Speech: Steven Williams CWD Panel Remarks for OWAA Columbia, Missouri

June 15, 2003

Thanks. It’s a real pleasure to be here with you today.

Let me start with a little background. Chronic wasting disease was first identified over 35 years ago in captive mule deer in Colorado. Since that time, the disease has been identified in free-ranging deer or elk in 8 states and in captive deer or elk in 14 states. Nevertheless, it was only recently that CWD became a “national” concern. Unfortunately, as with many issues in our society, we don’t see the smoke until long after the fire is burning.

We find ourselves in a similar situation with CWD. Despite the surge of attention on this issue, we still lack the full knowledge needed to answer many questions about this disease. We are certain however, that CWD poses a serious threat to wildlife and wildlife-dependent recreation. It places a great strain on the financial and operational abilities of state fish and game agencies, and it has the potential to greatly impact hunting and the related livelihood of local communities.

When an issue receives a vast amount of media attention, state and national legislators tend to act. The situation is no different with CWD. In the current session of the United States Congress, members of both the House and Senate have introduced CWD legislation. Most recently, the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation announced the establishment of a new Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus Task Force on Chronic Wasting Disease.

I was asked to speak today about the federal government’s role and commitment in dealing with this disease, but I want to emphasize one important point: this issue affects everyone and will require a strong spirit of cooperation and teamwork to really meet the challenges ahead. Wildlife diseases do not recognize political boundaries, therefore the ability to collaborate is our best defense. Limiting the distribution and occurrence of chronic wasting disease requires long, careful, and well-orchestrated collaboration among all of us – from the hunter on the ground, to the State and Federal agencies charged with managing wildlife; even to outdoor writers who are at task to keep the public properly informed.

The federal government is committed to helping states fight this devastating disease. As is the situation with many state budgets, the federal government is faced with tight fiscal constraints and budget deficits. Nevertheless, we will do our best to manage the lands under our jurisdiction well and to provide the states will all the assistance possible.

The Department of Interior supports the important work states have been doing for many years on CWD. The federal government recognizes that states are responsible for managing resident species such as deer and elk within their borders. Yet, the federal government is responsible for the management of a vast amount of land across our country. We would be neglecting our duty as proper land stewards if we stood by while the states strive to manage the spread of this disease.

The primary federal departments tackling CWD are the Departments of Interior and Agriculture. Interior Secretary Gale Norton recognizes the wildlife and economic impacts of CWD, and sees a coordinated state-federal partnership as a critical tool to contain and manage this disease. She has named me as the Interior Department's point person on this issue. Along with my counterpart in the Department of Agriculture, I work closely with Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service administrator Bobby Acord, and together we co-chair the Chronic Wasting Disease task force.

So now, let me talk strategy.

The task force that Bobby Acord and I co-chair brought together the experts on chronic wasting disease from federal and state agencies and academia, and asked for their recommendations.
Six focus areas were identified to concentrate efforts. Those areas included communications, scientific and technical information dissemination, diagnostics, disease management, research, and surveillance.

In June 2002, the task force issued a “Plan for Assisting States, Federal Agencies and Tribes in Managing Chronic Wasting Disease in Wild and Captive Cervids.” Following release of this plan, a Task Force working group developed an Implementation Document specifically defining the entities responsible for accomplishing the work, the time-line for accomplishing it, and the associated costs. This document is still under review.

Bruce Morrison will follow my presentation with a more detailed explanation of both the National Plan and the Implementation Document.

One event that I am proud to announce is the recent USGS release of a report called Surveillance Strategies for Detecting CWD in Free-Ranging Deer and Elk. The 41-page document is the culmination of a 3-day interdisciplinary, interagency workshop held at the USGS’s National Wildlife Health Center in Madison, Wisconsin. This document is the first tool of its kind that provides general guidance on the development and conduct of scientifically sound surveillance programs to detect CWD in free-ranging deer and elk populations. Surveillance is the first step in managing chronic wasting disease, and this document, I cannot overemphasize, offers a promising path for the footsteps that will follow. It also represents what can be accomplished when we all work together. A copy of this report can be found on the USGS website under “biology.”

Many states, universities, non-governmental organizations, and federal agencies are active in various aspects of CWD. I would like to take a minute to point out some of those activities at the federal level.

In 2002, the Interior Department redirected 1.7 million dollars to address the challenges associated with chronic wasting disease. This allowed for surveillance efforts at Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota and led to the discovery of a CWD positive elk in November 2002. In addition, the funding redirected toward CWD allowed the USGS to expand capabilities and initiate collaborations with State Fish and Game agencies.

In 2003, Congress earmarked 2.7 million dollars for USGS to continue their support of federal and state research efforts on CWD and to expand technical assistance.

In the President's fiscal year 2004 budget request, the Department of Interior requested a total of 3.1 million for CWD efforts. If funded at the requested level, USGS will expand research, and deliver pertinent biological information about the disease. The National Park Service will continue surveillance and management and the Fish and Wildlife Service will develop surveillance and disease contingency plans for National Wildlife Refuges.

In addition to pursuing financial resources, we will continue to help with technical assistance. During the fall 2002 big game season, volunteers from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service contributed over 440 hours in an effort to assist the State of Colorado in gathering data from hunter harvested deer and elk. And in Wisconsin, Fish and Wildlife Service employees volunteered at processing centers and hunter check stations to assist the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in their CWD efforts.

Scientists from USGS continue to be very active by providing states with research and analytical and technical assistance.

The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, or APHIS, has worked closely with the states since 1997 by conducting a CWD surveillance program for farmed elk. This effort includes depopulation, indemnity payments, cleaning and disinfection, and information dissemination.

APHIS has provided assistance to State officials in diagnosing CWD and in monitoring international and interstate movements of animals to help prevent further spread of CWD. Also, APHIS is developing a program to eliminate CWD from farmed elk.

They also continue to provide funds to states for surveillance and diagnostics in wild elk and deer, and in April they announced the availability of 4 million dollars for state fish and game agencies.

As I mentioned earlier, it is crucial that we work together: from federal agencies to state agencies to local communities to private industries; to the hunters out on the ground who are, in so many ways, the eyes and ears of wildlife conservation, and you outdoor writers who can help translate what is happening to a broader public. Like other wildlife diseases, chronic wasting disease is yet a test, not only of our scientific and financial capabilities, but also of our ability to work collaboratively across the entire spectrum.

Thank you.