Mute swans sentenced to mass killings are one step closer to a stay of execution.
Legislation that would immediately halt the eradication of the mute swan has been approved by the State Legislature. The measure, crafted by State Sen. Ken LaValle, passed both houses of the legislature today.
The bill establishes a moratorium on the killing of mute swans and prohibits the Department of Environmental Conservation from making any decisions until a new independent study is conducted.
The DEC filed draft regulations and a draft management plan in January, designating the mute swan as a prohibited invasive species and outlining plans for the elimination of the species in New York State through various methods, including euthanizing the animals.
If signed into law, the bill would immediately halt progress on finalizing the plans; it would also create a board to review the new research, and require the board to report back within 120 days of receiving the study.
“This legislation will enable DEC policy to follow the science regarding mute swans. Now, we will be able to ensure any plan moving forward has the balanced, scientific basis that is necessary,” LaValle said.
According to the DEC draft management plan, the “mute swan is a non-native, invasive species brought to North America from Eurasia for ornamental purposes in the late 1800s… Mute swans can pose a variety of problems, including: aggressive behavior towards people, destruction of submerged aquatic vegetation, displacement of native wildlife species, degradation of water quality and potential hazards to aviation.”
LaValle has argued that the “drastic” DEC approach has raised many concerns and believes the state should explore controlling the species regionally. Before a species is completely wiped out, the senator said, all avenues of possible preservation should be explored.
Legislation was co-sponsored in the lower house by Assemblyman Fred Thiele would require the the DEC, before adoptiong a management plan, would hold no less than two public hearings in areas where mute swans are found.
In addition, the management plan would be required to give priority to non-lethal management techniques; fully document the scientific basis for future population projections; fully document the scientific basis for current
and projected environmental damage; include a public education component; and include responses to all substantive public comments.
“Many wildlife experts, rehabilitators and environmentalists do not agree that exterminating the mute swan population is justified,” Thiele said. “In addition, there is debate amongst such experts about whether the planned eradication of the mute swan population is even minimally beneficial to the ecosystem or to our environment,” he said.
“My office has not received one report in all my years in office that the mute swan is a nuisance or an environmental problem,” Thiele said. “This legislation will require all concerned to take a step back and take a hard look before any irrevocable action is taken by the DEC.”
LaValle introduced his legislation in February as public outcry against the killings intensified. “We need irrefutable information to be order to correctly assess the situation,” he said at the time. “We need to slow down, step back, and ensure any plan moving forward has a balanced, scientific basis.”
The DEC did not respond to a request for comment today.
