[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 171 (Tuesday, October 29, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S6238]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            ANNIVERSARY OF THE WYOMING WEED AND PEST COUNCIL

  Mr. BARRASSO. Madam President, I rise today to recognize a 
significant anniversary for the Wyoming Weed and Pest Council. When 
they meet in a few short weeks, the council will celebrate 75 years of 
service to Wyoming ecosystems and communities. While the council is 
partially funded by the State of Wyoming, the council's success lies in 
dedication of staff, volunteers, seasonal employees, and partners who 
dedicate themselves to eradicating invasive species and noxious weeds.
  Invasive species threaten the delicate balance in nearly every 
ecosystem. Around the world, invasive species cause billions of dollars 
in damage to the environment and to economies each year. They threaten 
watersheds, forests, and grasslands. They crowd out important native 
species, increase the risk of catastrophic wildfires, introduce 
disease, and fundamentally undermine the natural cycle of life. 
Dedicated experts work each day to stem the tide of new introductions.
  Each of the 23 counties in Wyoming has a Weed and Pest District, run 
by staff and an elected board. The districts set policy, monitor 
existing infestations, work with the public to develop a comprehensive 
list of risks, and act quickly when new species are detected. Often, 
Weed and Pest supervisors wear many hats; depending on the hour, they 
are grant writers, weed sprayers, staff managers, and policy experts.
  Wyoming Weed and Pest coordinator, Slade Franklin, detailed the 
important work of the council when I invited him to testify before the 
Environment and Public Works Committee earlier this year. In his 
testimony, Slade shared the coordination that is required to ensure 
invasive species are not able to gain an advantage in States where 
lands are managed by multiple jurisdictions. Slade knows that invasive 
species do not respect fence lines, and during his decade-long 
leadership of the Wyoming Weed and Pest Council, he has forged 
important relationships with local, State, and Federal agencies. His 
leadership has been integral in many of the State's successes.
  It is without hesitation that I say Wyoming's forests and plains 
would look much different today if the Wyoming Weed and Pest Council 
had not unified in 1973. While the State has struggled with cheatgrass 
and Russian olive, they have been hugely successful in preventing new 
infestations of invasive mussels and limiting spread of other grasses, 
like ventenata. Each municipal water manager, rancher, hiker, forester, 
hunter, and miner owes a debt of gratitude for the good work of the 
Wyoming Weed and Pest Council.
  Whether they work from horseback, ATV, the air, or a desk, I rise 
today to honor the dedicated professionals to work to keep our 
ecosystems healthy. My wife, Bobbi, joins me in thanking them and 
wishing the Wyoming Weed and Pest Council another 75 years of success.

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