Statement of U.S. Senator Russ Feingold Submitted to the Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, and Water Hearing
Posted at 14:54:13 on April 7, 2004
Color me dumb for having missed this yesterday, but Senator Russ Feingold submitted a statement yesterday (Read the full statement here) in regards to Chronic Wasting disease to the Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, and Water Hearing. Here's an excerpt:
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.
- Trae
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