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Reduce pesticide use in public areas

Parents for a Safer Environment (PfSE) is a local grassroots organization based out of Moraga in Contra Costa County and working in partnership with Pesticide Action Network to reduce the amount of pesticides being applied in public places like creeks, parks and schools in and around Contra Costa county.

Add your voices» For nearly 5 years, PfSE has worked with Contra Costa County departments and the Board of Supervisors to advance safer pest control policies, and now we need your voices and your help!

In January 2009, a new Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Coordinator was selected without public input. Since then, the IPM program has been losing ground.

Join us!» We will present this petition to the County Board of Supervisors when we have over 500 community sign-ons.

Since pesticides and people travel, you don't have to live in the Contra Costa County to sign and participate. Please contact PfSE Director, Susan JunFish with any questions about how to get involved at junfish@gmail.com, or 925-283-4609. We need volunteers, even for a couple of hours every other month.

Your name will be added to the following petition letter. Thank you!

Dear Honorable Contra Costa County Board of Supervisor Members:
 
Since the January 2009 selection of a new IPM coordinator, the County’s IPM program has regressed rather than improved. As citizens concerned with the public and environmental health risks associated with pesticides, we urge you to take immediate action.
 
We, the undersigned are asking the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors to do the following:
 
     1) Issue an “Order to Write an Ordinance” immediately by the County’s IPM Advisory Committee. IPM Coordinators in San Francisco and Santa Clara Counties have advised that this is the best way to get leverage and have county staff cooperate.  Results in the past 3 years show that a policy is not enough.
 
     2) Issue an “Order to Post” one week before pesticides are sprayed with anticipated one-week time frame and retain posting for at least the half-life of the pesticides in areas where people work or recreate and therefore face an increased risk of exposure.  This includes creeks and turf where children play as well as landscaping, buildings and roadsides used by cyclists and runners. 

     3) Issue an “Order to Track and Report” all pesticide usage by staff and contractors and present information annually as stated in the County IPM policy and provide access to spreadsheets for checking accuracy as well as including locations that can be referenced on maps.
 
     4) Issue an “Order to Stop” all Tru Green Chem Lawn Spraying around County turf including libraries, clinics, parks and other places where children are likely to be exposed. Chem Lawn has sprayed over 6 million square feet of county properties in FY07-08 with toxic pesticides, including known, human developmental and reproductive toxins, carcinogens, as well as chemicals known to cause aquatic and air toxicity with half lives exceeding months.
 
     5) Issue an “Order to Investigate” alleged misconduct by the new IPM Coordinator who has been reported to have provided IPM Advisory Committee with misleading information to oppose the adoption of a County IPM Ordinance, misrepresented meeting minutes, recommended a waiver on posting, supported not phasing out bad actor pesticides, approved Chem Lawn to resume spraying of toxic pesticides throughout the county in contradiction to the county’s IPM policy, demonstrated unprofessional conduct in public meetings, and has treated community participation with contempt. 

    6) Issue an “Order to Investigate” alleged misconduct of Public Works Dept staff who has been reported to have 1) misrepresented and withheld the conclusions from the SFEI 2004 study to management and the County IPM Advisory Committee that concluded goats are more effective and at least 25% cheaper than herbicides for terrestrial weed control; and 2) hindered PfSE-Public Works Dept goat grazing study.

     7) Issue an “Order to Recompose” the new IPM Advisory Committee to include at least the same number of community members to balance the votes with voting county staff and county nominated members.  Currently the modus operandi is “no change” with the existing majority of voters being county staff.
 
     8) Issue an “Order to Appoint” an equivalent number of community IPM Advisory Committee members (such as in Marin County IPM program) as county staff to the selection committee for a new IPM Coordinator If the results of the investigation concludes a need for replacement.
 
With thanks for your serious consideration,

Reduce pesticide use in public areas

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