed Science
