LOCAL ACTION:
JULY 2009
A CALL TO ACTION: regarding spraying Upper San Antonio Creek watershed
We only have until July 22nd to comment on the Upper San Antonio Creek Watershed Giant Reed Removal Project. The County intends to use a mixture of glyphosate and surfactant to eradicate the arundo. (Please see info copied below.)
ACTION IN PERSON
Please come to the Ventura County Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday morning, July 14th at 8:30am. Arrive at 8:20am to sign up to speak during the public comment period.
We think the public comment period comes fairly early ~ perhaps starting around 9am.
We can leave after the public comment period.
We can also go up to Steve Bennett’s office to make an appointment as a group to speak with him.
In my comments at the meeting, I will focus on community support for manual removal and getting the community involved (perhaps Thatcher School and youth groups). I will mention the city project headed up by Brian Holly to manually remove the non-native plants in Libbey Park in the creek area. We as a community support non-toxic methods. I will also mention the negative health impacts of glyphosate and surfactant.
ACTION IN WRITING
The address to send written comments: (We can also drop off our written comments when are at the government center on Tuesday.)
Pam Lindsey
Watershed Ecologist
Ventura County Watershed Protection District
800 South Victoria Avenue
Ventura, CA 93009-1610
Phone: 805-654-2036
Fax: 805-654-3350
Email: Pam. Lindsey@ventura.org
Upper San Antonio Creek Watershed Giant Reed Removal Project
http://portal.countyofventura.org/portal/page?_pageid=876,1324146&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL
The Ventura County Watershed Protection District is proposing to remove non-native invasive giant reed (Arundo donax) within the upper San Antonio Creek watershed in the Ojai Valley. The project area includes those portions of upper San Antonio, McNell, Thacher, and Reeves Creeks that extend between the southwest boundary of Soule Park and Soule Park Golf Course and private in-holdings within Los Padres National Forest. The project would restore biological habitat, reduce flood and fire risks, and enhance water supply reliability and groundwater recharge. The District is issuing a Notice of Intent to Adopt A Draft Mitigated Negative Declaration (PDF 68.8KB) and is seeking written public comments on its Draft Mitigated Negative Declaration and Initial Study (PDF 7.16MB). The public review period begins on Monday June 22 and ends on Wednesday July 22, 2009
SPRING 2009
Contact Ventura County to voice your objections to the Dipel spraying against the Gypsy Moths.
- County Supervisor Steve Bennett 654-2703; steve.bennett@ventura.org
- Public Works Inspector Keven Hockstedler (watershed protection) 654-2033
If you have been exposed to pesticide drift from the spraying, document and report your illness immediately to the County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office. The CAC is required to send a staff person out to investigate.
Write letters to the editors of the Ojai Valley News, the Ventura County Star and the VC Reporte voicing your concerns and opposition to the use of toxins in your community, including our watershed
MARCH 2009
PEACEFUL RALLY AGAINST DIPEL SPRAYING FOR GYPSY MOTHS
Monday, March 9 at 7:30 am. Please join us!
At the “Y” (near Vons, intersection of 150 and 33). Signs are welcome.
JULY 2008
State Assemblywoman Fiona Ma introduced AB977 to overturn the state law that prohibits local control over pesticide use. The bill will be heard by the State Senate Environemntal Quality Committee on Monday August 4. We need to ensure the bill stays in the committee and does not get referred to the Senate Ag committee where it would be certain to face instant death. Please send letters of endorsement for the bill to the Environmental Quality Committee by Thursday July 31.
GLOBAL ACTION:
APRIL 2009
Download any of the following as PDF documents regarding the legislative Kid Safe Chemicals bill before Congress
- Aerial Pesticide Ingredient Fact Sheet SB 759
- Congressional Bill on Pesticide Ingredient Disclosure, April 2009
- Kid-Safe Chemicals Act in Congress
Text of proposal to President-Elect Obama Transition Team on environmental issues