Senate Considers Eliminating the Need for a Permit to Apply Pesticides on Navigable Waters

Should you need a permit

for the application of pesticides

onto navigable waters?

Some in the Senate believe

"it is a burden."

 

Some things money can buy.
Politics and pesticide application in US waters: Don't like that you have to get a permit to spray pesticides in US waters? Have Congress pass a bill saying you don't need one.

The Independent Shellfish Growers of Washington (ISGW), an organization based out of Willapa Bay, has released an email asking a bill before the Senate NOT be passed (see below for complete email). Innocently titled as "Sensible Environmental Protection Act of 2015" the bill's purpose is to "...clarify Congressional intent regarding the regulation of the use of pesticides in or near navigable waters, and for other purposes." (see https://www.congress.gov/…/114th-co…/senate-bill/1500/titles) That "intent" would be to eliminate the requirement to obtain a permit for point source application of pesticides into navigable waters.

Some things it cannot.
ISGW has asked for support by signing a petition, asking Senators to NOT pass this bill. There is a great deal of money behind the bill and political support. You can make a difference by signing the petition or by contacting your elected officials and telling them to NOT support S. 1500, no matter what the title.
(Petition located here: http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/stand-against-pesticide…)
(Senate contact information may be found here: http://www.senate.gov/…/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm)

Get involved.
Get involved. The waters of the United States and species they support are too important to allow passage of this bill.

 

Email from ISGW:

independentshellfishgrowerswa@gmail.com

 

Poisons that state,{ Never allow near water } on their label will be used without environmental oversight.

DO NOT LET THEM SNEAK THIS PAST YOU!!!! Hi, The Senate committee charged with protecting our environment just passed a bill that would make it a lot easier to spray pesticides in and around our rivers, lakes, and streams. The bill should be called "The Contaminate Waters at Will Act" since it eliminates the need for permitting to spray pesticides into our waterways. The documented health hazards and loss of wildlife attributed to pesticides are the exact reason why businesses and industries are required to obtain permits to spray in and around bodies of water. Please tell your senators to stand against this reckless action now. That's why I signed a petition to The United States Senate. Will you sign this petition??????                         Click here: http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/stand-against-pesticide?source=s.em.mt&r_by=129211 Thanks! We have apposed the rotten science that is never contested with the real facts to the point of  our members not selling their oysters to the unsuspecting public. We can not make the whole world aware because the big, and sometimes biggest oyster company's are to powerful with the media.I suggest you look up poison oyster or chemicals in Willapa bay Wa. Also google the Bloomberg press article. Independent Shellfish Growers of Wa. State. If you are interested in helping other than this petition we need media access to address the issue with science and first hand knowledge. Radio, T.V., Magazines , Enviromental Groups and Papers

Shellfish Politics: $50,000 paid to Glover Park by Taylor Shellfish and Others to Eliminate Eelgrass Protection

Open Secrets has reported Taylor Shellfish and others have paid $50,000 to the Glover Park Group, a Washington DC lobbying firm. While unconfirmed, at the same time, Washington representatives effectively pleaded with the Corps to drop Condition 7, a regulation which would have provided eelgrass protection in south Puget Sound. The Coalition to Protect Puget Sound Habitat and others have written to Washington representatives and the Corps to ask this decision be reversed. (See Coalition letter by clicking here.)

What was the shellfish industry so concerned about? This:

"For continuing activities in 'fallow' areas, those activities shall not occur within 16 horizontal feet of native eelgrass (Zostera marina).  If eelgrass is present in the vicinity of a fallow acreage proposed for shellfish activities, the eelgrass shall be delineated and a map or sketch prepared and submitted to the Corps.  Surveys to determine presence and location of eelgrass shall be done during times of peak above-ground biomass: June - August.  The following information must be included to scale:  parcel boundaries, eelgrass locations and on-site dimensions, shellfish activity locations and dimensions."

 

Get involved. Caring about clean water means nothing if critical marine habitat is being put at risk by this industry.