Pennsylvania 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.

Bill Text

PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 544 PRINTER'S NO. 2714
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, STEELE AND WEBSTER, FEBRUARY 10, 2025
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCE
PROTECTION, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED,
DECEMBER 17, 2025
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.
WHEREAS, Invertebrates such as butterflies, worms, bees and
beetles are integral to our environment and play vital roles in
maintaining healthy ecosystems, but they are often imperiled by
human activity; and
WHEREAS, NATIVE INVERTEBRATES ALSO PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN
AGRICULTURE, POLLINATING CROPS, CONTROLLING PESTS AND REGULATING
SOIL HEALTH, AND INSECT POLLINATION CONTRIBUTES MORE THAN $250
MILLION IN ECONOMIC VALUE TO AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS IN THIS
COMMONWEALTH; AND
WHEREAS, Section 27 of Article I of the Constitution of
Pennsylvania, the Environmental Rights Amendment, provides that
"The people have a right to clean air, pure water, and to the
preservation of the natural, scenic, historic and esthetic
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values of the environment. Pennsylvania's public natural
resources are the common property of all the people, including
generations yet to come. As trustee of these resources, the
Commonwealth shall conserve and maintain them for the benefit of
all the people"; and
WHEREAS, The Conservation and Natural Resources Act of 1995
assigns the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
(DCNR) the power and duty "To undertake, conduct and maintain
the organization of a thorough and extended survey of this
Commonwealth for the purpose of inventory, survey and
elucidation of the ecological resources of this Commonwealth, to
gather and digest information from sources within and outside
this Commonwealth and to put the results of the survey into a
form convenient for reference. The ecological survey should
identify the significant natural features of this Commonwealth
and the species which comprise these features"; and
WHEREAS, Understanding the status of insect conservation in
this Commonwealth requires consideration of all relevant data,
including from Federal and State agencies and surrounding
states, nonprofit organizations and universities; and
WHEREAS, DCNR provides coordination for terrestrial
invertebrates through the Pennsylvania Natural Diversity
Inventory process; and
WHEREAS, DCNR has adopted and is implementing the Bureau of
Forestry Native Pollinator Conservation Plan; and
WHEREAS, DCNR is responsible for maintaining lists of
threatened and endangered species of wild native plants; and
WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) is
responsible for maintaining lists of threatened and endangered
species of wild mammals and wild birds; and
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WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) is
responsible for maintaining lists of threatened and endangered
species of fish, reptiles, amphibians and aquatic
macroinvertebrates such as mayflies and stoneflies; and
WHEREAS, PGC and PFBC publish a collaborative Pennsylvania
State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP) every 10 years as a proactive
conservation effort to prevent Species of Greatest Conservation
Need from requiring protection under the Federal Endangered
Species Act; and
WHEREAS, The 2015-2025 SWAP identifies 238 species of
terrestrial invertebrates as Species of Greatest Conservation
Need, including bees, butterflies, moths and spiders, as well as
the conservation status, threats, research and monitoring needs
and priority conservation actions for these species; and
WHEREAS, The Department of Transportation has adopted and is
implementing a Pollinator Habitat Plan; and
WHEREAS, The Department of Agriculture addresses managed
agricultural pollinators and is a stakeholder regarding native
terrestrial invertebrate conservation in Pennsylvania; and
WHEREAS, The Department of Environmental Protection addresses
arthropod disease vectors as part of their Vector Management
program; and
WHEREAS, There are multiple sources of terrestrial
invertebrate data, including sampling and monitoring efforts for
invasive species, academic research programs, Pennsylvania
Natural Heritage Program projects, museum records and community
science projects; and
WHEREAS, The Department of Agriculture manages invasive
insect species to include the monitoring and sampling efforts;
and
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WHEREAS, There are standardized methods for ranking species
regarding their conservation status; and
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