BOISE – Idaho, Washington and a few surrounding states are the last places where invasive quagga and zebra mussels haven’t taken hold, and a Montana legislator wants it to stay that way.

Montana Rep. Mike Cuffe, a Republican from Eureka, told the Idaho House Resources Committee on Thursday that the state can’t back away now from funding efforts to fight the invasive species.

Cuffe, representing the Pacific Northwest Economic Region – a collaborative of five states and five Canadian provinces that is led by Idaho Sen. Curt McKenzie – said a significant step has been made to further the “regional perimeter defense strategy,” as a result of pressure from PNWER and others.

In June of 2014, Congress approved using Water Resources Development Act funds for the problem, including $4 million in one-to-one matching funds to supplement efforts in four states – Idaho, Montana, Washington and Oregon – appropriated for fiscal year 2016 to keep the invasive mussels out. The funding is for watercraft inspection in the Columbia River Basin, administered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Cuffe said PNWER is advocating for Congress to continue the appropriation in future years.

The key now, he said, is for the four states to step up their efforts – not cut back and figure the feds can handle it now. “For it to really work for us, you’ve got to at least continue the program you’re doing,” he said, noting that Idaho spends $1.2 million a year on that effort, with funding from the Idaho invasive species sticker sales.