I have lived here for ten years and this is the first time I have ever heard about pesticides being sprayed for mosquito control. I also read the Boston Globe and the Framingham TAB slavishly, so if I didn't know about it happening in the past, a lot of people didn't. I believe that the agency in charge of spraying should be notifying all residents in writing so if they are pregnant, asthmatic, allergic, or just plain don't want exposure to the stuff around they would have time to exclude their property from the spraying (as it stands you are actually supposed to inform the agency in writing by March 1st!) and perhaps leave the area altogether for that day. Better yet, let's find out who in town government requested the spraying and have them aswer to us. Does anyone know who this is?
Elise Snow
Nicola Cataldo wrote:
Here is the other issue with pesticides that never seems to occur to proponents; improper application. And this is very very common. Two years ago while I was standing by the road at night (doing some frog inventory) there was an unannounced spraying in Framingham and I took a direct hit. There are a hundred stories like this.
I don't want to hear any more pablum about the "slightly toxic" effects on statistical subjects when used according to textbook protocol. I want to hear them talk about the real effects on real organisms when used the way this stuff is really used.
Nicola Cataldo
----- Original Message ----- From: "Linda Segal" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Nicola Cataldo" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, July 31, 2003 8:22 AM Subject: Outrageous!
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Subject: Mass. Mosquito Control Unauthorized Insectide spraying, BartonRd, Stow, 7/29/03 8:15pm
StowDate: Thu, 31 Jul 2003 02:55:59 -0400 From: "B. Ernst" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Stow Board of Health" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> CC: "Sam Wong/HBOH" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, "B J Ernst" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Marcia, Deanna, Gordon, Terry, & Jack,
Re: Massachusetts Mosquito Control Unauthorized Insecticide Spraying, Barton Rd., Stow, MA, 7/29/03, 8:15pm
Dear Marcia and all,
On Tuesday evening, July 29, 2003 at approximately 8:15pm a Massachusetts
Mosquito Control truck, Official State Mass. Plate entered Barton Rd.,
from Hunter Ave in Hudson heading North on Barton Rd with a large machinepets
spraying insecticide onto our property, onto people, animals and children
walking on the road and in their front yards and onto the road itself. In
order to protect ourselves from the immediate air suspended pesticide
emissions we quickly closed up our home and shut of the air fans. Our
were out in the yard and we were unable to bring them in right away andthey
were sprayed as well.Barton
Barbara Jean Ernst quickly ran to her car and chased the vehicle down
Rd. honking until the vehicle stopped almost a mile down the road. Sheand
informed the driver, who claims his name is Wayne, that Stow does not do
broadcast street spraying of pesticides for mosquito control and that our
neighbors and us have "No Spray" orders registered with Massachusetts
Mosquito Control and that he should stop spraying our street immediately.
The driver claimed he was hired by the town of Hudson to spray and he said
he didn't realize that he had entered into Stow. The driver also did not
turn off the pesticide sprayer when Barbara Jean approached the vehicle
she had to insist that he shut it off as she was being sprayed directlyand
exposed as significant levels of the pesticide. The driver who wasspraying
the pesticides with both of his windows down was very rude, obstinate andat
one point seemed as if he was going to get out of his vehicle andphysically
threaten Ms. Ernst. Neighbors came out and offered support for Ms. Ernsthe
and the driver/state pesticide applicator settled down and turned his
vehicle around and headed back towards Hudson. The pesticide sprayer was
still making that distinctive grinding sound so we're not sure if he did
indeed shut off the sprayer and spray that section of Barton Rd. again as
returned back to Hudson out of spite/retaliation.He
We called the incident in to the Worcester DEP emergency response center
immediately and at 8:45pm and we received a call back from a Paul Spado.
informed us that there was nothing he could do but he would contact boththe
Stow and Hudson Boards of Health the following morning (7/30) and reportthe
incident for them to take further action locally. We asked him who wemight
speak to to remediate the unlawful insecticide spraying of our property,which
near our drinking wells, our organic lawn and plants and he said he didn't
know. He recommended that we contact our local Boards of Health for Stow &
Hudson to address the matter regarding protecting our health, our drinking
water supply/wells, our property, our families and children, our lake
the pesticides will enter affecting all of the wells on Lake Boon as wellas
the wildlife and environment around the lake.in
We called and left a message at both the Stow and Hudson Board of Health
regarding the matter Tuesday evening requesting a response and assistance
this matter. We also called both Stow & Hudson police to report thematter.
wereStow sent out an officer but Hudson did not but gave us the number for the Mosquito Control.
We also contacted Massachusetts Mosquito Control in Northboro at 508-393-3055 but they were closed after 3:30pm and there was not way to leave a message.
Some of our concerns are as follows:
1. We would like to know what was sprayed and did either the Stow and/or
Hudson Boards of Health know that the spraying was taken place and were
people notified in Hudson and Stow around Lake Boon and other areas where
the pesticide spraying took place. We know that we were not notified
whatsoever that it would be taking place. We would also like to get
information on the insecticide including a MSDS sheet and product label
document. We would like to know if the "No Spray" registered residents
sprayed anyway as we were.listed
2. We would like to confirm who the driver was, and if indeed he was
authorized to spray in the area that he was spraying. We ask this because
when we called the Mass. Mosquito Control Spray line and checked the web
site the only street that was supposed to be sprayed that evening was
as Ashland St.which is near Hudson Center (Rt. 62 & Rt. 85 intersection)and
ofno where near 210 Barton Rd. Stow and Lake Boon and Lake Boon Watershed (1027 acres around the lake).
3. Also, earlier in the evening we heard that distinctive grinding sound
tothe insecticide sprayer on the other side of Lake Boon around North Shore Dr., Stow as well and it seems likely that this applicator sprayed around the whole lake without any authorization and/or notification to do so.
4. We would like to work with the Boards to help remediate what has been
done as well as notify everyone around the lake that this unauthorized
pesticide spraying has taken place and provide information on remediation
andlake residents whose wells will be affected by the washing in of this pesticide with the next rain due on Friday.
5. We would also like to address watershed districting around Lake Boon
other lakes and ponds for Stow and Hudson to prevent pesticidecontamination
from Mass. Mosquito Control in the future as well as other pesticidethan
applicators to protect the water supply. Many people's wells are less
this50 feet from the road including ours, and therefore this type of broadcast spraying should not even be allowed in areas such as these under Mass. pesticide regulations,etc.
6. We would also like to be cc'd on any and all documentation regarding
matter, i.e., DEP Emergency Response Incident Report, Hudson & StowPolice,
etc. as it directly affects us and our wells and our neighbors wells.supply
Some of the laws that have been violated with this unauthorized pesticide
application are as follows there are probably additional laws as well:
1. "Right of Way Protection Law" which prohibits any application of
pesticide from a right of way that is within 50' of a drinking water
well.from
2. "Mass. Child & Family Protection Act" which protects children and
families from unnecessary pesticide exposures and mandates notification in
order to allow proper action if the application is necessary as a last
resort when any and all other Integrated Pest Management alternatives have
been exhausted and the local Board of Health grants a one time emergency
waiver.
3. "Clean Air & Water Act": protects citizens and the environment
Hopefullyharmful, unnecessary and unlawful discharges of hazardous materials/pesticides into the air and/or waterways. 4. "Massachusetts & Stow/Hudson Wetlands Protection Acts/Laws": protects all lakes, ponds, vernal pools and wetland from harmful, unnecessary and unlawful discharges of hazardous materials/pesticides. 5. "Citizens Right to Know Laws" which protect citizens by notifying them in advance of last resort, harmful and hazardous pesticide discharges that will affect them.
Please get back to us on Thursday 7/31 to update us on the above.
something can be done to remediate before the rain shower comes in onFriday
so we can hopefully minimize the impact to people's wells, etc.
Respectfully Yours,
Barbara Lee Supeno Barbara Jean Ernst Massachusetts Pesticide Awareness Collaborative (MPAC)Regional Directors, (Stow, Hudson, Acton, Littleton, Maynard and Boxborough region) New England Association of Natural Lake Restoration (NEANLR) President Lake Boon Watershed Association (LBWA) Directors 210 Barton Rd. Stow, MA 01775-1577 978-568-1073 Phone/Fax email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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