An Assembly Resolution memorializing the United States Department of Agriculture to provide financial support for New Jersey's Gypsy Moth Suppression Program.

Whereas, The gypsy moth, which feeds on hardwood and other trees and causes extreme defoliation, is the most destructive insect pest in New Jersey's forests, and because the defoliation caused by gypsy moths often leads to the death of both weakened and healthy trees, any increase in the State's gypsy moth population poses a serious threat to the viability of New Jersey's woodland resources; and

Whereas, As recognized by the New Jersey Department of Agriculture (NJDOA), even when the number of gypsy moths in the State is low, the State must remain vigilant in its undertaking of suppression efforts, since gypsy moth populations can quickly explode, and become unmanageable, under certain conditions; and

Whereas, The United States Department of Agriculture (USDOA) has recognized that the severity of gypsy moth infestations is a cyclical phenomenon, and while there may be periods of time - spanning a course of several years - during which forests may experience very little visible defoliation due to a sparse gypsy moth population, these periods of reprieve are generally followed by two to four year periods of visible and significant defoliation resulting from increases in gypsy moth population density; and

Whereas, The last cyclical period of visible defoliation in the State appears to have occurred during the four-year period from 2004 to 2008, when, according to the NJDOA, defoliation from the gypsy moth steadily increased - encompassing 6,500 acres in 2004, 44,000 acres in 2005, 125,000 acres in 2006, more than 320,000 acres in 2007, and nearly 340,000 acres in 2008; and

Whereas, As recognized by the NJDOA, this period of visible defoliation in the State directly coincided with a steady increase in the gypsy moth population, which lasted from 2004 to 2008; and

Whereas, Although the State's gypsy moth population experienced a collapse in 2009, resulting in a significant reduction, over subsequent years, in the number of acres suffering from defoliation in the State - particularly, a reduction from approximately 340,000 acres in 2008 to 92,000 acres in 2009 to 4,000 acres in 2010 to 1,300 acres in 2011 and to just over 1,000 acres in 2012 - it appears that the gypsy moth population is, once again, beginning to swell in numbers; and

Whereas, The NJDOA has concluded, based on an aerial survey conducted in July 2013, that there has been a nearly three-fold increase in the amount of acreage defoliated by gypsy moth activity in the State over the past year; and

Whereas, Because this three-fold increase represents the first increase in defoliated acreage amounts since the gypsy moth's population collapse in 2009, it signals the commencement of a new cyclical period of gypsy moth population growth, which, if left unchecked, will likely lead, over the next several years, to the significant and visible defoliation of large swaths of acreage in the State, at a level similar to the destruction that occurred during the preceding period of visible defoliation, from 2004 to 2008; and

Whereas, Although the NJDOA implements a voluntary gypsy moth suppression program in which municipalities may choose to take part, a participating municipality must fund the program unless financial support is provided by the State, with the assistance of the USDOA; and

Whereas, Although the USDOA has, in prior years, provided financial aid to the State, in an amount of up to 50 percent of the costs associated with gypsy moth control, the provision of federal funding ceased in 2010, following the 2009 collapse of the State's gypsy moth population; and

Whereas, Given the current financial situation in the State and most of its municipalities, it is unlikely that the proper funding will be allocated for gypsy moth suppression efforts in 2014 unless the United States Department of Agriculture assists in this effort; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. The United States Department of Agriculture is respectfully memorialized to provide funding for the New Jersey Gypsy Moth Suppression Program in order to aid municipalities in fighting the devastating effects of this forest pest.

2. Duly authenticated copies of this resolution, signed by the Speaker of the General Assembly and attested to by the Clerk thereof, shall be transmitted to the Secretary of the United States Department of Agriculture, the Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service of that department, and the Secretary of the New Jersey Department of Agriculture.

STATEMENT

This resolution memorializes the United States Department of Agriculture (USDOA) to provide funding for the New Jersey Gypsy Moth Suppression Program.

The gypsy moth is the most destructive insect pest to infest New Jersey's forests, feeding on hardwood and other trees and causing extreme defoliation, which leads to the death of both weakened and healthy trees. The USDOA has recognized that the severity of gypsy moth infestations is a cyclical phenomenon, and while there may be periods of time - spanning a course of several years - during which forests may experience very little visible defoliation (due to a sparse gypsy moth population), these periods of reprieve are generally followed by two to four year periods of visible and significant defoliation resulting from increases in gypsy moth population density.

The last cyclical period of visible defoliation in the State appears to have occurred during the four-year period from 2004 to 2008, during which time there were steady increases in both the population of gypsy moths, and the amount of acreage defoliated thereby. Although the State's gypsy moth population experienced a collapse in 2009, which resulted in a significant reduction, over subsequent years, in the number of acres suffering from defoliation in the State, it appears that the gypsy moth population is, once again, beginning to rise. In particular, the NJDOA has concluded, based on an aerial survey conducted in July 2013, that there has been a nearly three-fold increase in the amount of acreage defoliated by gypsy moth activity in the State over the past year.

This three-fold increase - the first increase in defoliated acreage since 2009 - indicates that a new cyclical period of gypsy moth population growth has commenced. If left unchecked, this population growth will likely lead, over the next several years, to the significant and visible defoliation of large swaths of acreage in the State, similar to the destruction that was experienced in the preceding four-year visible defoliation period.

Under the State's Gypsy Moth Suppression Program, a participating municipality must provide the funds necessary to engage in suppression efforts, unless financial support is provided by the State, with the assistance of the USDOA. Although the USDOA, in prior years, has provided financial aid to the State, in an amount of up to 50 percent of the costs associated with gypsy moth control, this federal funding ceased in 2010, following the 2009 collapse of the gypsy moth population. This resolution, therefore, urges the USDOA to, once again, provide appropriate federal funding for these essential suppression measures, in order to assist municipalities in preventing the devastating effects of this forest pest.