 by Donna Hamilton Baptista April 16, 2005
RE: Klukwan, Inc. gets okay to spray herbicides at Long Island -CVN article March 17, 2005 The state Department of Environmental Conservation announced it will let Klukwan, Inc. spray herbicides (glyphosate and imazapyr - brand names Accord and Arsenal) by helicopter on 2,000 acres of second-growth forest at Long Island this summer. Their use of aerial spraying is to curb alder and salmonberry growth. In Washington state, the Hoh Tribe is reforesting the Olympic coast river corridors. The Tribe consulted a research silviculturist from the state Department of Natural Resources to improve their chances of success. It's been discovered that when the spruce trees grow within a dense stand of alder, the spruce has less spruce-tip weevils and therefore grows better. Aurah Landau, outreach coordinator for the Southeast Alaska Conservation Council, said "Highly persistent and toxic," - glyphosate is "especially persistent in northern regions, remaining at detectable levels for up to three years in Swedish forestry studies. Imazapyr sometimes persists more than a year and creates a dangerous neurotoxin when it breaks down". "The majority of nearly 400 comments submitted to the state last year opposed the spraying as a threat to public health or the environment". How many people does it take to say "HALT"? The state regulations were changed last year - to allow a permit to be issued to Klukwan, Inc.? How did that happen? Was that a Republican idea? Spraying will be permitted only when the wind is blowing less than six miles per hour. How often does that happen in S.E.? Aerial application of herbicides is "notoriously inaccurate," said Pam Miller of Alaska Community Action on Toxins. The chemicals will be applied in late July or August just when it is time to put up fish and berry picking time. Although DEC says the chemicals don't pose a risk to wildlife, it does advise subsistence users to stay away from Klukwan, Inc s property after spraying. "It would be a violation to allow subsistence use in an area where Arsenal has been sprayed," the DEC report says. It would be a violation - you'll be fined for harvesting the land after it is sprayed! "The chemical will be applied only to private land usable for subsistence only by permission." Right. I am going to give permission. Don't they get it - we don't want it! I cannot imagine that Klukwan shareholders would want or allow this to happen in their backyard. Please don't let this happen shareholders. A 30-day appeal period began March 7 and this article was published March 17. Donna Hamilton Baptista Related News:
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Klukwan,
Inc. gets okay to spray herbicides at Long Island