December 2021 OISC Meeting Recap

In case you missed it, here is a recap of the most recent Oregon Invasive Species Council (OISC) meeting held on December 8, 2021. We had 28 attendees representing 24 organizations in total. Representation included 5 Federal Agencies, 6 State Agencies, 2 Educational Institutions, NGOs, advocacy groups, and individuals.

Highlights from the December meeting include: 

• 2 outgoing OISC members were recognized: Dave Pranger (Morrow County) and Jas. Adams (Public Member). The Council appreciates and values their expertise, input, and knowledge over the years.

• The Council approved the nomination of Troy Abercrombie (Western Invasives Network) as Chair and Christine Moffitt (Friends of South Slough Reserve) as Vice Chair for the upcoming year.

• Rick Boatner (2021 OISC Chair, Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife) gave an update on the 2021-2023 OISC budget, including the status of multiple federal grants. The Budget/Funding Committee will be working with the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) to figure out discrepancies in budget summaries.

• Rebecca McCoun (North Santiam Watershed Council) gave a presentation on Post-Fire Recovery in the North Santiam Watershed. View the presentation here. 

• Chris Benemann (Oregon Department of Agriculture) gave an update on new, upcoming quarantine rules. This includes making the 180-day emergency rule that was put in place following the interception of of zebra mussels on “moss balls” permanent. The permanent rule would require pre-notification of import into Oregon of these moss balls/marimo. ODA is also looking to implement a new quarantine for spotted lanternfly, which is already spreading rapidly on the east coast. The quarantine would be split into commerce (e.g. nursery stock) and non-commerce (e.g. people moving here from infested areas). 

• Catherine de Rivera (Portland State University) gave an update on the Memorandum of Understanding with ODA. Next steps include the Legislative Committee working with ODA to pursue insurance coverage for the OISC. 

• Karen Ripley (USDA Forest Service) gave an update on behalf of the Communications Committee. The 2020 Annual Report was finalized and is available here. 

Thank you to everyone that was able to join us for the meeting! The next meeting will be held virtually on January 11, 2022. Information about upcoming OISC meetings will be posted on the OISC Meetings Page as details are confirmed. 

Save the Date! 12/15 Columbia Basin CWMA Webinar

Register now for the upcoming Columbia Basin Cooperative Weed Management Area December webinar, taking place December 15th from 12-3 pm Pacific time via GoToWebinar.

The webinar will feature updates on flowering rush from basin states and provinces, progress on biocontrol and other management topics. View the agenda here.

Register for Columbia River CWMA Fall Webinar 2021:
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1273285460995986959

ODFW Talks Invasive Species with Council Member

On episode 33 of the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife’s (ODFW) Beaver State Podcast, you can listen to ODFW Invasive Species Coordinator & OISC member, Rick Boatner, talk about the invasive species he is currently fighting, the invasive species he is currently worried about, and more! 

Listen now here: https://myodfw.com/articles/beaver-state-podcast-episode-33-invasive-species

Survey about Invasive Species in a Changing Climate

If you are interested and/or have experience in invasive species management and climate change adaptation, please take 10-15 minutes to participate in a survey about invasive species in a changing climate. This survey will help shape the strategic agenda and action plan for the newly formed Northwest Regional Invasive Species and Climate Change (NW RISCC) Network.

The NW RISCC Network is a partnership of several regional agencies and organizations dedicated to helping practitioners address the nexus of climate change and invasive species, including plants, animals, and pathogens. The objective of NW RISCC Network and of the survey is to help practitioners within federal, tribal, state, and local agencies and conservation organizations integrate climate change science and adaptation with invasive species prevention, early detection, control, monitoring, and research activities.

As mentioned above, the NW RISCC Network is seeking input from individuals with an interest and/or experience in invasive species management and climate change adaptation. This includes scientists, resource managers, conservation practitioners, field crew personnel, fire managers, agency leads, agricultural specialists, and more. If you would like to participate, please complete the survey by November 25, 2020. Your responses will be summarized (without names) and shared with respondents. You are also encouraged to forward the survey to others who may be interested in participating.

Click here to take the Climate Change and Invasive Species in the Northwest survey.

Submit Your Comments: Vessel Incidental Discharge National Standards of Performance

The information below was pulled from The Federal Register: Vessel Incidental Discharge National Standards of Performance.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is accepting public comment on a proposed rule under the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act (VIDA) that would establish national standards of performance for marine pollution control devices for discharges incidental to the normal operation of primarily non-military and non-recreational vessels 79 feet in length and above into the waters of the United States or the waters of the contiguous zone. The VIDA specifically includes aquatic nuisance species (ANS) in the category of nonconventional pollutants to be regulated through the application of best available technology and best practicable technology. ANS may be incidentally discharged or released from a vessel's operations through a variety of vessel systems and equipment, including but not limited to ballast water, sediment from ballast tanks, vessel hulls and appendages, seawater piping, chain lockers, and anchor chains. ANS pose severe threats to aquatic ecosystems, including outcompeting native species, damaging habitat, changing food webs, and altering the chemical and physical aquatic environment. Furthermore, ANS can have profound and wide-ranging socioeconomic impacts, such as damage to recreational and commercial fisheries, infrastructure, and water-based recreation and tourism. Once established, it is extremely challenging and costly to remove ANS and remediate the impacts. It has become even more critical to control discharges of ANS from vessel systems and equipment with the increase in ship traffic due to globalization and increased trade.

Comments on the proposed rule must be received on or before November 25, 2020. Submit your comments to the public docket for this proposed rule, identified by Docket No. EPA-HQ-OW-2019-0482, at https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting comments. All submissions received must include the Docket ID No. for this rulemaking. Comments received may be posted without change to https://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided. 

For more information on how to submit a comment, please visit: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/10/26/2020-22385/vessel-incidental-discharge-national-standards-of-performance.