GOD vs CHEMICALS
| By User from Ocean Shores, WA - Oct 28th, 2009 at 1:22 pm PDT |
| Also listed in: Washbog | Washington Environment |
published 10/26/09 thedailyworld.com
From: Cindy Bova View Card
To: bova.cindy@yahoo.com
Stop playing God with chemicals
Monday, October 26, 2009 11:13 AM PDT
Please read then research the use of chemicals by certain oyster growers and government agencies harming our estuaries and air quality. We believe that special interests greed and power has literally taken over common sense.
Please President Obama, issue an emergency moratorium on chemical use/abuse that harms our air quality and estuaries. Please do it for our future generations!
After reading Marilynn Smith’s editorial published in the chinookobserver.com on Sept. 23rd concerning spartina, we would like to add our two cents concerning her statement, “If God wanted it in our bay he would of put it there.”
We wonder if Ms. Smith is that naive to believe that God didn’t bring spartina to the West Coast.
Just to name a few, God, through man, brought apples, cherries, blackberries, Pacific oysters and spartina to Washington State. In fact, one species of spartina is NATURALLY migrating north from the South American coast on God’s ocean currents planting seeds in God’s estuaries!
We are also curious about Marilynn Smith’s views on God’s native ghost shrimp, crab and salmon and the unintelligent use of carbaryl to kill them. Perhaps she can write a rebuttal and defend the use of that chemical also.
As for farming, why is public tax revenue being used to subsidize wealthy oyster-growers anyway? Are tax dollars also being used to pay for the weeding of corporate vegetable farms? We hope not but wouldn’t doubt it!
We are sorry that you might lose your view to a much needed oxygen producing plant but try to be less selfish and think of future generations. We urge the government to stop playing God with chemicals bought with public tax monies!
If they must use state and federal tax dollars instead of corporate profits why not subsidize the hiring of farm workers to pull the weeds only where oysters are farmed thus helping the economy and the health of God’s estuaries and atmosphere (air quality)?
In closing, we passionately urge our elected officials to leave our God out of it and rethink their positions concerning the elimination of oxygen producing spartina. Please do it for “God’s” children and our grandchild.
Steve and Cynthia Bova
Ocean Shores
October 27, 2009
PLEASE RESEARCH AND HELP AS THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS OF ACERS OF GREEN
SPARTINA MARSH IS BEING KILLED WITH TAX FUNDED NOXIOUS CHEMICALS in the
USA! climate change we can believe in! > > To our Elected Leaders and
the Editor: > > Although global warming is a controversial subject,
climate change is agreed upon by virtually everyone except the ostrich.
This change of the weather also brings about a change in plant and
eventually animal migrations. This plant migration is most likely mother
nature's way of adapting to temperature and rain fall changes along with
rising seas. This natural movement allows oxygen producing plants to die
off in one area and start thriving in another. This keeps the oxygen to
carbon ratio in our atmosphere sustainable to life and naturally slows
climate change. > Our Government, and The Nature Conservancy, among
others, need to wake up and look at the big picture concerning the
chemical eradication of spartina grass.The reason this grass was thriving
(before harmful chemicals) is because of climate change and nature trying
to balance out the environment. > Please get involved and help stop this
very unintelligent abuse of chemicals before its to late for our
grandchildren! Give your elected leaders a wake-up call demanding an
updated independent scientific review of Miranda Wecker's policies and
investigate her possible ties to corporate oyster-growers and the Monsanto
chemical corporation. If there aren't any ties we urge Ms. Wecker to
upgrade her education by taking "common sense 101" at a college of her
choice.(Miranda Wecker is Chairman of the Washington State Department of
Fish and Wildlife and also holds a position with the University of
Washington and a major proponent of spartina removal using noxious
chemicals) > Thank you, Steve and Cynthia Bova(bova.cindy@yahoo.com) > > Ocean Shores, WA 98569 > 360 580 5534
Officials should quit playing God
Tuesday, September 1, 2009 11:12 AM PDT (published thedailyworld.com
To the Editor at thedailyworld.com ,
Thank you for that very informative Aug. 24 AP article, “Study: Alaskan waters high in acidity.” The article involves Jeremy Mathis who is a chemical oceanographer at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and he states, “plant life when it dies it decomposes and adds carbon to the water column,” which correlates with “high acidity” — hence, dead zones.
One should concur that killing oxygen producing spartina grass adds to our ocean’s acidic dilemma (dead zones). So please keep telling our elected officials to stop wasting tax dollars and quit playing God with chemicals, and above all stop hindering our ocean’s health.
I encourage everyone to call these numbers and help change this self-destructing scientific behavior.
Representative Norm Dicks 800-947-6676; Senator Maria Cantwell 888-648-7328; Senator Patty Murray 866-481-9186; Governor Chris Gregoire and State Elected Officials 800-562-6000
Bonnie Kirkham
Ocean Shores
From: Cindy Bova View Card
To: bova.cindy@yahoo.com
Stop playing God with chemicals
Monday, October 26, 2009 11:13 AM PDT
Please read then research the use of chemicals by certain oyster growers and government agencies harming our estuaries and air quality. We believe that special interests greed and power has literally taken over common sense.
Please President Obama, issue an emergency moratorium on chemical use/abuse that harms our air quality and estuaries. Please do it for our future generations!
After reading Marilynn Smith’s editorial published in the chinookobserver.com on Sept. 23rd concerning spartina, we would like to add our two cents concerning her statement, “If God wanted it in our bay he would of put it there.”
We wonder if Ms. Smith is that naive to believe that God didn’t bring spartina to the West Coast.
Just to name a few, God, through man, brought apples, cherries, blackberries, Pacific oysters and spartina to Washington State. In fact, one species of spartina is NATURALLY migrating north from the South American coast on God’s ocean currents planting seeds in God’s estuaries!
We are also curious about Marilynn Smith’s views on God’s native ghost shrimp, crab and salmon and the unintelligent use of carbaryl to kill them. Perhaps she can write a rebuttal and defend the use of that chemical also.
As for farming, why is public tax revenue being used to subsidize wealthy oyster-growers anyway? Are tax dollars also being used to pay for the weeding of corporate vegetable farms? We hope not but wouldn’t doubt it!
We are sorry that you might lose your view to a much needed oxygen producing plant but try to be less selfish and think of future generations. We urge the government to stop playing God with chemicals bought with public tax monies!
If they must use state and federal tax dollars instead of corporate profits why not subsidize the hiring of farm workers to pull the weeds only where oysters are farmed thus helping the economy and the health of God’s estuaries and atmosphere (air quality)?
In closing, we passionately urge our elected officials to leave our God out of it and rethink their positions concerning the elimination of oxygen producing spartina. Please do it for “God’s” children and our grandchild.
Steve and Cynthia Bova
Ocean Shores
October 27, 2009
PLEASE RESEARCH AND HELP AS THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS OF ACERS OF GREEN
SPARTINA MARSH IS BEING KILLED WITH TAX FUNDED NOXIOUS CHEMICALS in the
USA! climate change we can believe in! > > To our Elected Leaders and
the Editor: > > Although global warming is a controversial subject,
climate change is agreed upon by virtually everyone except the ostrich.
This change of the weather also brings about a change in plant and
eventually animal migrations. This plant migration is most likely mother
nature's way of adapting to temperature and rain fall changes along with
rising seas. This natural movement allows oxygen producing plants to die
off in one area and start thriving in another. This keeps the oxygen to
carbon ratio in our atmosphere sustainable to life and naturally slows
climate change. > Our Government, and The Nature Conservancy, among
others, need to wake up and look at the big picture concerning the
chemical eradication of spartina grass.The reason this grass was thriving
(before harmful chemicals) is because of climate change and nature trying
to balance out the environment. > Please get involved and help stop this
very unintelligent abuse of chemicals before its to late for our
grandchildren! Give your elected leaders a wake-up call demanding an
updated independent scientific review of Miranda Wecker's policies and
investigate her possible ties to corporate oyster-growers and the Monsanto
chemical corporation. If there aren't any ties we urge Ms. Wecker to
upgrade her education by taking "common sense 101" at a college of her
choice.(Miranda Wecker is Chairman of the Washington State Department of
Fish and Wildlife and also holds a position with the University of
Washington and a major proponent of spartina removal using noxious
chemicals) > Thank you, Steve and Cynthia Bova(bova.cindy@yahoo.com) > > Ocean Shores, WA 98569 > 360 580 5534
Officials should quit playing God
Tuesday, September 1, 2009 11:12 AM PDT (published thedailyworld.com
To the Editor at thedailyworld.com ,
Thank you for that very informative Aug. 24 AP article, “Study: Alaskan waters high in acidity.” The article involves Jeremy Mathis who is a chemical oceanographer at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and he states, “plant life when it dies it decomposes and adds carbon to the water column,” which correlates with “high acidity” — hence, dead zones.
One should concur that killing oxygen producing spartina grass adds to our ocean’s acidic dilemma (dead zones). So please keep telling our elected officials to stop wasting tax dollars and quit playing God with chemicals, and above all stop hindering our ocean’s health.
I encourage everyone to call these numbers and help change this self-destructing scientific behavior.
Representative Norm Dicks 800-947-6676; Senator Maria Cantwell 888-648-7328; Senator Patty Murray 866-481-9186; Governor Chris Gregoire and State Elected Officials 800-562-6000
Bonnie Kirkham
Ocean Shores
Comments are closed for this post.
Mission to destroy spartina
a "borderline obsession"
Friday, August 28, 2009 11:13 AM PDT
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After reading WISC coordinator Miranda Wecker's opinion in the Aug. 15 edition of The Daily World it is evident of her passion to obtain her goal of "destroying every single plant (spartina) in every tidal slough, river and mud flat throughout Willapa Bay." This passion is borderline obsession!
This obsession has of late spread to the banks of the Copalis River!
Ms Wecker's statement, "In 2003 (the Federal) Congressional delegation made a six year commitment of federal funds to support BAYWIDE operations"
Did we miss something? Did the bay move?
This smells of misappropriation of federal funds to us!
We also would like to know if warning signs were posted along the banks of the river as per state law?
We hope so as many children and pets play in the area!
Fourteen" years ago we might of agreed to the concept of total elimination of spartina, however with the rising oceans and rapid climate change we now wonder if spartina is perhaps natures way of combating erosion from rising seas, and slowing climate change by turning carbon dioxide into oxygen. A moratorium could quite possibly curb the grave widespread acidic dilemma.
So please call your elected officials and tell them after 25 million dollars of federal funds spent on chemicals you plead with your own passion for an unbiased independent scientific investigation/study.
Tell them after 14 years of old science, you would like a moratorium immediately on all aquatic chemical applications including Carbaryl until an unbiased scientific committee reevaluates the continued use of biocides to eliminate oxygen producing and erosion controlling grass during our present stage of rising seas and escalating climate change!
Please call: Rep. Norm Dicks 1-800-947 6676, Senator Maria Cantwell 1-888-648-7328, Senator Patty Murray 1-866-481-9186, Gov. Gregoire and other state elected officials, 1-800-562-6000 and voice your concerns.
Mr. and Mrs. Steve Bova
Ocean Shores
This one is from John Clark(retired Biologist) also printed 8/28/09
Does spartina eradication by chemical means really work?
Friday, August 28, 2009 11:13 AM PDT
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In reading about the pros and cons of spartina eradication by chemical and mechanical means, what is missing is any proof that eradication works.
I have not heard of any studies of improvement in oysters, birds or general ecological condition. All I've heard about benefits seems to be speculative not scientific, generalities not specifics.
It would be most helpful if the advocates of eradication would inform us of the actual benefits such as how many more oysters exist in the flats, how many more birds are feeding there, and what ecological improvements are resulting from eradication.
John Clark
Ocean Shores
Thursday, September 3, 2009 11:14 AM PDT
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To the editor and my elected officials:
Because of the abuse of pesticides/chemicals our pollinating bee population in Washington state is decimated. The aerial crop dusting of state lands and private tree farms after clear cutting also eliminates wildlife feeding areas, not to mention what it does to the offspring of animals who digest the dying grasses!
The abuse of pesticides by large oyster farms in the ocean estuaries are decimating the shrimp and many other "insects of the sea." This aerial spraying of non-indigenous oyster beds also eliminates thousands of acres of feeding grounds, not to mention the out-right killing of hundreds of thousands of crab, salmon and other food fish.
How can it be legal to cause irreparable harm to native crab and salmon stock to benefit a genetically engineered non-native oyster, not to mention it's probably causing the virtual extinction of the native Olympic oyster?
Last, but certainly not least, we have the great spartina-grass debate. Even the pro-chemical scientists agree this erosion controlling, oxygen producing, non-noxious plant has been on our West Coast for over 100 years and can never be totally eradicated, only controlled at a cost of billions of more taxpayer dollars depending of course on the length of time we allow this self-destructing chemical aberration to continue. After 100 years it should be considered native.
Please draft and pass legislation to curb and cease these atrocities as we want to leave our grandchildren an earth with pollinating bees and fish to catch!
Cynthia Bova
Ocean Shores
Spartina eradication not based on facts
Saturday, August 22, 2009 1:14 AM PDT
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Fritzi Cohen - Guest Opinion
I submitted this letter in response to Ms. Ness's comments, but gather it never got to the paper. But I am resubmitting it since it also addresses Mr. Marsh's lengthy response to previous letters questioning the wisdom of spartina eradication.
I would also like to add that the states of Massachusetts and New York have prohibited the use of Nufarm Imazapyr -- one of the chemicals in the cocktail used to eradicate spartina -- for aquatic use.
Although Willapa Bay has several dead zones, and there has been no natural larval set which used to be abundant for four years at least, and the ocean is acidic, it is taboo to mention that the use of biocides in Willapa Bay accelerated by the spartina eradication project in 1990, carbaryl spraying by the commercial oyster farmers has been going on since 1965, a project of commercial oystermen to kill ghost shrimp.
Like Ms. Ness, WSDA has made allegations to justify spartina eradication not based on facts, but basically either totally speculative or outright false. e.g. Spartina does not cause flooding, it has not threatened any oyster beds, and most birds use it and those that don't make adjustments.
Spartina Alterniflora has its own special place in the intertidal zone, needing to be out of the water at least half the time which puts it pretty close to the shoreline. Collecting sediment is a plus since heavy sediment load in the water is not good for the water quality or the fish. The scientists who support pesticide eradication claim that none of the science regarding spartina available from the other coasts is relevant.
A flat out statement like that of course underscores the intent of the scientists to simply adapt their science to political pressures.
Brian Baird, for instance, declared the Willapa spartina eradication program a national model for dealing with invasive species. And (U.S. Congressman) Norm Dicks, chairman of the Environmental subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee was instrumental in getting passed a five year automatic earmark of $1.5 million for spartina eradication in Willapa Bay, half to go to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and half to go to landowners who were cooperating in the project.
Requests to Dicks's office for the actual appropriations have been denied.
How that money has been spent and which landowners got it is still a mystery. And importantly the fact that there are concerns about global warming -- and spartina is the type of plant you would want since it stabilizes shorelines and is a tremendous carbon sink -- are never mentioned.
People need to familiarize themselves with the noxious weed law, because it is truly like The Patriot Act where vegetation is the terrorist, and if you harbor it -- beware.
Attending the meetings of the State Noxious Weed Board is like attending a Star Chamber proceeding where the defendant is generally vegetation. And when the State Weed Board decides on execution it could care less as to what method is used. e.g. pesticides or muscle.
Same with the Invasive Species Council which is advising the state legislature. They appear totally disinterested in the use of pesticides. It's just kill, kill, kill.
Having had my oyster beds drifted on by pesticides, and having had to go to court to stop Pacific County from spraying my property to protect my oyster beds, and yes, my pickle grass which sells at a high price in the farmers markets, I am speaking from the experience of having tried to stop the spraying of biocides in Willapa Bay for 20 years.
Fritzi Cohen is the proprietor of Moby Dick Hotel and Oyster Farm in Nahcotta
by John Clark
Steve Bova's July 28 letter criticizing the spartina eradication program in local waters was a wake up call for me.
When I moved here from the east coast, I was surprised to find that the state was conducting an all-out war on this coastal plant by mowing, uprooting, and spraying with herbicides. Spartina is considered to be a noxious invasive plant here.
It is more than ironic that along the east coast, spartina is celebrated by ecologists and protected by law because it is the foundation of rich, salt marshes that support wildlife, halt erosion, reduce siltation, provide nutrients and purify coastal waters by reducing pollution. In fact, the comprehensive wetland laws we have today throughout the country got their start with the campaign in the Northeast to protect spartina-based salt marshes in the early '60s.
Nevertheless, a respected ecological expert from the Willapa Bay area told me that here in Washington State, spartina " … wipes out shorebird habitat, clam habitat, and juvenile fish and crab habitat" and needs to be controlled, even if that means spraying the shoreline with herbicides.
So, as with so many other things, coastal ecological aspects differ greatly between our east coast and our west coast.
John R. Clark
First off I would like to thank The Daily World for the opportunity to express myself in the opinion page of your Newspaper. However concerning my editorial "Aerial spraying for SPARTINA is wrong", I ask the Editor to reprint it with a different title and correction notice as the staff editor made a mistake when he or she authored it . The title should read {Aerial spraying by oyster farmers is DEAD wrong } Ms Ness stated spartina controll is done by "spot spraying with back-pack sprayers" NOT airplanes. And I would like to add that After reading John Clarks Aug 9 letter titled "Spartina valued on the east coast" I unanimously concurs with Steve Bova's skepticism and will be calling my elected officials!
8-10-09 thedailyworld.com: incorrectly titled "Aerial spraying for spartina is wrong "
Monday, August 10, 2009
Having come to the beach to escape the recent heat wave, I happened to read the editiorials concerning the use of chemicals for spartina control and oyster farming. Because both sides have compelling arguments both for and against the use of biocides for controlling weeds, my jury is still out.
However the aerial spraying of oysterbeds with pesticides for monetary gain is to put it simply, dead wrong!
To use chemicals to kill an indigenous species (shrimp) to benefit a non-native species (pacific oysters are imported from Japan) is as wrong as it gets.
Perhaps Nancy Ness and Steve Bova can even agree on this.
Does anyone know where one can get organic grown oysters as I do love them?
Thank you from an inlander who prefers butter only on her oysters.
Irene Lindberg
In response to Nancy Ness's rebuttal" Flooding could become the biggest spartina worry"(printed 7/31/09) of my editorial "Spartina eradication: more harm than good"(printed 7/28/09) I concede I only have a High School diploma, however common sense should prevail concerning the use of chemicals in our waterways. She herself states "but the problem will persist . Currents carrying seeds from California will continue to deposit along our coastline". Common sense tells me LET NATURE TAKE ITS COURSE instead of wasting taxpayer dollars forever! As for her dates concerning the arrival of spartina in our waters I leave it to the citizens to research this falsehood as everything I personally read including the" Washington Invasive Species Council 2008 Strategic Plan which reads Spartina alterniflora probably came to the west coast in the late 19th century"(late 1800's)
As for the scare of major flooding, common sense again tells me spartina had no effect in either the recent Chehalis river floods or the earlier New Orleans flood. Most citizens in Ocean Shores and other coastal communities would rather have "sediment"(accretion) than erosion ! Her statement concerning "More marsh means less rearing habitat for juvenile salmon "also goes against common sense as smaller fish rely heavily upon cover for their survival! and common sense again tells me spraying chemicals on said cover will KILL salmonoids!
I also wonder what she means by "lessons have been learned in Willapa" . Do these lessons concern dead zones probably created by both the spraying of carbutral (by oyster farmers) and biocides(by our goverment) which have been sprayed since the 1960's..As a homeowner our Goverment asks us not to over- water our lawns to prevent run-off of fertilizer and pesticides yet they allow the direct application of these same chemicals to our Twin Harbors in the name of greedy oyster farmers and misguided conservationists. I understand your commitment to indefinitly spray our waterways as this is your livelihood ,but please find a more meaningful position and stop poisoning our estuaries! And again I ask all concerned citizens to call their elected officials at 1-800-562-6000 (Legislative Hotline) and ask them to draft legislation outlawing ALL chemicals sprayed directly in our ocean waters!
Thank you Steve Bova
229 Toleak st
Ocean Shores, WA 98569
360-580-5534
To The Editor:
After hearing of the deliberate extermination of shrimp, juvenile crab and salmon through aerial chemical spraying of thousands of acres of estuaries by greedy and/or lazy oyster farmers, I drove to Olympia to voice our concerns.(mine and the 100 plus registered voters in Ocean Shores who signed my last editorial)
While there, my wife and I attended a Washington State Invasive species council meeting. This council is made up of The Nature Conservancy, Audubon Society, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service among others. Although this council is very instrumental in controlling intrusive noxious non-indigenous plants and animals we feel that they are way off the mark concerning spartina grass. I signed the comment roster and asked the dozen or so council members "who and why did they label spartina grass noxious (harmful). As I waited, I looked into there eyes staring directly at each and every one of them waiting for an answer. Finally,after what seemed like a few minutes, a very nice lady from the Audubon Society said something to the effect of >If the grass covers the mud flats certain shore birds won't be able to get there beaks in the mud to feed< With that said, I was in shock , after a moment of regaining my composure,I asked her if our salmon and crab (Natural Resourses) are less important, as thousands of them would be killed along with the spartina grass,
not to mention other waterfowl and other birds caught in their chemical spray!(Pesticides in water are NOXIOUS and toxic to birds, fish and all invertebrates) After we got home, I googled "spartina grass" which educated me somewhat, about this erosion controlling non poisnious grass. Spartina is a shoreline stabilizer/natural protecter against rising oceans. It is revered on the East and Gulf Coasts ,and demonized on the West Coast. Our ocean is at risk because of faulty regulatory controls influenced by special interests and biased science.After researching spartina grass, it hit me! The reason this oxygen producing plant is "noxious" is because a dozen or so misguided individuals want to "Harm" everything around it! Seriously, this grass has been around here 80-100+ years. The past and future efforts to kill this grass is probably one of the main reasons our salmon fishery is on the way of extincion. Our Goverment spends millions of tax dollars on salmon recovery, then it turns around and spends over $25 million of taxpayers money pouring thousands of gallons of biocides(chemicals) onto the tidal flats killing spartina and juvenile salmon hiding in the grass! The "experts" ask us to avoid over-watering our lawns to prevent fertilizers and pesticides from entering our waterways then ironicly promote the direct application of some of these same chemicals to our estuaries.
Please call your elected officials(1-800-562-6000 Legislative Hotline) and ask them to get our priorities straight! Tell them the shore birds will adapt and find other insects to eat and our coast needs this erosion controlling NON-NOXIOUS grass, especially during our earths rising ocean phases! Ask them to draft legislation outlawing the use of ALL chemicals that are deliberatly sprayed in our oceans killing our fisheries! Ask oyster sellers if thier prouduct was sprayed with chemicals and tell them you would rather eat oysters that did NOT filter chemicals!
Thank You Steve Bova
229 Toleak st
Ocean Shores,Wa 98569
360-580-5534 // bova.cindy@yahoo.com