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URGENT ACTION: STOP THE SPRAY PROGRAM IN OUR NEIGHBOURHOODSPlanned Pesticide Spray Across Southern BC Twenty years ago many in BC protested the rampant and indiscriminate use o pesticides in a series of appeals across the province. Al lost their appeals to the government, but the Pesticide Act was changed somewhat to include mechanical, cultural and biological means of 'control.' Recently both FortisBC (electric) and the Ministry of Forests (MoF) posted
their Pest Management Plans for Southern BC in local papers. FortisBC's
permit is to 'control vegetation, including noxious weeds and invasive
plants "on FortisBC transmission and distribution rights-of-way,
including access roads" for 10 years starting April 15, 2005. MoF's
permit is for control of the same plants on forest service roads, rights-of-ways,
and Crown land within the Southern Interior Forest Region for the next
5 years, 2005-10. Both applicants plan to use an extensive list of chemicals. FortisBC's list: Glyphosate (Roundup, Vantage, Vantage Plus), dicamba (Vanquish), 2,4-D (2,4-D Amine 500), triclopyr (Garlon 4), picloram (Tordon 22K), metsulfuron-methyl (Escort), and clopyralid (Transline). MoF's list: Dicamba, 2,4-D Mexoprop (Dyvel DS or equivalent, Glyphosate
(Roundup or equivalent), Metsulfuron methyl (Escort or equivalent), Clopyraid
(Transline or equivalent), 2,4-D (Amsol 2,4-D, Amsol 500 or equivalent),
Picloram (Tordon 22K or Grazon), Surfactant (Agral or equivalent). The public consultation process is 30 days from publication of Pest Management Plan notices; FortisBC published March 4 in the NDN, thus public comment invited to April 2nd, and MoF pub. March 24, '05, so April 22nd is the end date of public input. However repeated public input past these dates will definitely affect how the plan is implemented. To contact FortisBC or MoF with your comments:
Ministry of Forests, Southern Interior Forest Region A group called Kootenay Citizens for Alternatives to Pesticides (K-CAP) has formed to protest the use of these chemicals believing their environmental damage far outweighs their short-term usefulness. This group advocates the use of non-chemical, mechanical means as preferable for weed control and these methods would create needed clean jobs keeping our water and ecosystem cleaner, important in our increasingly polluted world. Researchers and helpers are needed to assist in gathering information and exploring avenues for advancement of healthier alternatives. Contact K-CAP at (250) 357-2307 or jilstewart@telus.net if you wish to participate. If you don't want to see these chemicals sprayed in Southern BC for the next 5-10 years, please phone, fax, email or write to FortisBC and MoF even after the 30-day public consultation period. Our environment depends on our actions, the more voices are heard, the more likely positive change will happen. Recent ads in the NDN (one on March 9th 2005) placed by Canadian Pacific
Railway show that they are also planning to douse us all with chemicals. Quoted from NDN posting March 9th: Pest Management Plan Application # CPR-IVMP-2005 Applicant: Canadian Pacific Railway The use of pesticides, specfically herbicides is to be used within all of the rights-of-way of Canadian Pacific Railway in British Columbia in order to manage unwanted vegetation of the rail infrastructure, noxious weeds on the rights-of-way and brush, which interferes with sight lines at crossings and signals. The purpose of the proposed Pest Management Plan is to identify the area, and the manner in which the herbicides will be used. The pest management methods proposed for use include hand pulling and cutting, trimming, mowing, power brush-cutting, chainsaws, biological control agents, and herbicides. The proposed area covered by this plan are all lands operated and maintained by CPR along the approximately 1760km of rights-of-way in southern British Columbia. The CPR mainline follows the Trans-Canada highway from the Alberta-British Columbia border through to Vancouver. It goes through numerous communities including Golden, Revelstoke, Salmon Arm, Kamloops, Mission, Abbotsford, and the Greater Vancouver Regional District. Branch lines travel through the southern interior of BC including the Crowsnest Pass and the Columbia River Valley, and through communities such as FERNIE, CRANBROOK, NELSON, CASTLEGAR, TRAIL, and INVERMERE. The proposed duration of the plan is from MAY 10th, 2005 until MAY 9th, 2010. The active ingredient and trade names of the herbicides proposed for use under this plan include: Picloram, 2-4D (Tordon 101), chlorosulfuron (Telar), clopyralid (Transline), dicamba (Vanquish), diuron (Karmex, Diurex), glyphosphate (Roundup, Roundup Weathermax, Glyphos, Vantage, BVantage pluys), imazapyr (Arsenal), metsulfuron--methyl (Escort), picloram (Tordan 22K), 2,4D (2,4D various trade names), triclopyr, (Garlon 4), amitrole (Amitrole 240), bromacil/diuron (Krovar 1). Application methods include backpack, handgun, wick, basal bark, shrouded boom or boom-less nozzle systems. The proposed Integrated Vegetation Management Plan (IVMP) and Maps of
the proposed treatment area (which includes Nelson) may be examined in
detail at : |