Viewpoints
Pesticides found in Alaska
By Carrie L. James
May 15, 2006
Monday
The recent article about "pesticides found in Alaska wilderness"
is a perfect example why aerial pesticide/herbicide spraying
should not take place on Long Island located near Prince of Wales
Island which is only about 100 miles from Ketchikan. Pesticides
travel, they are not bio-degradeable and Alaska does not need
this presedence set. So many people have echoed the same concerns
and are against "Aerial Spraying of Pesticides" that
would inevitably open pandoras box to ruin our beautiful pristine
state; yet DEC ignores the legitamate concerns of the broad coalition
of organizations, tribes, medical professionals, and subsistence
users. So many people from the lower 48 have expressed that
they will not buy wild-salmon contaminated with pesticides and
will resort to farmed salmon which would hurt our economy. What
does it take to open DEC's eyes? The International Covenant
on Civil and Political Rights of Indigenous people's under International
Law (the inherent right to subsist)which the Federal Government
ratified and reaffirmed in 2002 or Governor Murkowski's proclamation
just this last April 6, declaring May, 2006 is "Toxic
Injury awareness and education month" should make DEC (state
of Alaska) change their mind on allowing aerial spraying to occur.
I am losing faith in the Department of Environmental Conservation
and in my opinion DEC will stand for Department of Environmental
"Contamination" if they make irresponsible decisions.
Aerial Pesticide spraying should be banned altogether in our
state, which is what some other states have already done.
People need to be vocal and say "NO", not in our state.
We need to start contacting our nearest Senators and State Representatives
and let them know as their constituant that we want them to step
in and pass a bill to ban aerial spraying altogether; if they
are not willing we need to remember "we the people"
are the ones who put them in office. I have already spoken at
the State Capitol to my constituants, and other Senators and
State Representatives lobbying to change laws to ban this so
that DEC will not have the authority to hand out these permits
to other corporations.
I always welcome feedback.
Respectfully submitted by,
Carrie L. James
cljames[at]kpunet.net
Ketchikan, AK - USA
About: Current ANS Grand 2nd Vice Presiden- Subsistence committee
member current ANS Camp #14 President past Tribal Council member
for Ketchikan Indian Community-current Subsistence committee
member for KIC (Tribal member at large) past Ketchikan Tlingit
& Haida Delegate concerned subsistence user
Related Article:
Pesticide traces found in Alaska wilderness By Ned Rozell - Burial Lake, named
after a nearby Eskimo burial ground, is a half-mile-long body
of water north of the Brooks Range. The lake is far from any
village, and even farther from the nearest fruit orchard, so
why did snow from near Burial Lake have traces of a commercial
pesticide? - More...
May 12, 2006
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