Peter Youngbaer ROCKS!

[Teresa]

WOW!

Great Testimony on our behalf, Peter! You did a great job of sharing science, concerns and cavers' passion for caves.

Jo/aka Teresa

[John Lovaas]

DOH! I forgot...

Will the video feed be archived?

[boogercaver71]

Peter hit a home run. Nice job in dispelling some of the erroneous info given out by the so called bat biologists.

[John Lovaas]

Excellent job, Peter.

FYI- Peter's testimony is in PDF format here-

http://naturalresources.house.gov/Uploa ... .24.11.pdf

The video of the hearing will be archived here within 24 hours-

http://naturalresources.house.gov/Calendar/List.aspx

[self-deleted_user]

WOOOT GO PETER!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you so much for all your work and effort and basically just being plain awesome.

[David Grimes]

Great work Peter, I don't think we could have made a better statement. Hopefully we will see some positive results from it.

[MUD]

Great work Peter...and to the others who helped craft your testimony!

[GroundquestMSA]

Very nice.

[Pippin]

Peter, your comments were excellent! Thanks so much for standing up for us!

I'm reading the rest of the submitted comments, and most of them are making me really mad.

[John Lovaas]

The videocast is available now-

http://resources.edgeboss.net/wmedia/re ... _fwoia.wvx

[John Lovaas]

Dang it, Jennifer- now I had to go and read the other statements...

From Jim Pena's(USFS) statement-

There is evidence to suggest humans can spread WNS from cave to cave on their gear and equipment (Blehert, et al. 2011, Microbe: 267 - 277).

No evidence- just speculation. BIG difference between evidence and speculation. Sure would be fun to throw people in jail based on what we think they might do.

The Forest Service acted because we observed WNS jump from New York to southwest Virginia in one winter.

Not only is the characterization of the time frame incorrect, but he failed to mention all the locations between NY and VA where WNS was found within that time frame.

The next winter, DNA from the fungus that causes WNS was detected in Woodward County, in the Oklahoma panhandle, a far greater distance than bats could travel in such a short time frame.

While failing to acknowledge that the spores of the fungus were detected on a bat in a cave closed to all but bat researchers, the very real possibility of bat translocation, long distance transport of spores through swarming behavior, and the inability of agency personnel to monitor the ten of thousands of caves that lie betweeen western Oklahoma and previously known WNS infection sites.

On to Jon Hassett's(KFWD) statement:

WNS has also been confirmed in Delaware, Missouri, and Oklahoma.

False. It hasn't been confirmed in any of those states- the DNA signature of the fungus was detected on bats in those states. Big difference- like someone detecting athlete's foot fungus on my foot, versus me almost losing my foot to an athlete's foot fungus infection as a teenager. I think bats would feel the same way about your characterization.

Last, Justin Boyles'(UT-Knoxville) statement:

They have argued that little evidence exists that cave closures have slowed or will slow the spread of WNS. While this statement may be factually correct, it is misleading because, in my opinion, it is a proposition that is impossible to test and thereby either support or refute.

Justin later argues that cave closures are necessary- even though the proposition of the effectiveness of cave closures is impossible to test. Huh.

If Geomyces destructans, the fungus associated with WNS, is verified to have originated in Europe as the circumstantial evidence and emerging data on the genetics of the fungus suggest, human-facilitated movements are very likely the explanation for the appearance of G. destructans in the United States in the first place. Thus, long-distance movements of G. destructans by humans are likely possible.

Sure- if, by human-facilitated movements, you mean human translocation of bats is likely possible- there is actual factual evidence to support that. Whereas there is no evidence that demonstrate that individual humans successfully translocate spores of the fungus to other caves. Or inoculate cave sediments with those spores. Or aerosolize those spores. Or successfully transfer a spore load to bats in sufficient quantity to induce an infection.

If I didn't know any better, I'd think the term I'm looking for is misleading.

Jim, Jon, and Justin- some loser, with a bachelor's degree in photography he earned in 1983, who has never held down a job for more than a few years at a time, who has never been assigned a managerial or supervisory position in his life, and who, only 5 years ago, was working his ass off to earn $14,000/year(not a typo- 14K), found these factual and logical errors in the course of drinking one 12 oz. bottle of Huber Bock.

You managed to present inaccurate, misleading, and false information to members of Congress. Minor details, you say? The devil is in the details- and any hope to address what may, in some scenarios, turn out to be the most sigificant mammalian extinction event since Homo sapiens crossed the Bering Strait land bridge lies in those details.

[nathanroser]

Oh Congress, you and your boring procedural rules... anyway, Congressman Fleming claims the "disease has devastated more than half of the 47 species of bats native to North America." More false information since only hibernators are susceptible, of which there are 25, and a few species know to carry the fungus don't seem to be susceptible. And correct me if i'm wrong, but aren't all hibernating North American bats insectivores? So WNS won't affect the fruit bats that pollinate plants.

[bigredfoote]

Besides the items mentioned above... the other comments I took notes on, were that:

Kentucky took drastic measures. Prevented hibernating bats from roosting.

Kentucky had targeted private land closures. They did not state it this way, but they did not request blanket closures on private land to get such great co-operation.


USFS says they are working with(and listening) to NSS and other groups. (Not stated-Region 2: WY, CO, SD, KS,NB, current blanket closure expires on July 25, 2011 and they are in the process of evaluating new information and deciding what to do, however, so far they have not requested input from local cavers).


And again, Peter, you ROCK! Thanks so much for standing up for cavers and caves, and for even mentioning bats in mines. Your presentation stood out with its professionalism.


Jennifer

[Cheryl Jones]

Webmaster Alex has a Web page up for the hearing, including links to the video and testimonies. (On the main WNS page the link is included in the section "Education and Outreach" towards the bottom of the page. "Congressional Hearing: "Why Should We Care About Bats?" - June 24, 2011.")

Some photoshere

Peter did an outstanding job speaking for the NSS and cavers, and, based on their questions, the subcommittee members seemed to really take notice of what he had to say. We couldn't have asked for better representation.

The written testimonies were provided to the subcommittee members in advance, and each person on the panel had only 5 minutes to present a synopsis. Peter provided copies of the 2011 Conservation issue of the NSS News containing the WNS reports to the Natural Resources Committee's office to distribute to members, and had additional copies available for the audience as well. He held up a copy at one point during his statement.

I hope everyone will take the time to watch the video of the hearing, and read Peter's and the other testimonies. Spread the word to your grotto and caving buddies.

Cheryl

[Teresa]

Besides the items mentioned above... the other comments I took notes on, were that:

USFS says they are working with(and listening) to NSS and other groups. (Not stated-Region 2: WY, CO, SD, KS,NB, current blanket closure expires on July 25, 2011 and they are in the process of evaluating new information and deciding what to do, however, so far they have not requested input from local cavers).

Jennifer

Nor in Missouri, either. Forest Service is just talking to the people who are saying what they want to hear--mostly CRF. Ditto every state agency in Missouri except DNR State Parks. MDC was actually exclusionary from the get-go...yes, they put together this Cave Stewards program, but limited participation (even at their initial meetings) to only a couple representatives from grottos. But they've always been very exclusionary when it comes to cave issues, because for them, caves (by their mandate) are primarily wildlife habitat.

Only State Parks has any ongoing dialog with the general recreational caving community.

So sad, considering all the hours of work "just plain cavers" have given to all these agencies over the last 50 years.