HR 66 — A Resolution directing the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee, in consultation with taxonomists, biologists and other interested persons, to conduct a study and issue a report on wild native terrestrial invertebrate management.

PRINTER'S NO.   544

                  THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



           HOUSE RESOLUTION
              No. 66
                                              Session of
                                                2025

     INTRODUCED BY PIELLI, SANCHEZ, VITALI, GIRAL, HILL-EVANS,
        HOHENSTEIN, OTTEN, ISAACSON, D. WILLIAMS, MADDEN, HOWARD,
        PROBST AND STEELE, FEBRUARY 10, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCE
        PROTECTION, FEBRUARY 10, 2025


                               A RESOLUTION
 1   Directing the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee, in
 2      consultation with taxonomists, biologists and other
 3      interested persons, to conduct a study and issue a report on
 4      wild native terrestrial invertebrate management.
 5      WHEREAS, Invertebrates such as butterflies, worms, bees and
 6   beetles are integral to our environment and play vital roles in
 7   maintaining healthy ecosystems, but they are often imperiled by
 8   human activity; and
 9      WHEREAS, Section 27 of Article I of the Constitution of
10   Pennsylvania, the Environmental Rights Amendment, provides that
11   "The people have a right to clean air, pure water, and to the
12   preservation of the natural, scenic, historic and esthetic
13   values of the environment. Pennsylvania's public natural
14   resources are the common property of all the people, including
15   generations yet to come. As trustee of these resources, the
16   Commonwealth shall conserve and maintain them for the benefit of
17   all the people"; and
18      WHEREAS, The Conservation and Natural Resources Act of 1995
 1   assigns the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
 2   (DCNR) the power and duty "To undertake, conduct and maintain
 3   the organization of a thorough and extended survey of this
 4   Commonwealth for the purpose of inventory, survey and
 5   elucidation of the ecological resources of this Commonwealth, to
 6   gather and digest information from sources within and outside
 7   this Commonwealth and to put the results of the survey into a
 8   form convenient for reference. The ecological survey should
 9   identify the significant natural features of this Commonwealth
10   and the species which comprise these features"; and
11      WHEREAS, Understanding the status of insect conservation in
12   this Commonwealth requires consideration of all relevant data,
13   including from Federal and State agencies and surrounding
14   states, nonprofit organizations and universities; and
15      WHEREAS, DCNR provides coordination for terrestrial
16   invertebrates through the Pennsylvania Natural Diversity
17   Inventory process; and
18      WHEREAS, DCNR has adopted and is implementing the Bureau of
19   Forestry Native Pollinator Conservation Plan; and
20      WHEREAS, DCNR is responsible for maintaining lists of
21   threatened and endangered species of wild native plants; and
22      WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) is
23   responsible for maintaining lists of threatened and endangered
24   species of wild mammals and wild birds; and
25      WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) is
26   responsible for maintaining lists of threatened and endangered
27   species of fish, reptiles, amphibians and aquatic
28   macroinvertebrates such as mayflies and stoneflies; and
29      WHEREAS, PGC and PFBC publish a collaborative Pennsylvania
30   State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP) every 10 years as a proactive

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 1   conservation effort to prevent Species of Greatest Conservation
 2   Need from requiring protection under the Federal Endangered
 3   Species Act; and
 4         WHEREAS, The 2015-2025 SWAP identifies 238 species of
 5   terrestrial invertebrates as Species of Greatest Conservation
 6   Need, including bees, butterflies, moths and spiders, as well as
 7   the conservation status, threats, research and monitoring needs
 8   and priority conservation actions for these species; and
 9         WHEREAS, The Department of Transportation has adopted and is
10   implementing a Pollinator Habitat Plan; and
11         WHEREAS, The Department of Agriculture addresses managed
12   agricultural pollinators and is a stakeholder regarding native
13   terrestrial invertebrate conservation in Pennsylvania; and
14         WHEREAS, The Department of Environmental Protection addresses
15   arthropod disease vectors as part of their Vector Management
16   program; and
17         WHEREAS, There are multiple sources of terrestrial
18   invertebrate data, including sampling and monitoring efforts for
19   invasive species, academic research programs, Pennsylvania
20   Natural Heritage Program projects, museum records and community
21   science projects; and
22         WHEREAS, The Department of Agriculture manages invasive
23   insect species to include the monitoring and sampling efforts;
24   and
25         WHEREAS, There are standardized methods for ranking species
26   regarding their conservation status; and
27         WHEREAS, Collaboration between State agencies can enhance the
28   conservation efforts of the agency responsible for native
29   terrestrial invertebrates; and
30         WHEREAS, Agency budget requests to address resource adequacy

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 1   are addressed in Manual 110.01 (Budget Instructions); and
 2      WHEREAS, Federal Government programs are available to assist
 3   state agencies with threatened and endangered species
 4   conservation; and
 5      WHEREAS, Populations and habitats of terrestrial
 6   invertebrates, even those that have been identified as Species
 7   of Greatest Conservation Need, have not been monitored over long
 8   periods or across a large scale in this Commonwealth; therefore
 9   be it
10      RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives direct the
11   Legislative Budget and Finance Committee, in consultation with
12   taxonomists, biologists and other interested persons, to conduct
13   a study and issue a report on wild native terrestrial
14   invertebrate management; and be it further
15      RESOLVED, That the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee
16   study include, at a minimum, all of the following:
17           (1)   The evaluation of the Conservation and Natural
18      Resources Act of 1995 and other existing Commonwealth laws to
19      clarify existing agency responsibilities regarding wild
20      native terrestrial invertebrates.
21           (2)   The assessment and review of other states' natural
22      heritage programs regarding wild native terrestrial
23      invertebrates, classification processes, levels of
24      protection, permitting procedures and other regulatory
25      processes.
26           (3)   The evaluation of the importance and value of
27      regulating these species related to biodiversity, human
28      health, agriculture, medicinal research and development and
29      economic impact.
30           (4)   The assessment of staffing, resources and funding

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1      recommended for jurisdictional authority of wild native
2      terrestrial invertebrates based on other states' natural
3      heritage programs in the northeastern United States;
4   and be it further
5      RESOLVED, That the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee
6   report its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly
7   no later than 180 days after the adoption of this resolution.




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