March 2, 2007 [New York] - " In 2005, Senator Little, a member of the state Senate Environmental Conservation Committee, helped to secure $1 million in state funding for aquatic invasive species eradication projects . From Eurasian watermilfoil control in Upper Saranac Lake to zebra mussel management in Lake Champlain, 31 projects statewide were awarded grants. Since then, the New York State Budget has included dedicated funding for invasive species work throughout the state — $3.25 million in fiscal year 2006-07 and a proposed $5 million this year ... " (Sen. Betty Little Recognized for Supporting Invasive Species Funding) (Adirondack Daily Enterprise)

February 28, 2007 - " Already reeling from a $550,000 loss in miconia-control money from the National Park Service , the Maui Invasive Species Committee faces another cut in federal funding, committee manager Teya Penniman said Tuesday. She said she anticipates a 25 percent cutback in funding from the U.S. Forest Service, a loss of $50,000 from the service's $200,000 annual contribution to the eradication program. MISC is receiving $1.3 million from county, state and federal sources, not including national parks support... " (Miconia Fighters Face Funding Cut) (Mauinews.com)

February 26, 2007 - " In August 2006, Maryland officials confirmed the presence of the EAB, which was believed to be introduced by a shipment of EAB infested ash trees from Michigan in 2003... New York's Invasive Species Task Force is helping to coordinate the State's investigation of and response to the threat of EAB and other invasive species. Governor Spitzer's Executive Budget proposes record funding of $5 million to support these invasive species efforts... To date more than $100 million has been spent on research, eradication and reforestation efforts... USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service estimates that if EAB is not contained or eradicated it will cost state and local governments $7 billion over the next 25 years to remove and replace dying ash trees. " (New York Assists in Eliminating Pest That Kills Ash Trees - Emerald Ash Borer Detected in Maryland; New State Helps in Eradication) (New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets

December 19, 2006 - " A new study shows that screening for potentially harmful foreign plant species before they are imported is more economically beneficial than fighting them after they take root in new areas ... Often, the costs of invasives species are borne by taxpayers, as in the Great Lakes, where the U.S. and Canadian governments together have spent about $15 million annually since 1956, controlling sea lampreys. In 2003, Federal and state agencies spent more than $14 million to slow the spread of European gypsy moths along a ten state line . " (Screening for Invasive Species Could Save U.S. Billions) (NewsWise.com)

November 30, 2006 - " The combined budget devoted to invasive species for seven top agencies last year was $1.25 billion , with the Department of Agriculture allocated more than $1 billion of the total. Prevention programs were budgeted at $137 million and rapid response $257 million, while $465 million was spent on control efforts and $227 million on research. Far behind in spending were education/public awareness at $60 million and restoration with $42 million . " (INVASIVE SPECIES: Closing the door to exotic hitchhikers) (Authur O'Donnell, Land Letter editor)

November 30, 2006 - " The Nature Conservancy and Meijer stores are joining forces to battle the spread of invasive plants. ... Under the partnership, Meijer is donating $450,000 during the next three years to discourage invasive plants and to protect Lake Michigan's shoreline. " (Meijer donates $450,000 to fight spread of invasive plants) (Detroit Free Press)

November, 2006 - On Dead Tamarisk Removal: " Costs for removal could range from $50 to $150 for controlled burns to approximately $400 per acre for mechanical mulching for highly infested areas (IH) or approximately $200 per acre for mechanical removal for moderately infested areas (IM). " and on Revegetation: " The general ranges of costs can be assumed to be: $0 costs where revegetation will be entirely natural, $50 to $250 for minor reseeding, $250 to $500 for moderate revegetation efforts, and $500 to $1,500 for major revegetation activities (Lair 2005). " Quote from: "The Tamarisk Coalition. 2006. Cost Components for Non-Native Phreatophyte Control ( * MSWord document).

October 6, 2006 - " Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns today announced that universities in seven states will receive $1.1 million to study the economic implications of preventing, controlling, or eradicating invasive pests and diseases. " (USDA Awards $1.1 Million for Researching the Economic Effects of Strategies to Combat Invasive Pests) (USDA.gov)

August 22, 2006 - "Scientists from the Desert Laboratory issued a call to arms on Tuesday, telling Pima County it must spend millions to eradicate buffelgrass or face the "unhinging" of the Sonoran Desert ecosystem"..."So far, the county has put roughly $100,000 toward buffelgrass removal, most of it along county roads." (Scientists: Buffelgrass a threat. Call for millions in funding to eradicate non-native, fire-fueling 'noxious weed') (azstarnet.com)

July 6, 2006 - " This bill will set aside $2 million in state money to establish a grant program that will assist our cities and towns with grants to control the harmful effects of invasive plant species such as weeds that fill up our lakes, ponds, rivers and wetlands. " (Falzone sponsors bill to combat invasive species. Wakefield Observer townoline.com)

June 25, 2006 - " Dr. Christopher Pierce, who serves as the state survey coordinator for the Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey (CAPS) at Purdue University, says there's about 300 million ash trees in Indiana. Estimates are that the emerald ash borer could cost the state $90 billion over the next 25-30 years . " (What's bugging you?. Crawfordsville journalreview.com)

June 5, 2006 - " New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Denise M. Sheehan today announced $1 million as part of the first aquatic Invasive Species Eradication Grants. .." ($1 Million in Aquatic Invasive Species Grants Awarded to Protect Critical Resources. EMPIRE Information Services)

June 02, 2006 - " [Feral] pigs can wreak havoc on farms and forestlands - though still relatively rare in Oregon, they do an estimated $800 million in agricultural damage annually across the country ." (Feral Pigs Now Found from Brookings to Blue Mountains (TheWorldLink.com)

May 29, 2006 - " The U.S. House of Representatives approved a funding bill that includes $200,000 for Weed It Now, a conservation initiative to remove invasive species.. ." (Feds fork over $200,000 to fight invasive species in Berkshire region. iBerkshires.com)

May 17, 2006 - " The state Legislature approved nearly $5 million for eradition and prevention of coqui frogs and other invasive species.. ." (Funds for coqui fight taken from other state agencies. The Maui News)

April 28, 2006 -" Idaho lawmakers appropriated $4 million over a two-year period to fight Eurasian watermilfoil.. ." (Milfiol Task Force Becomes Grant Panel. Capital Press)

2003 - " The impact of leafy spurge or the economic burden of the weed in North Dakota alone was about $86 million in the mid 1990s ." Quote from: Bangsund, D. A. and F. L. Leistritz. Assessing the Economic Impact of Noxious Weeds: The Case of Leafy Spurge. Department of Agribusiness and Applied Economics, North Dakota State University. Leafy Spurge Forum Proceedings: January 16-17, 2003.

2003 - " In a case study of alien, invasive weeds on public lands in Nevada, we estimate lost wildlife-related recreation values from $5 to $17 million per year. Using our most conservative findings for all annual recreation losses, we predict that discounted losses over five years would range from $26 to $34 million , depending on actual future expansion rates of the weeds ." Quote from: Eisworth, M.E., W. S. Johnson, J. Agapoff, T. D. Darden, and T. R. Harris. Estimating Net Losses in Recreation Use Values from Non-Indigenous Invasive Weeds. University of Nevada-Reno Cooperative Extension. Special Publication SP 03-10.

2000 - " The federal departments responding to our survey repoted obligating over half a billion dollars - $513.9 million and $631.5 million in fiscal years 1999 and 2000, respectively - for activities related to invasive species. " Quote from: Invasive Species. Federal and Selected State Funding to Address Harmful, Nonnative Species. 2000. GAO/RCED-00-219 Funding for Invasive Species Activities. United States General Accounting Office Report to Congressional Committees. Online at http://www.gao.gov/new.items/rc00219.pdf.