Country: United States

Title: Thirty-one counties in Pennsylvania added to the quarantine area for Emerald ash borer (EAB) (Agrilus planipennis)

Contact:
Paul Chaloux, EAB National Program Manager, at (301) 734-0917

Report: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed the identification of EAB in Centre, Cumberland, Fulton, Somerset, and Union Counties, Pennsylvania, in June and July 2010. These detections were the result of traps deployed as part of the 2010 EAB survey strategy. Twenty-six additional counties are being quarantined due to their proximity to known EAB infestations and patterns of movement of regulated articles.

In response to these detections, APHIS will work closely with the State of Pennsylvania to carry out delimiting survey work around the detection sites. The Federal Order establishes Blair, Cambria, Cameron, Centre, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Columbia, Crawford, Cumberland, Elk, Erie, Fayette, Forest, Franklin, Fulton, Greene, Huntington, Jefferson, Lycoming, McKean, Montour, Northumberland, Perry, Potter, Snyder, Somerset, Tioga, Union, Venango, and Warren Counties as a quarantine area in order to prevent the further spread of EAB. Effective immediately, all interstate movement of EAB regulated articles from Blair, Cambria, Cameron, Centre, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Columbia, Crawford, Cumberland, Elk, Erie, Fayette, Forest, Franklin, Fulton, Greene, Huntington, Jefferson, Lycoming, McKean, Montour, Northumberland, Perry, Potter, Snyder, Somerset, Tioga, Union, Venango, and Warren Counties must be done in accordance with the Federal Order. Specifically, the interstate movement of EAB-host wood and wood products from these counties is regulated, including ash nursery stock, firewood of all hardwood species, green lumber, waste, compost, and chips of ash species. Due to the establishment of a parallel quarantine area by Pennsylvania, only these counties will be added as quarantine areas and placed under phytosanitary controls.

EAB is present in some parts of the United States. Currently, Brown, Crawford, Fond du Lac, Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Sheboygan, Vernon, Washington, and Waukesha Counties in Wisconsin are quarantined for EAB, together with the entire States of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and West Virginia. Portions of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and the entirety of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula; Allamakee county in Iowa; 21 counties in Kentucky; 43 counties in Pennsylvania; Charles and Prince George’s Counties in Maryland; Arlington, Clarke, Fairfax, Fauquier, Frederick, Loudon, and Prince William Counties, along with the independent Cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas, Manassas Park and Winchester in Virginia; Chautauqua and Cattaraugus Counties in New York; Hennepin, Houston and Ramsey Counties in Minnesota; Knox and Loudon Counties in Tennessee; and Wayne County in Missouri are also quarantined areas.

EAB is an invasive wood boring beetle that is native to China and eastern Asia. It was first detected in the United States in southeastern Michigan. Since then, EAB has been responsible for the death and decline of tens of millions of ash trees in the United States. The interstate movement of firewood from quarantine areas is an especially high risk pathway for spreading EAB. APHIS is working with State cooperators and foresters to raise awareness amongst the public concerning this threat.

Under IPPC Standards, Agrilus planipennis is considered to be a pest that is present in some parts of the United States and subject to official control to prevent further spread.
 

Posted Date: Sept. 16, 2010, 9 a.m.