Friday, August 05, 2011

Another Letter to the Editor Published Yesterday

The piece of glass above sticks out of the sand. We can see it, avoid stepping on the jagged edges and hurting ourselves. Not an option with pesticide residue on fruit or traces of herbicides in a glass of water. Here's my latest letter to the editor of the Cape Cod Times, entitled "Urge Senator Brown's Support on the Safe Chemicals Act," published yesterday:

I am very worried about the quality of Cape Cod drinking water. I have done extensive research over the past two years, since NStar decided to switch from mowing to spraying up to five herbicides under the power lines, and I have learned that these toxic chemicals can leach through the sandy soil into our sole-source aquifer.

Once chemicals get in our drinking water, there is little recourse, so we need to prevent this from happening. If it is known by tourists that drinking water is compromised with traces of endocrine-disruptive chemicals, tourists will stop coming. Real estate values will plummet.

I urge county government to take a firm stand against herbicides — not only those sprayed by NStar, but by all homeowners. Toxic chemicals need better regulation.

Please ask Sen. Brown to support the Safe Chemicals Act of 2011, now before Congress. Cape Cod is known for being a pristine place. Let's make sure it stays that way!