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113th Congress Hearing Archives

Oversight Field Hearing on "The Northern Long Eared Bat: The Federal Endangered Species Act and Impacts of a Listing on Pennsylvania and 37 Other States"

Monday, September 8, 2014 | 10:00 AM North Office Building - Hearing Room 1, Pennsylvania State Capitol Complex, N. 3rd St., Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Full Committee

Oversight Field Hearing on:

  • "The Northern Long Eared Bat: The Federal Endangered Species Act and Impacts of a Listing on Pennsylvania and 37 Other States"
Member Statements:

The Honorable Doc Hastings
Chairman

Invited Witnesses and Testimony:

The Honorable Jeff Pyle
Representative, District 60
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Armstrong and Indiana Counties

Mr. Russ Biggica
Director, Government & Regulatory Affairs
Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
(Truth in Testimony Form)

Mr. Jim Brubaker
Board Member, Pennsylvania Farm Bureau
Union County Farmer, Buffalo Valley Farms
Lewisburg, Pennsylvania
(Truth in Testimony Form)

Mr. Louis D’Amico
President and Executive Director
Pennsylvania Independent Oil & Gas Association
Wexford, Pennsylvania
(Truth in Testimony Form)

Mr. Paul Lyskava
Executive Director
Pennsylvania Forest Products Association
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
(Truth in Testimony Form)

Ms. Mollie Matteson
Senior Scientist
Center for Biological Diversity
Richmond, Vermont
(Truth in Testimony Form)

Mr. Martin Melville
Owner
Melville Forestry Services
Centre Hall, Pennsylvania
(Truth in Testimony Form)

Mr. John Stilley
Owner and President
Amerikohl Mining, Inc.
Butler, Pennsylvania
(Truth in Testimony Form)

 

Background:

This hearing will examine questions regarding bat data and non-human-caused disease, as well as the likely negative impacts that a federal endangered listing of the Northern Long Eared Bat under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) would have on important activities such as farming. The Northern Long Eared Bat is one of hundreds of species included in the Department of the Interior’s 2011 settlements with two groups that requires listing decisions by 2016. A final decision for the Northern Long Eared Bat could be made within the next several months. Witnesses at this hearing will testify about the real economic impacts of this potential listing on Pennsylvania citizens without any measurable benefits for the bat.

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