MBTA plans Herbicide Application in Newton -- DEJA VU!

Brief history:

 

Back in July 1995, GreenCAP received over 50 calls in response to the “public alert” that GreenCAP mailed to residents, day care centers, nursing homes and other property owners near the MBTA tracks.  The Newton Board of Aldermen passed a resolution requesting a public meeting. The scheduled spray was postponed. There was a large public meeting at the Newton Free Library with representatives of the MBTA, city officials and state representatives.

Both the public and city and state officials strongly objected to the MBTA’s pesticide use.  Citizens questioned the need for spraying. They expressed serious concerns about the hazards of the weed killers, Roundup and Oust, about the potential for pesticide drift and run off to surrounding properties, about the MBTA's lack of communication, and about the way the spraying would be conducted.

---  and...Nov. 4, 2006,  Dear Green Decade Board,

On November 2, 2006, an Allerton Road resident whose yard runs up to the MBTA fence line called to to tell us about the recent clear cutting and herbicide application of the MBTA tracks and slopes.  It was obvious from the devastation left behind on the right-of-way slopes in Newton Highlands and near Crystal Lake and beyond, that the vegetation control is not done in a scientific, horticultural, or public health-sensitive manner.

Apparently, areas previously protected from herbicide application no longer had protected status and advance notification to the public was limited to a single notice in the Boston Globe four months prior to the date of the herbicide spraying. The city of Newton was notified of weakened protections for waterways and wetlands in a single letter of 2000 sent to the Conservation Commissioner of Newton.

The resident, whose yard includes a compost pile and organic garden, was not notified of the spraying although, in the early 1990s, the Health Department had promised to alert her when the MBTA was going to use herbicides and her name was still on record.   

OUST

In 1999, The Environmental League of Massachusetts, referencing a research review (15 pages, 183 citations) in the Journal of Pesticide Reform, Fall 1998, noted that Oust is one of a new generation of herbicides called sulfonylureas that are 100 times more toxic to weeds than their predecessors. These chemicals have been shown to cause serious crop plant damage when they drift away from target areas.  

Glyphosate has been measured in runoff four months after its application.  Glyphosate increases non-target plants' susceptibility to disease and reduces the growth of nitrogen-fixing bacteria.  It has reduced populations of beneficial insects, birds, and small mammals by destroying vegetation on which they depend for food and shelter. 

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Newton's Rachel Carson Day May 27 Keeps Her Legacy Alive

www.greendecade.org 617-965-1995
Sustainable Solutions for the 21st Century

Newton's Rachel Carson Day May 27 Keeps Her Legacy Alive*

On May 26 Newton Mayor David B. Cohen joined local environmental leaders at Newton City Hall to celebrate Rachel Carson's legacy with a Proclamation naming May 27 Rachel Carson Day and to highlight resources and opportunities for local advocacy to improve community and environmental health.

Whereas we believe in the power of the individual to make a difference; and

Whereas Rachel Carson's birthday, May 27, is an annual opportunity to remember the biologist, ecologist and author and celebrate her legacy; and

Whereas, Rachel Carson taught us that our health is intimately connected to the health of our environment, and that we must remain diligent to protect the natural ecosystem to maintain the health of the world’s citizens; and

Whereas the publication of Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring in 1962 generated a worldwide environmental movement and led to the creation of the U.S. EPA, the U.S. ban on DDT, and environment regulations such as the Clean Water Act and the Clean Air Act; and

Whereas Rachel Carson faced overwhelming illness and adversity, and yet retained her unwavering motivation to speak out about the hazards of pesticides due to her unabashed love of nature and sense of responsibility for human health and the public interest; and

Whereas, raising awareness of Rachel Carson's life and legacy can inspire citizens to get involved in efforts to protect our water, food and air from the contamination;

Now, therefore, be it resolved, that I, David B. Cohen, Mayor of the City of Newton, do hereby proclaim

May 27, 2009
Rachel Carson Day
In the City of Newton

and do further call on our citizens to remember the power of Rachel Carson’s words and the example of her life. With a determined collaboration, we can together promote the health and preservation of our environment; and commit to ecological and sustainable principles for landscaping and pest control in our homes, schools, neighborhoods, and throughout our community.

• Charlene Brotman, a board member of the Rachel Carson Council, Silver Spring Maryland (rachelcarsoncouncil.org), a national clearinghouse of inspiration and information for scientists and the public about pesticides, their dangers, and alternative pest controls.;
• Marcia Cooper, President of the Green Decade Coalition/Newton (greendecade.org), one of the most influential grassroots organizations in Massachusetts and a leader in our community for environmental action;
• Ellie Goldberg and Maeve Ward, Green Decade’s Committee for Alternatives to Pesticides and Organic Gardening and Landscaping Committee; and
• Aaron Toffler, Associate Professor of Environmental Studies, Lasell College (lasell.edu), provides students with the opportunity to examine the connections between the environment and local and global communities.

• June 17 at 1:30 pm, the public is invited to a screening of the beautiful new dramatic film, A Sense of Wonder, about the last year of Rachel Carson's life after the publication of the book Silent Spring as she struggles to defend her message of environmental stewardship and fight a secret battle with breast cancer. At the Newton Senior Center, 345 Walnut Street, Newtonville, MA.

• May 28 at 7 pm Growing up Green(er) at the Newton Free Library, featuring Newton students from elementary, middle and high schools showcasing their school and community environmental projects.

Also see: What Would Rachel Say?