Public Hearings February 19, 1:30 and 3:30 - Pesticides in Washington Oysters: See it live or on TV

Washington Legislature to the 

Department of Ecology:

"You will authorize the use 

of pesticides on oyster beds

in Washington State."

At 1:30 and 3:30 the Washington State legislature will hold 2 hearings on Senate and House bills which will force the Department of Ecology to authorize the use of the neurotoxic pesticide Imidacloprid on Washington oyster beds. 

After DOE denied a permit application. 

After the European Union banned the use of Imidacloprid. 

After France banned the entire class of pesticides Imidacloprid is one of (neonicotinoids). 

After the East Coast Shellfish Growers pointedly said they "...use no feeds, fertilizers, pesticides or antibiotics."

All of Washington's oysters which will be perceived as poisoned.

Washington's oyster industry is about to be tainted in its entirety because a few growers in Willapa Bay are unwilling to change their growing methods. And because a few large growers won't tell them and their lobbyists to drop the idea. Washington's oyster industry and the legislature needs to wake up.

Get Involved
Public Hearings Tuesday, February 19, 1:30 and 3:30
SB5626: "By May 15, 2019, the department [of ecology] shall authorize the use of imidacloprid" in Willapa Bay.
Senate Agriculture, Water, Natural Resources & Parks, 1:30
Live on TVW here: https://www.tvw.org/watch/?eventID=2019021318
Comment here: https://app.leg.wa.gov/pbc/bill//5626

HB1611: "Directs the Department of Ecology (Ecology), by May 15, 2019, to authorize the use of imidacloprid" in Willapa Bay.
Environment and Energy Committee, 3:30
Live TV here: https://www.tvw.org/watch/?eventID=2019021324
Comment here: https://app.leg.wa.gov/pbc/bill//1611

Politics and Pesticides in Willapa Bay: Public Hearings on Bills to be held February 19

Didn't you hear the Department of Ecology

and consumers of Washington's oysters say "No"

to spraying pesticides on oyster beds?

Someone go start a Gofundme 

for a hearing aid for 

the WA oyster industry.

Get involved
House Bill 1611 and its companion bill in the Senate, Senate Bill 5626 will have public hearings on February 19. Both would allow spraying the neonicotinoid Imidacloprid onto Willapa Bay oyster beds and the public/tribal waters flowing over them.

Public testimony on House Bill 1611 is currently scheduled to be heard by the  House Committee on Environment & Energy at 3:30 PM. Public testimony on Senate Bill 5326 is scheduled to be heard by the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Water, Natural Resources & Parks at 1:30 PM.

The public is encouraged to submit comments at the hearings at the hearings or to comment on the bills here:
HB1611: https://app.leg.wa.gov/pbc/bill//1611
SB5326: https://app.leg.wa.gov/pbc/bill//5626

See politics in action.

Bring the political process into focus
The public hearings may also be seen live on TVW (HB1611 here and SB5626 here). See who shows up to testify in favor of poisoning Washington's oyster beds. See politics at its worst. Video of the hearings will also be recorded for viewing at a later time.

What could go wrong?

Lots.

What is "not subject to change": Pollution is pollution
The schedules are "subject to change". What is not subject to change is the adamant opposition to this ill thought idea of spraying the neurotoxic pesticide Imidacloprid onto Washington's oyster beds and marine waters. The oyster industry has, for years, abused the political and scientific system in order to convince people consuming oysters from Willapa Bay they are from "pristine waters" when, in fact, these waters have been polluted by that very industry with a variety of pesticides and herbicides, all the while complaining about upland sources of pollution impacting these very same waters.

Oyster Industry, Politics and Pesticides

Read it and weep.

This is not a good idea.

(Purchase "Toxic Pearl" at Orca Books)

Who needs science when you can spend the money on politicians instead?
The Seattle Times writes on the current push by politicians who feel the oyster industry should be free to spray pesticides on oyster beds and the marine waters of WA so they won't have to spend money on improved growing techniques. Or on science which shows this ill thought idea is somehow in the statewide interest.
Read the article here: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/environment/politics-has-science-on-the-run-and-not-just-in-the-other-washington/

Like a bad oyster,

this just makes you sick.

Ad nauseam: It makes you feel worse than a bad oyster because it just keeps coming and coming.  
Unlike what the recent lawsuits filed against Pierce County by Taylor Shellfish and the Foss family claim, ad nauseam, the Shoreline Management Act is not in place to "plan for, foster, and give preference to aquaculture." It is in place to protect the critical marine ecosystems from industries who have become blinded by profits and feel their developments and actions within this ecosystem should be allowed to grow, unfettered, free from oversight.
Read Taylor lawsuit against Pierce County's Shoreline Master Program here:
 https://app.box.com/s/mjxvavgay49rqcs3fwvvw09utjjegu28
Read the Foss family's companion lawsuit here:
https://app.box.com/s/aaiclnj3ovyq9h5n5ix4mhi90wcdpgsa

"Shazam! I've created something from nothing!"

It doesn't matter how many times you say it. It's not there.
Nowhere in the Shoreline Management Act does it say aquaculture is supposed to be fostered and given preference over everything else as these suits, and the Department of Ecology seems to believe. The priority of the SMA is to protect this unique and fragile ecosystem from fragmentation.

The Shoreline Management Act is not subservient to NOAA policies created to do nothing more than promote aquaculture, many times based on dubious - at best - "science".

The Departement of Ecology's "handbook" on aquaculture painfully tries to outline the "legal" framework for why aquaculture should be placed on a pedestal, tripping over NOAA and national policies. The reality is the Shoreline Management Act was passed before NOAA's Coastal Zone Management Act. It was passed before the National Shellfish Initiative was created. It was passed before Washington's shellfish initiative was created. The SMA was voted on, and approved, by the citizens of WA.  Most importantly, both the National and State initiatives are nothing more than marketing documents created by lobbyists for the industry and politicians beholden to those lobbyists. They were not voted on - and overwhelmingly approved - by citizens.

Get involved. There are 3 bills politicians are trying to pass which would allow the application of Imidacloprid, a non-discriminate neurotoxic pesciticide (it doesn't care if you're a shrimp or a crab or any other crustacean) on oyster beds and Washington's marine waters. Tell your representative(s) and Governor Inslee the Shoreline Management Act is not meant to allow a wave of the wand to allow pesticides in Washington's marine waters. 

House Bills 1611 and 1037
https://app.leg.wa.gov/pbc/bill//1611
https://app.leg.wa.gov/pbc/bill//1037

Senate Bill 5626
https://app.leg.wa.gov/pbc/bill//5626

Governor Inslee:
https://www.governor.wa.gov/contact/contact/send-gov-inslee-e-message