The Furious Spinner

I know it's the holidays, but if you get a chance go here and sign the petition and/or call or write to the BLM and/or your people in Congress BEFORE JANUARY 6. The BLM wants to dump pesticides on our national lands. They are including aerial spraying in this. You or I or a classroom of children could be out in the woods or in the desert when they do this. Even when the government is supposed to notify they don't always do that and they don't always get the word out. Remember, it happened to me. The county where I live was legally obligated to notify me before they sprayed and they didn't.

Here's what's happening: "The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has proposed to apply massive amounts of pesticides to public lands in 17 Western states. The BLM claims these pesticides need to be applied to forests, rangelands and aquatic areas in order to reduce the risk of fire and slow the spread of invasive weeds. Under the proposal 932,000 acres would undergo chemical application in 17 western states, including National Monuments and National Conservation areas.

An integral part of this proposal involves aerial spraying of toxic pesticides, which increases negative impacts on non-targeted vegetation, wildlife, and people, including recreationists, tourists, and native peoples (pesticide application areas include Alaska, where native fishing and plant gathering is widespread).

The pesticides that would be used include persistent and mobile chemicals, including known developmental and reproductive toxins. The list of pesticides includes 4 new chemicals and 14 other pesticides, including 2,4-D, bromacil, chlorsulfuron, diquat, diuron, fluridone, hexazinone, teburthiruon, triclopyr, and picloram. The proposal would also allow the use of 'new chemicals that may be developed in the future.'

Fortunately, the proposal also includes an analysis of possible outcomes of using nonchemical means of managing these areas and offers an option (Option C) wherein traditional methods of vegetation management are used on public lands, not the use widespread application of toxic chemicals.

Take action now and submit your public comment in support of Option C of the Bureau of Land Management Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement."

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