The North American Invasive Species Management Association (NAISMA) supports prioritizing funding for invasive species prevention and management from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58). Focusing on creating jobs for invasive species prevention, education, management, and research will enhance and help to secure America’s future. NAISMA recommends funding be used for the following high priority, nationwide prevention strategies and management activities:
- Install PlayCleanGo® boot brush stations, signs, and tools at all federally owned or managed public trailheads and outdoor recreation sites.
- Expand InvasivesU by developing and making available new educational and informational online invasive species training opportunities.
- Provide support for the Certified Weed Free Products program and strategically broaden it to all states, including establishing a cost-share program for inspection services and incentives for agricultural and industrial producers.
- Implement watercraft inspection and decontamination stations at federally owned or managed public waters with motorized boating access, and along major E-W highways along the 100th meridian.
- Build and maintain watercraft decontamination “dip tanks” (similar to at Lake Powell) at Lake Mead, Lake Havasu, and Lake Pleasant to contain quagga mussels in the Lower Colorado River Basin.
NAISMA advocates across all governmental regulatory agencies for increased capacity for invasive species programs, along with the implementation of standards and indicators to measure the impacts of invasive species. Education by NAISMA on the topic of infrastructure and invasive species during the 117th Congress include:
- NAISMA sent a letter to the Congressional Appropriations Committees leadership, staff, and the Caucus Co-Chairs recommending budget allocations for invasive species among federal agencies.
- NAISMA joined The Entomological Society of America in a letter supporting H.B. 1389: The Invasive Species Prevention and Forest Restoration Act
- NAISMA signed onto a letter with over 350 non-academic organizations, led by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, to support the request for $11.5 billion in agricultural research infrastructure.
- NAISMA sent a letter to the Chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources and to the House Committee on Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment in support of the (HR 5692) Stop the Spread of Invasive Mussels Act of 2021.
- NAISMA sent a letter to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee in support of Section 202 of S.3266 The Outdoor Recreation Act.
During the 116th Congress in May of 2020, NAISMA released a position paper on Transportation Funding and Invasive Species Management.