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NY DEC Issues Emergency Regulation for Chronic Wasting Disease - CWD

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Action Taken to Protect New York’s Deer Population in

Response to Pennsylvania Discovery

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) issued an emergency rulemaking that revises the state’s Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) regulations in response to a confirmed case of CWD in Pennsylvania, DEC Commissioner Joe Martens announced today. Effective immediately, the revision prohibits importing certain parts of white-tailed deer or American elk taken in the state of Pennsylvania.

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture confirmed the first case of CWD in Pennsylvania on October 11 at a deer farm in New Oxford (Adams County), PA. CWD is a contagious neurological disease affecting deer, elk and moose. It causes a characteristic spongy degeneration of the brain in infected animals resulting in emaciation, abnormal behavior, loss of bodily functions and death. In response, DEC amended its CWD regulations to prohibit importing the following parts of deer or elk taken in Pennsylvania: brain, eyes, spinal cord, tonsils, intestinal tract, spleen or retropharyngeal lymph nodes.

“Hunters who take a deer or elk in Pennsylvania must now butcher the animal and remove the prohibited parts before entering New York State,” said DEC Commissioner Martens. “This action is necessary to protect New York’s populations of deer and moose. Most successful hunters already opt to butcher a deer and put the meat in a cooler before traveling back to New York.”

DEC’s ongoing extensive surveillance program, initiated in 2002, first confirmed CWD in New York State in 2005 and has not discovered any additional cases of CWD since that time. DEC recently revised its surveillance plan and efforts this year will concentrate on collecting tissues at taxidermists as well as deer processors.

It is not known exactly how CWD is transmitted. The infectious agent, a prion, may be passed from animal to animal through feces, urine or saliva. The minimal incubation period between infection and development of clinical disease appears to be about 16 months. The maximum incubation period is unknown, as is the point at which shedding of the CWD agent begins during the prolonged course of infection.

The movement of infected material is believed to be one of primary routes of transmission. This amendment to the CWD regulations prohibits importing those parts of a deer where the disease is most likely to be found. DEC advises hunters not to consume the meat of any animal that acts abnormal and to exercise precautions when butchering animals, such as using rubber or latex gloves. Also, DEC urges hunters to dispose of deer parts that will not be consumed in a municipal landfill.

Additional information about CWD can be found on DEC’s website at: http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/7507.html and http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/33220.html. Information is also available on the Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance's website at http://www.cwd-info.org/.

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faihasan Newbie

faihasan

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I just recieved this email from DEC. Its kinda scary.

NY Big Game,

If you hunt deer or elk in Pennsylvania or know someone who does, be aware of this new rule. See the press release below.

DEC ISSUES EMERGENCY REGULATION FOR CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE TO PROHIBIT IMPORTING CERTAIN ANIMAL PARTS

Action Taken to Protect New York’s Deer Population in Response to Pennsylvania Discovery

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) issued an emergency rulemaking that revises the state’s Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) regulations in response to a confirmed case of CWD in Pennsylvania, DEC Commissioner Joe Martens announced today. Effective immediately, the revision prohibits importing certain parts of white-tailed deer or American elk taken in the state of Pennsylvania.

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture confirmed the first case of CWD in Pennsylvania on October 11 at a deer farm in New Oxford (Adams County), PA. CWD is a contagious neurological disease affecting deer, elk and moose. It causes a characteristic spongy degeneration of the brain in infected animals resulting in emaciation, abnormal behavior, loss of bodily functions and death. In response, DEC amended its CWD regulations to prohibit importing the following parts of deer or elk taken in Pennsylvania: brain, eyes, spinal cord, tonsils, intestinal tract, spleen or retropharyngeal lymph nodes.

“Hunters who take a deer or elk in Pennsylvania must now butcher the animal and remove the prohibited parts before entering New York State,” said DEC Commissioner Martens. “This action is necessary to protect New York’s populations of deer and moose. Most successful hunters already opt to butcher a deer and put the meat in a cooler before traveling back to New York.”

DEC’s ongoing extensive surveillance program, initiated in 2002, first confirmed CWD in New York State in 2005 and has not discovered any additional cases of CWD since that time. DEC recently revised its surveillance plan and efforts this year will concentrate on collecting tissues at taxidermists as well as deer processors.

It is not known exactly how CWD is transmitted. The infectious agent, a prion, may be passed from animal to animal through feces, urine or saliva. The minimal incubation period between infection and development of clinical disease appears to be about 16 months. The maximum incubation period is unknown, as is the point at which shedding of the CWD agent begins during the prolonged course of infection.

The movement of infected material is believed to be one of primary routes of transmission. This amendment to the CWD regulations prohibits importing those parts of a deer where the disease is most likely to be found. DEC advises hunters not to consume the meat of any animal that acts abnormal and to exercise precautions when butchering animals, such as using rubber or latex gloves. Also, DEC urges hunters to dispose of deer parts that will not be consumed in a municipal landfill.

Additional information about CWD can be found on DEC’s website at: http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/7507.html and http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/33220.html. Information is also available on the Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance's website at http://www.cwd-info.org/.

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      The Kushaqua Tract Conservation Easement Lands are located in the towns of Franklin and Brighton, and are owned by the Lyme Timber Company of Hanover, New Hampshire. The entire property, with the exception of 32 private lease camp lots, is open to the public for recreation.
      Mountain Pond Road is located off the North Branch Road – the main entrance to the southern portion of the Kushaqua Tract near the hamlet of Onchiota. DEC staff, with the cooperation and assistance of the landowner, used Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) money to upgrade Mountain Pond Road to allow seasonal motor vehicle access.
      The road extends northeast, passing through several areas where timber was harvested during the past five years. These recently harvested areas are rich with a variety of non-game species, as well as popular game species including whitetail deer, black bear, ruffed grouse and woodcock. The road also features scenic views of the Loon Lake Mountain range to the north and the High Peaks region to the south. In the future, DEC will develop facilities to provide access to Mountain Pond. 
      A designated parking area is located on the North Branch Road where it enters the Kushaqua Tract. An information kiosk featuring a map and guidelines for use of the road and lands is located in the parking area. Several old log landings and road shoulders along Mountain Pond Road have been mowed to provide off-road parking. Food, supplies and gas for those using the Kushaqua Tract Conservation Easement Lands can be found in the nearby communities of Bloomingdale and Gabriels. Amenities and lodging are available in Saranac Lake.
       
      O’Neill Flow & Barker Pond Roads, Township 19 Tract
      The Township 19 Tract Conservation Easement Lands Public Use Area is located south of O’Neill Flow Road and north of the Blue Mountain Wild Forest in the Town of Indian Lake. The Township 19 Tract is part of the 92,000-acre Upper Hudson Woodlands ATP Conservation Easement Lands owned by ATP Timberland Invest of Hillerod, Denmark.
      O’Neill Flow Road is located off State Route 30/28 between the communities of Blue Mountain Lake and Indian Lake. The road not only provides access to the 1,600-acre public use area, but also to thousands of acres of adjacent Forest Preserve lands in the Blue Mountain Lake Wild Forest.
      The road is currently open to public motor vehicles for approximately two miles, ending at a gate just beyond the intersection with the Barker Pond Road. The Barker Pond Road extends another 0.6 mile to a new parking area a short distance from Barker Pond.
      DEC developed and designated a primitive tent site near the parking area. Another primitive tent site has been designated on the west shore of Barker Pond.
      The first mile of the O’Neill Flow Road passes through Forest Preserve lands. The remaining length of the road serves as the boundary between private lands to the north and the public use area to the south. The O’Neill Flow Road is currently gated just beyond the intersection with Barker Pond Road. Beyond the gate the road extends for another five miles, but can only be used for foot travel at this time. The road is a designated snowmobile trail for its entire length.
      DEC plans future improvements to these lands, including extending public motor vehicle usage on the O’Neill Flow Road another five miles to access fishing opportunities on Dun Brook, constructing a waterway access site on Barker Pond, and designating and developing additional primitive tent sites.
      The Township 19 CEL project is being funded by Governor Cuomo’s NY Works program and is part of the NY Open for Fishing and Hunting Initiative. In support of this initiative, this year’s budget included $6 million in NY Works funding to support creating 50 new land and water access projects to connect hunters, anglers, bird watchers and others who enjoy the outdoors to more than 380,000 acres of existing state and easement lands that have not reached their full potential. These 50 new access projects include building new boat launches, installing new hunting blinds and building new trails and parking areas. In addition, the 2014-15 budgets includes $4 million to repair the state’s fish hatcheries; and renews and allows expanded use of crossbows for hunting in New York State.
      Both roads are on privately owned conservation easement lands that may be actively logged. People can expect to see and hear logging trucks, skidders and other logging equipment. Visitors must respect the right of landowners and follow these guidelines:
      Do not trespass on private lands and, on the Kushaqua Tract, private leased camps; Use motorized vehicles only on designated roads; Park vehicles in designated parking areas; and Do not obstruct gates, barriers or the safe passage of vehicular traffic on property roads. Both seasonal access roads will be closed to motor vehicle traffic during the winter and spring mud season. Food, supplies, gas and lodging for those using the Township 19 Tract Conservation Easement Lands can be found in the nearby communities of Blue Mountain Lake and Indian Lake.
       
      Essex Chain Lakes Complex
      The Camp Six Road can be accessed off the Chain Lakes North Road. It is the second yellow gate on the right, which will be locked open for the regular big game hunting season. The road is open for a mile, ending at a parking area. The parking area provides access to thousands of acres of lands in the recently classified Essex Chain Lakes Primitive Area and the Hudson Gorge Wilderness.
      The gate at the Outer Gooley parking area on the Chain Lakes Road South is also open for the hunting season, allowing for motor vehicles to travel for approximately 1.5 miles to a designated 4-vehicle parking area. There are 3 primitive tent sites along this section of road. Two additional tent sites are located past the seasonal parking area (and gate) – one further north on the Chain Lakes Road South and one at Pine Lake.
      Food, supplies, gas and lodging for those using the Essex Chain Lakes Complex can be found in the nearby communities of Newcomb and Indian Lake.
       
       
      Directions, maps and other information may be found on the DEC website for both the Kushaqua Tract (www.dec.ny.gov/lands/95009.html), the Township 19 Tract (www.dec.ny.gov/lands/71954.html) and the Essex Chain Lakes complex (www.dec.ny.gov/lands/91888.html ).
       
       

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