WHEREAS, the land, water and other resources of Idaho are being severely impacted by an increasing number of harmful, nonnative plant and animal species; and

        WHEREAS, these impacts are resulting in damage to Idaho’s environment and causing economic hardships to public, private and tribal owners; and

        WHEREAS, additional nonnative invasive species have the potential to establish in Idaho; and

        WHEREAS, quagga mussels were discovered in Nevada in 2007; and have since been found in California, Arizona, Colorado and Utah, approximately 130 miles from the southern Idaho border; and

        WHEREAS, these nonnative mussels were discovered in the Great Lakes region in the late 1980s, causing billions of dollars in economic costs to public agencies and private industry, as well as significant environmental costs; and

        WHEREAS, their presence in the West greatly advances the known range of these mussels, highlighting the fact that they can readily move from place to place and making their presence near Idaho a threat to rivers, lakes and reservoirs throughout the state; and

        WHEREAS, these invasive species alter the natural food web of aquatic ecosystems and can foul fish passage infrastructure, their presence in the West further threatens sensitive fish species; and

        WHEREAS, these mussels foul submerged pipes and other infrastructure, including water diversion structures, piers and pilings, power plant intakes and cooling systems, fish screens, and boat hulls, making the potential impact extremely serious on the Northwest’s extensive hydropower system and irrigated agriculture; and

        WHEREAS, these mussels would severely impact water-based recreation and tourism in Idaho; and

        WHEREAS, awareness of the issue and preventative actions such as proper boat inspection and cleaning can greatly reduce the chances of invasive species being spread to Idaho;

        NOW, THEREFORE, I, C.L. “BUTCH” OTTER, Governor of the State of Idaho, do hereby proclaim the week of April 27-May 3, 2009, to be:

INVASIVE SPECIES AWARENESS WEEK

in Idaho.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused to be affixed the Great Seal of the State of Idaho in Boise on this 23^rd day of April in the year of our Lord two-thousand and nine and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred thirty third and of the Statehood of Idaho the one hundred nineteenth.

BEN YSURSA
SECRETARY OF STATE