KILL COLORADO HB16-1010

Dear State, Veterans, and Military Affair Committee,

I am writing to ask you to oppose House Bill 16-1010 that was introduced into the House on January 13, 2016 by Kevin Priola and Jerry Sonnenberg entitled “Destructive Rodent Pest Release Authorization Requirements.”

Prairie dog populations are in sharp decline and have diminished to less than 2% of their original numbers as a result of habitat loss and extermination. Prairie dogs are not destructive rodents, but rather an integral species in Colorado that support the health and vitality of living communities.

Prairie dogs are a keystone species supporting 200 other species such as the burrowing owl, golden eagle and a myriad of other raptors, reptiles, plants and insects that depend on them for their burrows and as a food source. The black footed ferret is entirely dependent on prairie dog communities for survival and were the unintended victims of poorly thought out prairie dog extermination campaigns.

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, private landowners are critical to the eventual recovery of the black-footed ferret on private lands. Many organizations, and private landowners, that are interested in preserving prairie habitat would love to take prairie dogs that are currently in danger onto their land but are unable to do so because of the cumbersome restrictions of Senate Bill 99-111.

Senate Bill 99-111 already requires commissioners approval prior to a relocation taking place across county lines. HB16-1010 sets up the same criteria within counties, which would severely limit further relocations, which are currently rare at best. The additional requirement of HB 16-1010 for inter county relocations would further endanger the prairie dogs and also impact the ability of private landowners to sponsor the black footed ferret on their lands.

Elected members of our legislature are entrusted to take into account the wide ranging implications of such bills and it is imperative that you listen to the citizens of the State, not just a select group of people with a specific agenda. This new bill would speed up extirpation of prairie dogs in Colorado, further restricting the ability for hundreds of other species to survive in this beautiful state known for its abundance of wildlife. Colorado is an integral place for wildlife and the life supporting habitat of the prairies which would not exist without a large abundance of prairie dogs that hold these communities together.

I would urge you to consider the overall impact of instituting further restrictions on protecting our wildlife for all residents of the State and reject House Bill 16-1010 which would diminish the vitality of our prairies and the ability of life to continually flourish on these prairie lands. Prairie dogs are an essential part of Colorado’s wildlife heritage and this bill will increase the difficulty in saving the dwindling numbers of prairie dogs and all they support by drawing them closer to extinction.

With the rapidly disappearing habitat for wildlife in our state it is increasingly important to establish policies that will protect the remaining habitats that support wildlife. House Bill 16-1010 will diminish an essential keystone species that will have wide ranging effects on wildlife throughout the state and that is why I urge you to vote against House Bill 16-1010.
Thank you for your time and your service.