WASHINGTON – U.S. Representative Glenn Thompson Monday announced a $30,000 federal grant to help combat a fungal disease that is killing bats in Pennsylvania.

The funding comes from U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service as part of a national program aimed at  eradicating white-nose syndrome (WNS) that has killed millions of bats in North America in recent years. The overall investment is $1 million in grants to 37 states and the District of Columbia.

Funds will help states find ways to prevent the spread of WNS while increasing survival rates of affected species through research, prevention and eradication efforts.

“I have been a proponent of ensuring that research and preservation investments continue to assist Pennsylvania’s bat populations, which play an important role in our agriculture sector,” said Thompson, who is Vice Chair of the House Agriculture Committee. “Insect-eating bats help our farmers and they protect their crops from pests. White-nose syndrome is decimating bat populations and thankfully this program will help Pennsylvania and additional states address this crisis.”