Causer: Proposal to Address Bat Deaths Could Paralyze State's Economy

HARRISBURG – Rep. Martin Causer (R-Turtlepoint), co-chairman of the Legislative Timber Caucus, today warned that a proposal being discussed by the Pennsylvania Game Commission to address the state’s bat population would be devastating not only to the timber industry, but to the oil, gas and coal industries as well.

Populations of three bat species in the Commonwealth – Little Brown Bats, Tri-Colored Bats and Northern Long-Eared Bats – have dropped dramatically in the last five years due to the deadly white nose syndrome (WNS). The commission is considering several actions to protect the remaining population of the bats, including a seasonal ban on timber harvesting from April until mid-November.

“Frankly, I’m not sure where the PGC is coming from with this proposal,” Causer said. “Sacrificing key segments of our economy is a very drastic step to take, especially when there is no evidence to prove a ban on timber harvesting will help the bat population one bit.”

Causer brought members of the Legislative Timber Caucus together on Tuesday to discuss the impact of the commission’s proposals. In addition to the seasonal ban on harvesting, other actions being considered that would affect the timber industry include mandatory canopy retention requirements, mandatory retention of certain tree species and prohibition of all timber harvesting in riparian buffers.

According to Paul Lyskava of the Pennsylvania Forest Products Association, such actions would devastate the forest products industry and the owners of working forests. He told members that logging would become a part-time profession in the Commonwealth, and sawmills, paper mills and other timber processing facilities would find it extremely difficult to remain competitive. Tens of thousands of jobs are potentially impacted by the proposal, and the Commonwealth itself would lose millions of dollars annually in future timber sale revenue. Both the game commission and the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) currently benefit from timber sales on Commonwealth lands.

“Pennsylvania cannot afford, and certainly our region cannot afford, to have one of our most important industries cut off at the knees,” Causer said. “We must find a solution to this problem that will not have such dire consequences for the economy.”

Causer noted that the harvesting restrictions being discussed by the game commission would impact all tree removal, which also would hamper the growing natural gas industry, as well as the oil and coal industries.

Members of the Timber Caucus voted unanimously at the meeting to submit comments to the game commission expressing opposition to the proposal and urging commission members to reach out to the industry, DCNR and other stakeholders to find a solution that will preserve the bat population without sacrificing the state’s key industries.

WNS was first documented in New York in 2006. It spread quickly and has now been confirmed to exist in 21 states and four Canadian provinces. Lawmakers will further explore this issue when the House Game and Fisheries Committee holds an informational meeting on Monday, Oct. 15, at the state Capitol. Game commission officials will discuss their proposal and take questions from the committee at the meeting, which will begin at 10:30 a.m. in Room 60 East Wing.

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