CT officials lament closure of state lab on forefront of fighting invasive insects and diseases

While invasive species have been called one of Connecticut’s greatest ecological threats, state officials are lamenting the closure of a federal invasive species research laboratory in Hamden, as the U.S. Forest Service moves to consolidate the research centers across the country.

U.S. Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy, along with U.S. Reps. John Larson, Joe Courtney, Rosa DeLauro, Jim Himes and Jahana Hayes, sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture opposing plans to close the U.S. Forest Service research and development center in Hamden.

“We write in strong opposition to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s plan to close the U.S. Forest Service research and development center in Hamden, Connecticut,” the lawmakers wrote. “This site has been on the forefront of fighting invasive insects and diseases that threaten our forests for decades, and we urge you to abandon this short-sighted reorganization plan and leave the Connecticut lab intact.”

The closure is part of a plan to close 57 of 77 similar facilities across the nation and consolidate them into a handful of regional facilities. The work of the Connecticut facility is expected to move to Warren, Pennsylvania under the current restructuring plan. Nine staff members are expected be relocated as a result of this change, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

The Hamden laboratory conducted research on several invasive species including the Spongy moth, Asian longhorned beetle and Spotted Lanternfly, according to officials. Invasive insects are now responsible for more than a quarter of tree deaths across the Northeast.

The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station has said as of last year it had detected the Spotted Lanternfly in all of the state’s eight counties, according to entomologist Dr. Gale Ridge. The insects have now been reported in Fairfield, Hartford, Litchfield, Middlesex, New Haven, New London, Tolland, and Windham counties.

Spotted lanternflies, which are native to China and East Asia, were first found in the United States in Pennsylvania in 2014, according to experts. The insect is an exotic, invasive sap-feeding plant hopper that has the potential to impact agriculture. The insect particularly affects grapes, hops and ornamental trees. Spotted lanternfly adults are able to feed on more than 70 species of plants, making it unique in its ability to negatively affect crops and plants.

“At a time when our New England trees are under such grave threat, it defies logic that this administration would seek to close a research facility that has a proven track record of successfully responding to invasive species. It is especially baffling considering your own stated goals for USDA research and development,” the federal lawmakers said.

The U.S. Forest Service said consolidating research facilities will not impact the quality of the invasive species work performed.

But lawmakers noted that location matters when performing this type of research. The ability to respond quickly to emerging threats would be severely diminished by moving further away, lawmakers said.

The federal agency said that no scientific positions will be eliminated, but it is unclear if those currently working at the facility will be asked to relocate to the new regional facility in Warren, Pennsylvania or elsewhere.