About this time last year I wrote an article about an organization ‘Stop The Spray’ which is a non- profit, founded to give a voice to those opposing the spraying of harmful and senseless pesticides in the Bay Area, to rid the area of the Light Brown Apple Moth.
Well, it’s that time of year again and the spray is about to happen again, unless we do something about it. If this concerns you, as it does me, take 15 minutes today and make some phone calls and make your voice heard. The letter below explains exactly what to do – thank you. Thanks Tracey for the info!
Dear Friends,
As you have heard, the apple moth environmental impact report has been released and the program is much the same as before, with aerial and ground spray and other chemical and environmentally disruptive treatments.
Here are 6 things you can do now to stop the spray.
We are updating our website regularly with new information on the EIR and efforts to stop the program: www.eastbay.stopthespray.org
Thanks for your support,
Nan
1. Call USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack and ask him to reclassify the light brown apple moth to non quarantinable status and stop the LBAM program now.
- phone: 202-720-3631 is the main line for the USDA. Ask to leave a message for Secretary Vilsack. OR EMAIL: agsec@usda.gov
*Talking points for calls/emails below after #2
2. Call California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary A.G. Kawamura and ask him NOT to certify the apple moth EIR and to stop the LBAM program now.
- phone: 916-654-0433 OR email:akawamura@cdfa.ca.gov
*Talking points for calls/emails:
-the state environmental document on the program has just come out and includes the possibility of aerial spray of large populated areas of California
-the moth has been intercepted in CA since 1984, but the state can point to only 1 questionable incident of possible apple moth damage in the past 26 years
– the program is an enormous waste of taxpayer money in hard economic times
3. Call your local city councilmember or county supervisor and ask that the city council or county board immediately send a letter to Secretary Kawamura asking him to delay certification of the Environmental Impact Report (which could be certified as soon as Thursday, Mar. 4) until public hearings on the program are held in all affected communities.
*Model letter from City of Albany attached to this email.
4. Call your state and federal representatives and ask them to support federal reclassification of the moth and ending of the apple moth quarantines and eradication program, and tell them that the eradication program is a complete waste of taxpayer money.
* some key contacts at end of this email
5. Call the state departments of Public Health, Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, and Pesticide Regulation and ask them to contact Agriculture Secretary Kawamura to request that he not certify the environmental impact report until the full formulas of the apple moth pesticides, including the adjuvants or so-called inerts, are disclosed (and for good measure add that you think this program is a complete waste of taxpayer money).
California Department of Public Health: Mark Horton. Director 916- 558-1700 [ASK TO LEAVE A MESSAGE FOR DR. MARK HORTON] mark.horton@cdph.ca.gov
Department of Pesticide Regulation Mary Ann Warmerdam, Director 916-324-1452 mwarmerdam@cdpr.ca.gov
Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment: Joan Denton, Director (916) 322-6325 jdenton@oehha.ca.gov
6. Call or email the office of State Assemblymember Sandré Swanson and express your appreciation for his introduction of AB 1721, the School Healthy and Safety Protection Zones Act, which would establish pesticide spray safety zones around schools across the state. Mr. Swanson’s office needs to know BY NEXT WEEK that we support his efforts, especially from residents of his district: Oakland, Alameda, and Piedmont.
916-319-2016 OR Fax: (916) 319-2116
SOME BAY AREA LEGISLATOR CONTACTS
Federal:
U.S. Representative Barbara Lee (East Bay) (510) 763-0370
U.S. Representative Nancy Pelosi (San Francisco) (415) 556-4862 –
Senator Dianne Feinstein (415) 393-0707
Senator Barbara Boxer (415) 403-0100
State:
Assemblymember Sandré R. Swanson (Oakland, Piedmont, Alameda) 916-319-2016
Assemblymember Nancy Skinner (Berkeley, Albany, Richmond, San Pablo, Kensington, Lafayette, Moraga, Orinda, Pleasant Hill) (916) 319-2014
Assemblymember Tom Torlakson (Northern Contra Costa) (916) 319-2011
Assemblymember Jared Huffman (Marin) (916) 319-2006
Senator Mark Leno (SF, Marin) (916) 651-4003
Senator Loni Hancock (East Bay) (916) 651-4009
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Minnie: Thank for reminding us about Kathryn Bigelow – a big congrats to her!
Lucy: Your story is so bizarre. I don’t know what else to say.
Betty: Oh…exposure is a bitch isn’t it? How many more of those that oppose will be revealed? But check this out…now the Republican lawmakers are thinking of calling for a further investigation. Did they want to further investigate Ashburn when he was recently busted? Of course not. As usual the GOP is trying to exploit the situation. They are ruthless and relentless.
Robert: Welcome back! (?) Thanks for your write.
Loni and Kelly: Thank you. :)
Anonymous: lol.
Marlene: I know your comments were not addressed to me but I have to chime in and say that I agree with your sentiments. Very well said. And thank you for sharing your personal life and experiences with us.
Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my ‘loyal’(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.
Peace out….
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle
Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)
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