Announcement

**Boa Amarali** · 12-09-2009, 02:50 PM

Re: hey michiganders!

Done

Senator Levin,

My name is Larry Micklevitz, I am directly affected by the proposed legislation S373 "The Python Ban"

I appreciate your efforts to protect native ecosystems, but S373 is not the most effective way to accomplish this - especially in Michigan.

I would urge you to take a closer look at the evidence for and against this bill, specifically the study published by researchers at the City University of New York that directly refutes the claims made by the USGS report concerning the spread of the Burmese python.

Comparing the CUNY study and the USGS report side by side, how can one possibly walk away still convinced that the Burmese python poses any threat whatsoever to the rest of the nation?

For whatever reason, S373 supporters have turned a blind eye to hard science in favor of a politically motivated 'research study' that is obviously and fundamentally flawed.

This has even been pointed out by leading biologists and herpetologists who have an astonishingly greater knowledge base than the authors of the USGS reports.

So please, Senator, reconsider your stance on this bill. The reptile community has reached out a hand of assistance to Senator Bill Nelson on this issue, but rather than accepting our help, he has instead proposed scientifically unfounded legislation that would decimate our livelihood.

Respectfully,
Larry Micklevitz

**jvarner** · 12-09-2009, 02:56 PM

Re: hey michiganders!

Been there done that! More than just a few times too. I still haven't gotten a response email.

Edit: Just sent an email again.

**marc49127** · 12-09-2009, 03:31 PM

Re: hey michiganders!

Done! I was not aware he was a co sponsor. Thanks for posting this!!!

**Boa Amarali** · 12-09-2009, 03:36 PM

Re: hey michiganders!

Here is a point addressed by Dr.Booth that we have not considered
CNUY - Pyron , . Burbrink , Guiher Report only addresses the first USGS Junk science report

Posted by: Warren_Booth at Wed Dec 9 13:49:41 2009
I believe you are either not aware of or do not understand that there is a new study entitled: Giant constrictors: Biological and management profiles of an establishment risk assessment for nine large species of pythons, Anacondas, and Boa constrictors. (2009) Authors: Reed R. & Rodda G. Here is a link to it: http://www.usark.org/uploads/USGS%20...ent%202009.pdf

http://www.usark.org/uploads/USGS Ri...sment 2009.pdf

This 323 page report was published within the last two months. As a reuslt, the establishment of funding resources, data, and time sufficient to result in a scientifically credible, externally peer-reviewed, published report is not possible.

The paper you are thinking of from last year is: What parts of the US mainland are climatically suitable for invasive alien pythons spreading from Everglades National Park? Authors: G Rodda, C Jarnevich, and R Reed.
This paper, externally peer-reviewed and published in Biological invasions was widely publicized in the media. However, in August of 2008 this paper was proven over simplistic in a paper entitled: Claims of Potential Expansion throughout the U.S. by
Invasive Python Species Are Contradicted by Ecological
Niche Models, by Pyron et al., in the externally peer reviewed online access journal PloS ONE

There are a number of issues here. 1) As much as I and I am sure many others would like to drop everything to re-analyze the data sets, if made available by Rodda and Reed, we also have dedicated research projects that we are tied to, and funded by.
2) Science cannot always move at a pace that everyone would like it to. The fact that I may have a manuscript ready does not mean it will be out any time soon. For example, I recently published a paper in the Journal of Zoology regarding population genetic structure of a small mammal species capable of high disperal. I completed this paper in 2008. It was submitted to the journal December 5th 2008. We recieved reviews and revisions on June
1st 2009. Our revisions were accepted June 2nd 2009 and it was published November 2009. So, with that said, I had the research complete and the scientific manuscript written in December 2008 (afer a number of years of data collection, DNA fingerprinting, analysis, etc), and it still took 1 year to have published in a peer reviewed internationally recognized journal.
You expect scientists to instantly digest a 323 page report, replicate or reanalyze data, write,submit and publish within 2 months. Surely even you can see this is highly unrealistic.

Also, one last comment. I take offense at your comment that the academic/scientific community is not blameless. Not every scientist conducts such poor scientific practices as Rodda and Reed. Please have your facts straight before making such a ridiculous statement.

Warren
-----
Dr Warren Booth / Director USARK
North Carolina State University
Department of Entomology

**Atrayu** · 12-09-2009, 03:44 PM

Re: hey michiganders!

Originally posted by jvarner View Post

Been there done that! More than just a few times too. I still haven't gotten a response email.

Edit: Just sent an email again.

Same here.

**Linda** · 12-09-2009, 04:20 PM

Re: hey michiganders!

Originally posted by Boa Amarali View Post

Here is a point addressed by Dr.Booth that we have not considered
CNUY - Pyron , . Burbrink , Guiher Report only addresses the first USGS Junk science report

Posted by: Warren_Booth at Wed Dec 9 13:49:41 2009
Here is a link to it: http://www.usark.org/uploads/USGS Risk Assessment 2009.pdf

That link doesn't work.

**Boa Amarali** · 12-09-2009, 04:40 PM

Re: hey michiganders!

I just fixed the Link , I always check links before I post except this one
but this one automatically parsed incorrectly figures

here are the same link 2 different ways

http://www.usark.org/uploads/USGS%20...ent%202009.pdf

http://www.usark.org/uploads/USGS Ri...sment 2009.pdf

**jvarner** · 12-14-2009, 12:44 PM

Re: hey michiganders!

Finally got a response from Senator Carl Levin.

Sounds like he has his mind made up already.

Dear Mr. Varner:

Thank you for contacting me regarding non-native, invasive species. I appreciate hearing your views on this matter. I have long been concerned about the threat posed by invasive species. These species, which are introduced from other ecosystems, often encounter few, if any, natural enemies in their new environments and wreak havoc on native species. Estimates of the annual economic damage caused by invasive species run as high as $137 billion.

In an effort to address this issue, I cosponsored the National Invasive Species Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-332). This law authorized the Army Corps of Engineers to build a temporary dispersal barrier (Barrier I) in the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal to stop invasive species, such as Asian Carp, from entering Lake Michigan. Along with the other members of the Great Lakes Task Force, I have made repeated efforts to authorize and to provide funding for the Army Corps to complete and enhance the dispersal barriers in the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal.

Additionally, I introduced the Asian Carp Prevention and Control Act (S.1421). This legislation would place the Bighead carp on the list of injurious species under the Lacey Act. This act established civil and criminal penalties for violation of any transportation restrictions on plants, fish, and wildlife. Listing Bighead carp as an injurious species under the Lacey Act would prevent the importation and interstate commerce of live Bighead carp without a permit, and as a result, would lower the risk of an introduction of this species into the Great Lakes. We have already spent $9 million on the electric dispersal barrier, and it would undermine that effort to allow Asian carp to be introduced into the Great Lakes because we did not do everything in our power to block other pathways of introduction into the lakes.

Another piece of non-native species legislation, commonly referred to as the Python bill (S. 373), would place python constrictor snakes on the list of injurious species. This designation would prohibit the importation of this snake into the United States. I am a cosponsor of this legislation, which has been approved by the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.

Invasive species in the Great Lakes are an ecological, economical and health threat. I will continue to work to ensure that the threat of invasive species is reduced. Thank you again for writing.

Sincerely,
Carl Levin

**jvarner** · 12-14-2009, 12:52 PM

Re: hey michiganders!

I am going to send him a more personal email. I really don't think it will help much him being a cosponsor and all.

**Boa Amarali** · 12-14-2009, 01:01 PM

Re: hey michiganders!

Face to face talk is possibly the only way to budge this guy

he's talking about invasive species we have non native species not invasive

But he talking every other invasive or non native species when you want to
address only the The Python Boa Ban

The problem is we know what the ban will do, he doesn't obviously doesn't understand
entirely what the Ban will accomplish

Sit face to face and ask this exactly what he thinks this Ban on boas and Pythons
import export and interstate commerce will accomplish.

It doesn't stop state so the Boas and Pythons are not going away

So how does this help a so called invasive problem ??

That's what he needs to be asked face to face.

**jvarner** · 12-14-2009, 01:28 PM

Re: hey michiganders!

Originally posted by Boa Amarali View Post

Face to face talk is possibly the only way to budge this guy

he's talking about invasive species we have non native species not invasive

But he talking every other invasive or non native species when you want to
address only the The Python Boa Ban

The problem is we know what the ban will do, he doesn't obviously doesn't understand
entirely what the Ban will accomplish

Sit face to face and ask this exactly what he thinks this Ban on boas and Pythons
import export and interstate commerce will accomplish.

It doesn't stop state so the Boas and Pythons are not going away

So how does this help a so called invasive problem ??

That's what he needs to be asked face to face.

Most likely, I will not be able to meet with him. I am just being honest, but I am willing to try. I will see what I can do about meeting with him.

**Boa Amarali** · 12-14-2009, 02:01 PM

Re: hey michiganders!

Originally posted by jvarner View Post

Most likely, I will not be able to meet with him. I am just being honest, but I am willing to try. I will see what I can do about meeting with him.

That is a hard thing to do a face to face with the "actual Senator" , I agree

Do your best even if its a sit down with an aide

The aide that has his ear on this issue

A phone call to bthe office you would go to and then ask
which aide is in charge of this issue for your Senator

That's the next best thing!

**Atrayu** · 12-14-2009, 03:21 PM

Re: hey michiganders!

I also got a response, the same stinking auto repsonse. Ridiculous.

Dear Mr. Hamm:

Thank you for contacting me regarding non-native, invasive species. I appreciate hearing your views on this matter. I have long been concerned about the threat posed by invasive species. These species, which are introduced from other ecosystems, often encounter few, if any, natural enemies in their new environments and wreak havoc on native species. Estimates of the annual economic damage caused by invasive species run as high as $137 billion.

In an effort to address this issue, I cosponsored the National Invasive Species Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-332). This law authorized the Army Corps of Engineers to build a temporary dispersal barrier (Barrier I) in the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal to stop invasive species, such as Asian Carp, from entering Lake Michigan. Along with the other members of the Great Lakes Task Force, I have made repeated efforts to authorize and to provide funding for the Army Corps to complete and enhance the dispersal barriers in the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal.

Additionally, I introduced the Asian Carp Prevention and Control Act (S.1421). This legislation would place the Bighead carp on the list of injurious species under the Lacey Act. This act established civil and criminal penalties for violation of any transportation restrictions on plants, fish, and wildlife. Listing Bighead carp as an injurious species under the Lacey Act would prevent the importation and interstate commerce of live Bighead carp without a permit, and as a result, would lower the risk of an introduction of this species into the Great Lakes. We have already spent $9 million on the electric dispersal barrier, and it would undermine that effort to allow Asian carp to be introduced into the Great Lakes because we did not do everything in our power to block other pathways of introduction into the lakes.

Another piece of non-native species legislation, commonly referred to as the Python bill (S. 373), would place python constrictor snakes on the list of injurious species. This designation would prohibit the importation of this snake into the United States. I am a cosponsor of this legislation, which has been approved by the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.

Invasive species in the Great Lakes are an ecological, economical and health threat. I will continue to work to ensure that the threat of invasive species is reduced. Thank you again for writing.

Sincerely,
Carl Levin

**Boa Amarali** · 12-14-2009, 03:42 PM

Re: hey michiganders!

To lump all non native species into one category is very short sighted

All the more frustrating to here this auto response.

He clearly doesn't want to address the Python /boa issue head on !!

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