VINCENNES, Ind. (AP) – A southwestern Indiana city is taking steps to keep an invasive beetle at bay.

Vincennes officials have approved spending $30,000 to chop down ash trees before they become infected by the emerald ash borer.

The metallic-green beetle came to the U.S. in 2002 and 2003 from Asia and parts of Russia. It has decimated ash trees in more than two-thirds of Indiana's 92 counties and has been found in neighboring Daviess County.

Vincennes Tree Board member Ryan Lough tells the Vincennes Sun-Commercial that removing at least 50 ash trees before they are infested will likely cost an average of about $400 per tree. Waiting until the ash borer arrives could be much more expensive.

Fort Wayne has spent upward of $3 million to remove infested ash trees.