Sen. Reid's bill would establish a fund to fight invasive species

U.S. Senator Harry Reid of Nevada introduced a bill on Thursday to establish a loan fund to protect the West from non-native invasive species.

The 100th Meridian Invasive Species State Revolving Loan Fund would place the Secretary of the Interior in charge of approving loans from the fund, but would require qualified organizations to first submit an application to Nevada Gov. Jim Gibbon's office for approval.

"The quagga mussels, in addition to other non-native species, pose a threat to Southern Nevada," said Reid in a press statement. "As the mussels cling to the walls and water intake pipes in Lake Mead, they clog the flow of fresh water and degrade the ability of the Lake to support wildlife. Meanwhile, other invasive species exacerbate wildfires, displace native species, and degrade Nevada's diverse ecosystems."

On Jan. 6, 2007, quagga mussels were discovered in Lake Mead. They have also been found in Lake Mohave, Lake Havasu, and the Colorado River drainage.

The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency approved an emergency declaration regarding the threat quagga mussels pose to Lake Tahoe on May 23, 2007.

"Along with global climate change, invasive species present, perhaps, the most serious threat to our natural world and all that we value and gain from it," said Rob Mrowka, Manager, Environmental Division of the Clark County Department of Air Quality and Environmental Management, in the statement.

Congresswoman Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., will be introducing the companion measure in the House of Representatives, according to the statement.