Sunday, January 16, 2011

Boston Update: Meeting Dan Wolf & Cleon Turner

Last week I accompanied Laura Kelley to the State House for an impromptu meeting with Representative Cleon Turner and a scheduled appointment with Dan Wolf, MA State Senator for Cape Cod. It was my first time inside the splendid building with its awesome marble floors and busy employees, rushing here and there. What fun to experience a space where so many important decisions for Massachusetts and our country have been made!

Cleon Turner happened to be present when we stopped by to say hello to legislative aide Elysse Magnotto and patiently listened to Laura’s pitch on the risk synthetic chemicals pose to the environment. Several times during the meeting, Rep. Turner rubbed his fingers together to remind us to follow the money. He suggested the utility company might behave differently if the petitions signed by 2000+ Cape Codders had been deposited on the CEO’s desk, rather than delivered to Scott Soares at DAR, and urged Laura to find a way to “work” with N. I was impressed with his grasp of the situation.

Then down the hall we trotted. Dan Wolf, from Harwich, greeted Laura warmly, as did aide Seth Rolbein, from Wellfleet. Laura reviewed what Cape Cod citizens have accomplished since August 2009 when the herbicidal spraying plan was detailed in an Eastham auditorium, then provided a description of how extensive herbicidal spraying will affect our sole-source aquifer, contaminating drinking water for generations. Laura pointed out the utility company would get praise if it truly goes green, as GreenCAPE has suggested. She explained herbicides destroy soil biology and said that, as an organic landscaper, she expects replacement of power-line trees with more appropriately sized plants to be iffy at best: better to remove root systems with power equipment or by hand, as Wellfleet’s pruning brigade did this fall, under the leadership of Town Administrator Paul Sieloff. Laura also brought up emerging science on glyphosate, known to most of us as Round-up, one of the synthetic chemicals in the proposed toxic cocktail destined for Cape Cod's power lines. (See Chemical Pesticides for more information on health effects research.)

From all the nodding, it was clear the two men have already done a lot of brainstorming on this issue.

“I’ve got three daughters,” Dan Wolf said and raised his hands, palms upward, as if the conclusion for any parent were obvious. “You don’t need to convince me.”

Rolbein told us he feels we are reaching a tipping point with regard to synthetic chemicals, loose in the environment. (Last week there was a Time Magazine blog post about the chemicals detected in the blood of pregnant women, which should make us all sit up and pay attention. Read in USA Today how the American Chemical Council still insists there is no reason for concern. For further links and information on the study, go here.)

Our conversation lasted an hour. State Senator Wolf zeroed in on the fact the utility company is not the only entity polluting our aquifer and said a Cape-wide effort is required. Businessmen/women, golf course managers, cranberry growers, municipalities, and homeowners all need to take this health threat seriously. A public education campaign would help Cape Codders become better stewards of our precious sandbar.

Before our departure, Elysse Magnotto gave us a guided tour of the State House. The corridors are decorated with portraits of famous statesmen from the past, a very inspiring place to work, without a doubt. Elated by the day’s encounters, Laura and I headed home, our work cut out for us, with only three months to go before the spraying is to commence …

Do you worry about endocrine disruption from toxic chemicals in the environment or is the subject simply too overwhelming for you? Are you ready to give up herbicides, insecticides, pesticides, etc. and use alternatives? Do you already choose green options inside your home, making a statement with your wallet?

Comments (5)

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Bobbie, GC webmaster's avatar

Bobbie, GC webmaster · 735 weeks ago

Great work, both of you. One of the things N has tried to make us believe is that the formulation of Roundup is the same as what's on the Home Depot shelves. This is not true at all. According to a research report in the bibliography that was handed out by the state chemist, a study for the forest service, the ROW formulation is the strongest and the forest service doesn't even use it. And of course, the formulation is a TRADE SECRET!
GreenCAPE and John Chatham of the Harwich Conservation Dept are sponsoring a workshop by Chip Osborne on March 5 at the Harwich Community Center, geared for homeowners, and the public is invited. Please help us spread the word.
I think it will be easier to stop 1 megacompany rather than thousands of homeowners, but at least we have the attention of the town governments about how serious the situation is. THANKS for all you have done and continue to do.
What a wonderful opportunity for you to make a big difference, Sandy! This is awesome and I wish everyone would take the time to participate in our Democratic process. In answer to your question, yes, I speak with my wallet and try to only buy green cleaning items for Our Little House. Pesticides and other chemicals for the surrounding grounds has been out for quite some time.
Perhaps our State Senator knows of environmental lawyers who would take on NSTAR, since the utility corporation's insistence on using archaic and unnecessary toxins demonstrates they don't give a fig about the precautionary stance garnered by other communities around the country . Why else would rampant and routine usage of toxic chemicals that leach into our water supply appeal to them? NSTAR has an opportunity to set a public-relation standard, AND their publicized example could launch self-awareness of many a home-owner, which can deter negligent use of chemicals on their own yards and houses.

I agree with the gentleman who says follow the money. We need to give the petition and signatures to the new head of the merger.
How do we directly contact CEO's involved (both Nstar and Northeast Uitilites-- and what is the collective message?
What are we willing to sacrifice to take a stand?
1 reply · active 734 weeks ago
You can Google NStar, call, and protest. The CEO of NStar is Tom May. I wrote him 3/1/10 and received no response. Here's a copy of my letter:

I run a green bed & breakfast in Wellfleet, on Cape Cod. Senator Kerry wrote me last Wednesday that he would communicate to you my concerns regarding NStar’s intent to spray up to five herbicides under power lines here. Apparently, a meeting was held that same day, attended by Cape Cod Commission members, representatives of Green Cape, Wellfleet Town Administrator Paul Sieloff, and six NStar officials, who made it clear that
NStar intends to move forward with the herbicidal spraying plan.

This is unacceptable. Traces of these toxic chemicals will end up in our drinking water. We know about body burden. Our Barnstable County has the highest rate of breast cancer in Massachusetts. The Silent Spring Institute has already found DDT in Cape Cod dust. We do not want more chemical contamination.

Your company plans to spray every six weeks until the plants start dying.

There are safer alternatives to the planned chemical applications.

I want you to know the absolute distress NStar’s decision has caused on Cape Cod and request that you cancel this ill-advised plan and order a return to a safer method of vegetative control, such as mowing.

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