After recently introducing legislation on the issue, Rep. Bruce Braley (IA-01) today met with Waterloo Mayor Buck Clark to tour the damage resulting from the emerald ash borer, an invasive beetle that is killing ash trees across the state.
"It was eye-opening to see first-hand the devastation this beetle is causing near my home in Waterloo," Braley said. "The ash borer represents a significant cost for communities like Waterloo and it's important that we keep fighting to make sure Iowans have the help and resources they need to combat this problem."
The ash borer has now been confirmed in more than 20 states and at least nine Iowa counties, and is projected to be an enormous financial burden to Iowans. The removal of each infected tree could cost up to $1,000 per tree and up to $3 billion across the state.
States that found cases of the beetle in years past were given resources to aid in the mitigation and removal of infected trees, but federal funding has since been drastically cut, leaving states like Iowa with limited resources to combat the problem.
Last month, Braley wrote to Congressional leaders to ensure that Iowa would have the same resources as other states to combat the emerald ash borer.
In February, Braley introduced legislation restoring funding to a program that helps combat the emerald ash borer.
In January, Braley wrote a letter to Secretary Tom Vilsack at the US Department of Agriculture urging him to take the necessary steps to protect Iowa's ash trees from the beetle.