Nickles, Cole Announce Funds to Fight Egrets

Washington, D.C. – Today Senator Don Nickles and Congressman Tom Cole announced that the United States Department of Agriculture is sending $30,000 to help with egret rookery removal near Corum and Waurika Lake. These funds will be used to hire two additional employees to keep the egrets away from the area for the duration of the spring and summer.

"The birds are causing waste problems, destroying property and making some homes unlivable, not to mention the possible health risk the birds are to the residents around Waurika Lake. This is a good start on the funding needed to solve this problem," Congressman Cole said. "I will continue working to secure funds for rookery removal in Corum and for other communities who are suffering from similar situations."

Over the past three years, cattle egrets and other birds have established a rookery near residential areas around Waurika Lake. Current estimates are that 40,000 to 50,000 birds return every year to nest.

"This is an important first step to solving the terrible egret problem in Corum," Nickles said. "I will continue working to secure the proper level of federal funding to help fix this problem."

There was a joint effort by Congressman Cole and Senator Nickles to secure funding for the egret problem. Congressman Cole wrote a letter to the Department of Agriculture requesting the funds for removal testing for human health risks. Senator Nickles also sent a letter, the most recent was sent last month and requested that funds be used to address the problem through dispersal techniques prior to nesting this year.

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