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NewsTarget.com printable article
Originally published December 31 2007
www.newstarget.com/z022434.html
Thousands Exposed to Poison by Government's Aerial Spraying
by Rami Nagel
(NewsTarget) Sometimes bad dreams do come true. My bad dream was that
the government issued quarantine, and forced everybody to be vaccinated
for some fake disease. In my dream, I took my family, and fled to the
hills to avoid being vaccinated.
Now, nine months later, this dream has come true. In an emergency, I
relinquished my rental contract and moved my pregnant partner and three
and a half year old daughter out of Santa Cruz, CA, to avoid being
exposed to potentially deadly chemicals.
The chemicals, known by their trade names as Checkmate OLR-F and
Checkmate LBAM-F, have been sprayed via state owned airplanes in
September and October in Monterey County California. These same aerial
chemicals, despite their known health risks, were sprayed on two nights
(11-8, 11-9) over the people of Santa Cruz County. The purpose of this
spray is to control the mating habits of the light brown apple moth
(LBAM). The reason the moth needs to be controlled is due to the
possibility of 100 million dollars of damage (Realize that this figure
is not a fact, but based on a government guess).
Government's Pesticide Experiment Program
The California Department of Food and Agriculture's own doctor
acknowledges, in court documents, that aerial application of this
chemical has not been tested. Let me repeat this so you understand,
chemicals are being sprayed on young children, nursing mother's, people
with asthma, lung problems, heart problems, the elderly, the disabled,
the homeless and the chemically sensitive - and this chemical
formulation has NEVER been tested on even a piece of dirt, let alone,
humans. The newly designed Faroes Statement, the consensus of over 200
scientists, calls for a precautionary approach with respect to exposure
of fetuses and children to environmental toxins. The consensus is that
exposure of fetuses or children to chemicals can cause increased
susceptibility to disease and disability later in life. In addition,
the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has specific directives and
codes that state that they should not experiment with pesticides on
pregnant women, or infants. It is a fact, since this aerial pesticide
has not been proven to control the moth's mating habits and has not
been
proven safe to animals or humans, that this is an experiment.
In Monterey, approximately 100,000 residents were exposed to untested
chemicals to control the mating habits of less than 750 moths. In Santa
Cruz County, over 100,000 residents will be exposed between 11/06/07 ?
11/09/07 to untested chemicals to control the mating habits of less
than
9,000 moths. This is not a one time application, but will continue
monthly beginning again in February, for nine months, and then repeated
for up to a total of three years. Again, this program designed to
eradicate the moth at best will only control the moth's mating habits;
it will not eliminate the moth. At worst, the program will be
ineffective, cost tax payers millions of dollars, and cause permanent
disability to residents and their pets. All this harm is over a little
moth that has yet to cause even $1 of damage in California.
Did you know that each aerial application of Checkmate OLR-F and
Checkmate LBAM-F costs approximately $3.5 million and that $3 million
is
paid directly to the manufacturer Suterra, LLC of Bend, Oregon?
The projected expense of this eradication "attempt" will cost tax
payers
over $70 million dollars just to spray Monterey and Santa Cruz counties
the proposed 9 times. These monthly sprays are already scheduled for
next year to begin in March. The California Department of Food and
Agriculture has created a map which shows the spray area to grow and
encompass various portions of the entire San Francisco Bay Area, click
on the Central Coast (www.cdfa.ca.gov/phpps/PDEP/lbam/maps.html) . The
United States EPA has authorized an emergency permit which could allow
the CDFA to aerially spray the state of California until the year 2010.
This Light Brown Apple Moth Eradication could cost California tax
payers
more than $500 million dollars when all is said and done, which is five
times the projected amount of losses to the agricultural industry if
the
moth were to infest the state. Ridiculous and frivolous spending on
untested, unproven and toxic methods of "attempted" pest eradication
are
unacceptable actions taken by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and the
California Department of Food and Agriculture. This is not a state
plan,
but is a plan that is sponsored, endorsed, and largely funded by the
EPA
and the USDA.
Documented and Undocumented Pesticide Damage to Humans
While the moth may cause an estimated $100 million of crop damage, one
cannot put a price tag on the damage that Checkmate's chemicals cause
to
humans. In Monterey County, the first county in California to be
sprayed
with Checkmate OLR-F and Checkmate LBAM-F, documented affidavits show
that citizens got sick, ill or suffered life threatening reactions to
the toxic spray. One infant in the City of Monterey nearly died from
inhalation of the experimental biochemical, and now has permanent lung
damage. Dozens of women in cities throughout the Monterey Peninsula are
reporting problems with their reproductive systems after exposure to
the
pesticide, including: sudden, severe and irregular menstrual cycles,
extreme cases of tender and swollen breasts, and the recurrence of
menopause symptoms in older women. Other side effects of both Checkmate
OLR-F and Checkmate LBAM-F include: asthma and sudden breathing
difficulties, chest pain, vomiting, lethargy, fatigue, and extreme mood
swings. Some people have coughed up blood and have gotten bloody noses
from Checkmate exposure.
If you are familiar with chemical exposure, then there is something to
note which is of great alarm. If you have ever smelled paint, bleach,
or
something toxic like that, it takes a significant and potent amount of
the chemical to make one sick. It is not typical that such small and
minute amounts of chemicals can cause such severe damage as described
above. The explanation for the severe side effects, is that the
chemicals are in miniature balls of volatile plastic called
microcapsules; thus chemicals can be introduced deeply into the body
through swallowing or inhalation of the micro-sized particles. It is as
if this "agricultural" product acted more like a drug on humans, than
as
a pesticide on moths.
Thousands of residents, including myself, have undocumented pesticide
damage. I lived forty miles from the October-Monterey spray zone, and
on
the last day of aerial spraying, my entire family became ill. My
daughter vomited. I had severe intestinal distress and could not eat
for
several days. I felt nervous and anxious, as if I had the caffeine
equivalent of 10 cups of coffee. And for the first time in my life, I
had yellow/red colored urine (I am now mostly recovered). I did not
link
these symptoms to pesticide exposure until days later upon talking and
hearing about dozens of other Santa Cruz residents who were
experiencing
the same or similar symptoms, on or near the same day. Their symptoms
included severe vomiting and yellow/red colored urine. Recently I
learned that this exposure may not have been from pesticide drift, but
a
rogue plane releasing chemicals where it was not supposed to. Witnesses
have recently linked the red color to the Checkmate formulations,
seeing
small red droplets where the Checkmate has contacted metallic objects.
The questions I ask myself are: What type of chemical, in such small
doses, causes such profound harm? Why does a chemical claimed to be
harmless to humans by the EPA, the CDFA and Governor Schwarzenegger
have
a significant and severe effect on the female reproductive system?
Microcapsules = Microwarfare
The aerial application of Checkmate OLR-F and Checkmate LBAM-F is
designed out of the concept of miniature plastic sphere-like particles,
generally the same size as the width of a human hair. They are called
microcapsules. Each capsule is a biologically "loaded gun" due to its
own chemical make-up and that of the pheromones held inside. Research
indicates that the capsules are likely made out of a urea-formaldehyde
polymer, the industry standard. This is an extremely volatile plastic
which, under UV rays, degrades over a time period estimated to be
anywhere from 30-70 days. These "agricultural" microcapsules have never
been tested safe for humans. Thus, the life of these microcapsules
inside our bodies is truly unknown as are the health risks of inhaling
or swallowing them. Preliminary research on the microcapsules have
revealed that they are made of a new technology, and that the large
capsules are made up of a cluster of smaller 3-4 micron size capsules -
a size of capsule that can be deadly to humans over the long term.
Many of the chemicals used to make the Checkmate OLR-F and Checkmate
LBAM-F products have been deemed harmful for human consumption, like
butelated hydroxyl tolune (BHT). For example: on the label for BHT it
says (in big letters) "Do not inhale this product. Dangerous to
respiratory health." The symptoms documented by Monterey County
residents can be directly correlated to the warning labels of BHT, and
several other chemicals. BHT, is also known as DBPC, a dangerous
pesticide known to cause sterility in men. Recently, Dole Food Company
lost a lawsuit in which Nicaraguan Banana farmers were exposed to DBPC.
In pending lawsuits, thousands of South American Farmers are claiming
that they were harmed by exposure to DBPC.
Within these microcapsules is an endocrine disrupter which attaches
itself to estrogen receptors and forces the activation and constant
production of estrogen to occur in the human body. This happens for
men,
women and children. This chemical is called 2 hydroxy 4n
octyloxybenzophenone. The warnings surrounding the exposure to this
toxic chemical can be directly correlated to the documented symptoms of
women living within the spray zone in Monterey County. These are health
concerns which CANNOT be overlooked or swept under the carpet. The
entire state of California and its residents are at risk for severe
short term reactions to this aerial spraying. The projected long term
effects of exposure to Checkmate OLR-F and Checkmate LBAM-F are
unknown,
undocumented and until now - not even a thought in the minds of those
who are authorizing the spraying, and manufacturing the chemical.
In addition to the horrible documented health effects of coming into
contact with Checkmate OLR-F and Checkmate LBAM-F, there is a great
chance that it will not even prove to be an effective investment. The
EPA's own documents state that such a microcapsule cannot successfully
release pheromone, and that "The studies show that only a small
proportion of the microcapsules actually release any pheromone or only
a
portion of the total pheromone loaded into the capsule is capable of
ever being released." Science and competent intelligence does not seem
to be the methodology of this spray program; in light of such
statements
made, the technology cannot work.
The EPA masks their "emergency approval" of Checkmate OLR-F and
Checkmate LBAM-F behind the assertion that the pheromones in the
products are safe. They then make the scientific leap and pronounce the
entire pesticide is safe to be sprayed on residential neighborhoods,
schools and water ways. This arrogant assertion by the CDFA and the EPA
comes, again, without ANY LEGITIMATE TESTING. Under the "emergency
exemption" (also known as Section 18), regulations allow the EPA to
disregard the important 3% of "inert" ingredients. The "emergency
exemption" allows this disregard even though many of those ingredients
are not even inert, and are actually part of the "active" ingredients.
The EPA then reaches the conclusion, "EPA believes use of these
pheromone products, including aerial application over residential
areas,
presents negligible risks to human health and the environment." This is
another case of ridiculous, frivolous and blatant disregard for human
health by Governor Schwarzenegger, the CDFA and the EPA.
In addition to the aerial application which focuses on the agriculture
industry, microcapsules are used in medical and military technology. In
medical technology, microcapsules are used to time-release drugs into
the body. The medical capsules are made out of a bio-compatible
material
that the body can easily absorb. In military technology, they can be
used for chemical shields, or for experimental "non-lethal" weapons
(That means the weapon does not cause immediate death). These thoughts
do not leave one with a pleasant taste about how these microcapsules
are
being used in our neighborhoods and communities.
The over 30 billion microcapsules sprayed over Monterey County last
month are not bio-compatible; and yet children are playing in them,
dogs
are rolling around in them, and people are inhaling them. And the state
continues to spray more communities as I write this.
Like pollen, the miniature capsules can float in the air and they can
stick to surfaces people touch. Imagine hundreds of synthetic
microscopic plastic balls floating in the environment and then entering
your nose, mouth, eyes and ears. Is this safe? What happens when those
minuscule plastic balls are inhaled? We know what happens. They get
lodged in your lungs, you cough profusely to expel them, and you go
into
respiratory distress. Some Monterey County residents report asthma
attacks increasing, others report coughing so hard and for such long
durations that they cough up blood. One healthy adult male in the
sprayed Salinas area, who jogs five miles daily, now has developed
asthma since the last two aerial sprays. For the first time in his
life,
he must use an inhaler to help him breathe. The local doctor he sees is
out of inhaler samples, he's given them all away.
These and other serious side effects associated with the aerial
application of Checkmate OLR-F and Checkmate LBAM-F are being captured
by citizen groups daily. Local doctors are refusing to document that
their patients' symptoms have any relation to the aerial spraying. One
doctor even told his patient (who was very ill from the spraying) that
he would have to consult with this lawyer before discussing the matter
further. An attorney representing the CDFA declared to a judge in
Monterey County superior court during a hearing where a local
environmental organization was suing the CDFA to stop the aerial
spraying, that the CDFA has no intention on monitoring or following up
on any of the health concerns or complaints that have been or will be
filed in association with this aerial application. This is another
blatant disregard for the health and well being of citizens. The CDFA
can pay $3.5 million dollars to spray the residents of Monterey County,
but cannot and will not spend a penny to assure citizens and residents
that their health is of consequence to this program. This is repulsive!
This is a crime!
Cities Are the Targets!
If you examine the CDFA reports
(www.cdfa.ca.gov/phpps/PDEP/lbam/maps.html) you will see the cause for
grave alarm. The LBAM aerial spraying program does not target
agricultural fields with this agricultural technology, but rather
targets mostly residential and urban areas that are great distances
from
crops and fields.
It does not take a rocket scientist to connect the dots:
1) A biochemical never tested before is being sprayed on cities and not
agriculture.
2) The chemical has never been tested on moths, animals, or humans for
safety or efficacy.
3) An emergency exemption is used for a moth which is not dangerous to
humans; nor does it cause significant crop damage, especially in
California's warm climate regions.
4) Minute doses of the chemical causes reproductive effects on women,
and likely men.
5) Some of the chemical ingredients have no material safety data sheets
regarding human exposure, and samples of the pesticide have never been
independently scrutinized except by the EPA.
6) The majority of the funding of this project comes from the USDA and
Commodity Credit Corporation funds, these funds are managed by George
W.
Bush appointees.
7) Plans are being put in place to continue aerial spraying over other
populated portions of California, including San Mateo, San Francisco,
Oakland, and many regions in Southern California. The moth has a
peculiar habit of living in cities.
8) The spray plan does not include all the moth finds, but rather
mostly
moth finds in cities. For a spray plan to work to control these
insects,
a buffer zone should be created around all the moths; such that none
escape the spray, but this is not what is being done.
9) People who have been sprayed feel significantly impacted, physically
and emotionally.
10) People who understand the situation respond to it, as if they are
being attacked.
11) Preliminary research shows the microcapsule particles to be of a
dangerous size.
12) Microcapsules are used to deliver drugs deep into the human body.
For me, I felt like the airplanes spraying chemicals were attacking my
very right to exist and be here. What do you conclude?
Is the Government Negligent, Or Sinister?
The urgent question that I must bring your attention to, is this: Is
the
government just the biggest, dumbest entity on the planet; where they
haphazardly declare an emergency, which this is not one, and then over
eagerly dose whole cities with untested chemicals?
Or,
Is what we are experiencing part of a sinister plan to poison (or
worse)
a large populace, who more and more, is choosing an alternative and
chemical free lifestyle? It is unclear how much the government is aware
of this plan, but it is clear that the government goes out of their way
to deny and hide all serious reported health claims.
These may be scary questions to consider or you may find them amusing
and absurd. But if you lived in the spray zone and experienced what we
have, you might be asking yourself the same questions too.
It is likely that both of these statements are true, that the
government
is acting in a negligent, and sinister way.
A Time for Mourning
Even if we do not know for sure the intention of the aerial spray, we
must begin to acknowledge the great human tragedy that is now playing
out before us.
Over 200,000 fellow residents of California, USA, are being exposed,
needlessly, to biologically active time-release chemicals. Pregnant
women, infants, and the sick will be the most effected, because we know
that even the most minute dose of the chemical can find its way into
fetuses and affect them, and can find its way into human breast milk.
These residents are being exposed to chemicals against their will. Some
of them have had to rush to the emergency room for treatment. Others,
like myself, have literally fled to protect their lives. Many
businesses
are and will be devastated as owners decide to move out if their
business is affected. Many children's hopes will be dashed when their
parents decide to leave the area and the only homes they've ever known,
and many sick and elderly people will be torn from their own homes to
avoid becoming gravely ill.
There is a war happening right here, on our own soil; as citizens try
desperately to assert their right to survive, to exist, and to do so
without this obscene government intrusion.
Today is a day to mourn. A day to mourn the ignorance and the violence
perpetuated on our own soil. Today is a day to acknowledge the profound
and sad fact that our government seems hell bent on turning this world
into a war zone. Today is a day to mourn for the children whose growing
bodies are being affected by this spray and for the countless people
who
were not even informed about what the spray means or when it will take
place. Today is a day to mourn the liars in the government, who use our
tax money to test chemicals on the public and then use our money,
again,
to pay lawyers to defend their negligent actions in court case after
court case.
Today is not a good day, but a day when we are being called upon to
surrender our greater reality that includes all of our feelings and
experiences, good ones and bad ones. We must look now on what we have
become as a nation, and what we have allowed to happen.
I sincerely believe that only through looking at the outer and inner
experience and through accepting our own feelings, can we find a way to
both make peace within and to take effectual action in the world to
stop
this violence once and for all.
The Earth is in mourning. She wants to protect her children from harm
so
badly.
Recent Checkmate Aerial Spray Research Confirms Its Harm
A recently released study about Checkmate LBAM-F by the Aquatic
Toxicology Laboratory at
The University of California, Davis confirms the danger of this aerial
application. The authors state on page three that, "the microcapsules
ranged in size from approximately 10 microns to 190 microns.."
Microcapsules circa the 10 micron size range fall under the category of
"particle pollution" according to the American Lung Association (ALA).
On the ALA's website they state, ""Particle pollution, called
particulate matter or PM, is a combination of fine solids and aerosols
that are suspended in the air we breathe... The ones of most concern
are
small enough to lodge deep in the lungs where they can do serious
damage. They are measured in microns. The largest of concern are 10
microns in diameter."
Particle pollution has well documented short and long term health
effects, including: death from respiratory and cardiovascular causes,
including strokes; inflammation of lung tissue in young, healthy
adults;
increased severity of asthma attacks in children; slowed lung function
growth in children and teenagers; significant damage to the small
airways of the lungs; and increased risk of dying from lung cancer.
Children under 18 and adults over the age of 65 will be the ones most
harmed by this chemical assault.
A Call to Action
Aerial application of chemicals, whether supposed safe or not, violates
the very roots of our democracy and the free will of the people of the
United States of America. What choices will residents of this democracy
have left if they choose to not be sprayed with potentially deadly
chemicals and are then denied that right? If you continue to stand by
and let this happen, do you think your city and your county will be
immune from the next senseless government incursion? Now there are
court
cases and legal presidents being set, which our government can use, to
justify further hostile actions against its own people.
You cannot continue to sit around and think that you will not be
affected by the actions that our government is taking today. You must
act because the people here need your help. Every action you take has
the potential to help. Your friends and family need you. Your country
needs you. This world needs everyone of you to stand up and say loudly
and clearly that you have had enough and you will not take this
governmental bullying anymore!
Here are suggestions for action:
Call Governor Schwarzenegger who supports the biochemical aerial
spraying that harms children and tell his staffers that you order the
Governor to immediately halt the spraying.
(916) 445-2841 2841 (press #1, #5, #0)
Fax: (916) 445-4633
See my related story: (www.newstarget.com/022158.html)
Call your local senator and congressional representative. And I
encourage you to call these California Senators. Federal offices will
say that this is a state matter. You tell them that this LBAM
eradication plan is funded by the USDA and that this is certainly a
federal problem.
(Both California US Government Senators have been sitting on the fence,
even though a congressional investigation as to why the USDA and EPA
are
so eager to spray chemicals on people, in plain violation of their own
laws, is called for.)
Senator Diane Feinstein
San Fransisco Office - (415) 393-0707
Senator Barbara Boxer
San Fransisco Office - (415) 403-0100
Democracy Now!
They want to here our stories,
(www.democracynow.org/storyidea.pl)
Send them this link with this article, or post a summary of this
article
to their e-mail.
The American Civil Liberties Union
The ACLU is a pioneer in human and civil rights, yet they claim that
this is an environmental issue. Think again, this is a human rights
issue, let them know (www.aclu.org/contact/general/index.html)
The Sierra Club
They should be suing to stop this but rather have laid back in their
support, claiming that pheromones are a safer alternatives than
insecticides according to the information they are receiving from the
EPA. Think Again, pheromones in microcapsules, never tested before on
animals or people, could be deadly. The Sierra Club is being
intentionally misled into supporting a substance that they know very
little about.
Let them know your opinion. National Headquarters 415-977-5500
The National Resources Defense Council (NRDC)
They are a lead environmental organization who usually has a fabulous
track record in fighting against such atrocities as spraying chemicals.
However, they have been ardent supporters of pheromone use, stating
that
the pheromone is safe because the EPA says it is better than
traditional
pesticides. Note that we were also told that they have not done ANY
independent research into the toxic side effects of pheromones and do
not have the resources to have their own scientists do any testing.
Basically they are taking the EPA and USDA's word that it is safe, even
though there are no tests available to show that it is safe or
effective.
Call them and let them know how you feel. And ask them why they aren't
doing their own tests.
National Headquarters Telephone: (212) 727-2700
Or the San Francisco, CA Office: (415) 875-6100
Personal Action
Talk to your friends about this and other government abuses.
If you can provide us legal, scientific, medical or other expert
support
contact the author of this article immediately.
Write Articles relating to this topic or to human rights in the United
States.
Alert national and international media organizations, use your personal
contacts to help the cause; spread this article.
Feel your feelings, let your feelings be present.
Pray, Meditate, Dance, Dream, Act for peace.
Boycott Roll International, owner of Suterra the maker's of Checkmate
Companies include: Fiji Water, Paramount Farms, Paramount Citrus, POM
Wonderful, The Franklin Mint, and Teleflora
Some of Checkmate's Published Ingredients:
Here are three published Checkmate ingredients, of particular concern,
which have been and will continue to be sprayed upon humans and their
environment.
Butylated hydroxytoluene
The Material Saftey Data Sheet States:
"Mutagenic for mammalian somatic cells. Mutagenic for bacteria and/or
yeast" "The substance may be toxic to blood, liver, central nervous
system(CNS). Repeated or prolonged exposure to the substances can
produce target organs damage."
Tricaprylmethyammonimum chloride
There is no information or documentation about this substance or how
chronic exposure to it can effect human health. That means we cannot be
certain that even small doses are safe.
2-hydroxy-4-n-octyloxybenzophenone
This is a Xenochemical that binds to estrogen receptors not just in
animals, but in humans. In other words, even in small doses, it signals
people's bodies to take a specific biological action. Even small doses
could affect hormonal functions by causing the constant production of
estrogen. Prolonged exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals is the
cause of breast cancer.
Legal Cases
Helping Our Peninsula's Environment sued for a restraining order to
stop
aerial spraying in Monterey and lost because the disputed Checkmate
ingredient was not in the EPA's documents; even though the pesticide
manufacturer, Suterra, reported that they did use the disputed
ingredient in the manufacture of Checkmate. The lawsuit included a
document by a former EPA chemist showing how such an aerial spray
program is dangerous to both humans and the environment. The lawsuit
continues. Text of HOPE's lawsuit is at (www.1hope.org/SPRAYTRO.PDF)
The City and County of Santa Cruz voted to sue the California
Department
of Food and Agriculture, they too lost their request for a restraining
order of the spray, even with a rock-solid case which stated that the
county could not perform its functions; such as school, police,
protect,
and administer the city while aerial spraying continued. They too did
not get a restraining order, as their case continues. You can read the
court case here
(www.santacruzcourt.org/News/lbam.htm)
A group of local residents filed suit in Federal Court and also did not
get a restraining order, but did get a November 21st, 2007 Federal
Court
date to have their case more fully considered. Please consider
attending
this monumental hearing as citizens will stand and defend their civil
liberties and right to a healthy life. Docket #0705587
Conclusion
Telling you this truth, about this atrocity, is my prayer and hope for
peace.
I leave you with part of this press release by a strong opponent to the
aerial spraying, California State Senator John Laird.
"Of greatest concern to me is the notion that speculative economic
impacts may be outweighing the need to protect human health. In
Monterey
County there are reports of more than 200 health complaints associated
with aerial spraying. Yet, to date there is no evidence that reports
have been analyzed, and a promised 'white paper' on the toxicological
data on the pheromone product and the health complaints taken as a
whole
has not been released. In fact, in his October 26th letter to me, CDFA
Secretary Kawamura indicated there are no plans to either study long
term effects of the spraying or conduct an epidemiological analysis of
the complaints CDFA has received.
In light of the unresolved health complaints and unanswered scientific
questions, the "precautionary principle" should serve as a guide. It
has
been described as a political and moral principle that says if an
action
or policy could harm the public or the environment, the burden of proof
falls on the proponent of the action -- rather than on the public.
It was determined in Superior Court that the County of Santa Cruz
failed
to meet the burden of proof required to obtain a temporary restraining
order against the state. However, in the court of public opinion, the
burden of proof ought to be on CDFA to prove LBAM-F and OLR-F are safe
prior to spraying it on residential populations monthly for an
open-ended period of time."
(democrats.assembly.ca.gov/MEMBE...1.htm
)
Further information and research about the Light Brown Apple Moth
Aerial
Spray program is available at: Hope For Truth
About the author
Rami Nagel is a father who cares about the way we affect each other,
our
children, and our planet through our lifestyle choices. His health
background is in hands-on energy healing, Hatha & Bhakti yoga and the
Pathwork.
Rami is author of several health resources:
www.curetoothdecay.com - Heal and Prevent Cavities with Nutrition!
www.healingourchildren.net - Learn the Cause and Prevention of the
Diseases of Pregnancy and Childhood
www.preconceptionhealth.org - A Program for Preconception Health based
on Indigenous Wisdom
www.yourreturn.org - The cause of disease and the end of suffering of
humanity.
Originally published December 31 2007
www.newstarget.com/z022434.html
Thousands Exposed to Poison by Government's Aerial Spraying
by Rami Nagel
(NewsTarget) Sometimes bad dreams do come true. My bad dream was that
the government issued quarantine, and forced everybody to be vaccinated
for some fake disease. In my dream, I took my family, and fled to the
hills to avoid being vaccinated.
Now, nine months later, this dream has come true. In an emergency, I
relinquished my rental contract and moved my pregnant partner and three
and a half year old daughter out of Santa Cruz, CA, to avoid being
exposed to potentially deadly chemicals.
The chemicals, known by their trade names as Checkmate OLR-F and
Checkmate LBAM-F, have been sprayed via state owned airplanes in
September and October in Monterey County California. These same aerial
chemicals, despite their known health risks, were sprayed on two nights
(11-8, 11-9) over the people of Santa Cruz County. The purpose of this
spray is to control the mating habits of the light brown apple moth
(LBAM). The reason the moth needs to be controlled is due to the
possibility of 100 million dollars of damage (Realize that this figure
is not a fact, but based on a government guess).
Government's Pesticide Experiment Program
The California Department of Food and Agriculture's own doctor
acknowledges, in court documents, that aerial application of this
chemical has not been tested. Let me repeat this so you understand,
chemicals are being sprayed on young children, nursing mother's, people
with asthma, lung problems, heart problems, the elderly, the disabled,
the homeless and the chemically sensitive - and this chemical
formulation has NEVER been tested on even a piece of dirt, let alone,
humans. The newly designed Faroes Statement, the consensus of over 200
scientists, calls for a precautionary approach with respect to exposure
of fetuses and children to environmental toxins. The consensus is that
exposure of fetuses or children to chemicals can cause increased
susceptibility to disease and disability later in life. In addition,
the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has specific directives and
codes that state that they should not experiment with pesticides on
pregnant women, or infants. It is a fact, since this aerial pesticide
has not been proven to control the moth's mating habits and has not
been
proven safe to animals or humans, that this is an experiment.
In Monterey, approximately 100,000 residents were exposed to untested
chemicals to control the mating habits of less than 750 moths. In Santa
Cruz County, over 100,000 residents will be exposed between 11/06/07 ?
11/09/07 to untested chemicals to control the mating habits of less
than
9,000 moths. This is not a one time application, but will continue
monthly beginning again in February, for nine months, and then repeated
for up to a total of three years. Again, this program designed to
eradicate the moth at best will only control the moth's mating habits;
it will not eliminate the moth. At worst, the program will be
ineffective, cost tax payers millions of dollars, and cause permanent
disability to residents and their pets. All this harm is over a little
moth that has yet to cause even $1 of damage in California.
Did you know that each aerial application of Checkmate OLR-F and
Checkmate LBAM-F costs approximately $3.5 million and that $3 million
is
paid directly to the manufacturer Suterra, LLC of Bend, Oregon?
The projected expense of this eradication "attempt" will cost tax
payers
over $70 million dollars just to spray Monterey and Santa Cruz counties
the proposed 9 times. These monthly sprays are already scheduled for
next year to begin in March. The California Department of Food and
Agriculture has created a map which shows the spray area to grow and
encompass various portions of the entire San Francisco Bay Area, click
on the Central Coast (www.cdfa.ca.gov/phpps/PDEP/lbam/maps.html) . The
United States EPA has authorized an emergency permit which could allow
the CDFA to aerially spray the state of California until the year 2010.
This Light Brown Apple Moth Eradication could cost California tax
payers
more than $500 million dollars when all is said and done, which is five
times the projected amount of losses to the agricultural industry if
the
moth were to infest the state. Ridiculous and frivolous spending on
untested, unproven and toxic methods of "attempted" pest eradication
are
unacceptable actions taken by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and the
California Department of Food and Agriculture. This is not a state
plan,
but is a plan that is sponsored, endorsed, and largely funded by the
EPA
and the USDA.
Documented and Undocumented Pesticide Damage to Humans
While the moth may cause an estimated $100 million of crop damage, one
cannot put a price tag on the damage that Checkmate's chemicals cause
to
humans. In Monterey County, the first county in California to be
sprayed
with Checkmate OLR-F and Checkmate LBAM-F, documented affidavits show
that citizens got sick, ill or suffered life threatening reactions to
the toxic spray. One infant in the City of Monterey nearly died from
inhalation of the experimental biochemical, and now has permanent lung
damage. Dozens of women in cities throughout the Monterey Peninsula are
reporting problems with their reproductive systems after exposure to
the
pesticide, including: sudden, severe and irregular menstrual cycles,
extreme cases of tender and swollen breasts, and the recurrence of
menopause symptoms in older women. Other side effects of both Checkmate
OLR-F and Checkmate LBAM-F include: asthma and sudden breathing
difficulties, chest pain, vomiting, lethargy, fatigue, and extreme mood
swings. Some people have coughed up blood and have gotten bloody noses
from Checkmate exposure.
If you are familiar with chemical exposure, then there is something to
note which is of great alarm. If you have ever smelled paint, bleach,
or
something toxic like that, it takes a significant and potent amount of
the chemical to make one sick. It is not typical that such small and
minute amounts of chemicals can cause such severe damage as described
above. The explanation for the severe side effects, is that the
chemicals are in miniature balls of volatile plastic called
microcapsules; thus chemicals can be introduced deeply into the body
through swallowing or inhalation of the micro-sized particles. It is as
if this "agricultural" product acted more like a drug on humans, than
as
a pesticide on moths.
Thousands of residents, including myself, have undocumented pesticide
damage. I lived forty miles from the October-Monterey spray zone, and
on
the last day of aerial spraying, my entire family became ill. My
daughter vomited. I had severe intestinal distress and could not eat
for
several days. I felt nervous and anxious, as if I had the caffeine
equivalent of 10 cups of coffee. And for the first time in my life, I
had yellow/red colored urine (I am now mostly recovered). I did not
link
these symptoms to pesticide exposure until days later upon talking and
hearing about dozens of other Santa Cruz residents who were
experiencing
the same or similar symptoms, on or near the same day. Their symptoms
included severe vomiting and yellow/red colored urine. Recently I
learned that this exposure may not have been from pesticide drift, but
a
rogue plane releasing chemicals where it was not supposed to. Witnesses
have recently linked the red color to the Checkmate formulations,
seeing
small red droplets where the Checkmate has contacted metallic objects.
The questions I ask myself are: What type of chemical, in such small
doses, causes such profound harm? Why does a chemical claimed to be
harmless to humans by the EPA, the CDFA and Governor Schwarzenegger
have
a significant and severe effect on the female reproductive system?
Microcapsules = Microwarfare
The aerial application of Checkmate OLR-F and Checkmate LBAM-F is
designed out of the concept of miniature plastic sphere-like particles,
generally the same size as the width of a human hair. They are called
microcapsules. Each capsule is a biologically "loaded gun" due to its
own chemical make-up and that of the pheromones held inside. Research
indicates that the capsules are likely made out of a urea-formaldehyde
polymer, the industry standard. This is an extremely volatile plastic
which, under UV rays, degrades over a time period estimated to be
anywhere from 30-70 days. These "agricultural" microcapsules have never
been tested safe for humans. Thus, the life of these microcapsules
inside our bodies is truly unknown as are the health risks of inhaling
or swallowing them. Preliminary research on the microcapsules have
revealed that they are made of a new technology, and that the large
capsules are made up of a cluster of smaller 3-4 micron size capsules -
a size of capsule that can be deadly to humans over the long term.
Many of the chemicals used to make the Checkmate OLR-F and Checkmate
LBAM-F products have been deemed harmful for human consumption, like
butelated hydroxyl tolune (BHT). For example: on the label for BHT it
says (in big letters) "Do not inhale this product. Dangerous to
respiratory health." The symptoms documented by Monterey County
residents can be directly correlated to the warning labels of BHT, and
several other chemicals. BHT, is also known as DBPC, a dangerous
pesticide known to cause sterility in men. Recently, Dole Food Company
lost a lawsuit in which Nicaraguan Banana farmers were exposed to DBPC.
In pending lawsuits, thousands of South American Farmers are claiming
that they were harmed by exposure to DBPC.
Within these microcapsules is an endocrine disrupter which attaches
itself to estrogen receptors and forces the activation and constant
production of estrogen to occur in the human body. This happens for
men,
women and children. This chemical is called 2 hydroxy 4n
octyloxybenzophenone. The warnings surrounding the exposure to this
toxic chemical can be directly correlated to the documented symptoms of
women living within the spray zone in Monterey County. These are health
concerns which CANNOT be overlooked or swept under the carpet. The
entire state of California and its residents are at risk for severe
short term reactions to this aerial spraying. The projected long term
effects of exposure to Checkmate OLR-F and Checkmate LBAM-F are
unknown,
undocumented and until now - not even a thought in the minds of those
who are authorizing the spraying, and manufacturing the chemical.
In addition to the horrible documented health effects of coming into
contact with Checkmate OLR-F and Checkmate LBAM-F, there is a great
chance that it will not even prove to be an effective investment. The
EPA's own documents state that such a microcapsule cannot successfully
release pheromone, and that "The studies show that only a small
proportion of the microcapsules actually release any pheromone or only
a
portion of the total pheromone loaded into the capsule is capable of
ever being released." Science and competent intelligence does not seem
to be the methodology of this spray program; in light of such
statements
made, the technology cannot work.
The EPA masks their "emergency approval" of Checkmate OLR-F and
Checkmate LBAM-F behind the assertion that the pheromones in the
products are safe. They then make the scientific leap and pronounce the
entire pesticide is safe to be sprayed on residential neighborhoods,
schools and water ways. This arrogant assertion by the CDFA and the EPA
comes, again, without ANY LEGITIMATE TESTING. Under the "emergency
exemption" (also known as Section 18), regulations allow the EPA to
disregard the important 3% of "inert" ingredients. The "emergency
exemption" allows this disregard even though many of those ingredients
are not even inert, and are actually part of the "active" ingredients.
The EPA then reaches the conclusion, "EPA believes use of these
pheromone products, including aerial application over residential
areas,
presents negligible risks to human health and the environment." This is
another case of ridiculous, frivolous and blatant disregard for human
health by Governor Schwarzenegger, the CDFA and the EPA.
In addition to the aerial application which focuses on the agriculture
industry, microcapsules are used in medical and military technology. In
medical technology, microcapsules are used to time-release drugs into
the body. The medical capsules are made out of a bio-compatible
material
that the body can easily absorb. In military technology, they can be
used for chemical shields, or for experimental "non-lethal" weapons
(That means the weapon does not cause immediate death). These thoughts
do not leave one with a pleasant taste about how these microcapsules
are
being used in our neighborhoods and communities.
The over 30 billion microcapsules sprayed over Monterey County last
month are not bio-compatible; and yet children are playing in them,
dogs
are rolling around in them, and people are inhaling them. And the state
continues to spray more communities as I write this.
Like pollen, the miniature capsules can float in the air and they can
stick to surfaces people touch. Imagine hundreds of synthetic
microscopic plastic balls floating in the environment and then entering
your nose, mouth, eyes and ears. Is this safe? What happens when those
minuscule plastic balls are inhaled? We know what happens. They get
lodged in your lungs, you cough profusely to expel them, and you go
into
respiratory distress. Some Monterey County residents report asthma
attacks increasing, others report coughing so hard and for such long
durations that they cough up blood. One healthy adult male in the
sprayed Salinas area, who jogs five miles daily, now has developed
asthma since the last two aerial sprays. For the first time in his
life,
he must use an inhaler to help him breathe. The local doctor he sees is
out of inhaler samples, he's given them all away.
These and other serious side effects associated with the aerial
application of Checkmate OLR-F and Checkmate LBAM-F are being captured
by citizen groups daily. Local doctors are refusing to document that
their patients' symptoms have any relation to the aerial spraying. One
doctor even told his patient (who was very ill from the spraying) that
he would have to consult with this lawyer before discussing the matter
further. An attorney representing the CDFA declared to a judge in
Monterey County superior court during a hearing where a local
environmental organization was suing the CDFA to stop the aerial
spraying, that the CDFA has no intention on monitoring or following up
on any of the health concerns or complaints that have been or will be
filed in association with this aerial application. This is another
blatant disregard for the health and well being of citizens. The CDFA
can pay $3.5 million dollars to spray the residents of Monterey County,
but cannot and will not spend a penny to assure citizens and residents
that their health is of consequence to this program. This is repulsive!
This is a crime!
Cities Are the Targets!
If you examine the CDFA reports
(www.cdfa.ca.gov/phpps/PDEP/lbam/maps.html) you will see the cause for
grave alarm. The LBAM aerial spraying program does not target
agricultural fields with this agricultural technology, but rather
targets mostly residential and urban areas that are great distances
from
crops and fields.
It does not take a rocket scientist to connect the dots:
1) A biochemical never tested before is being sprayed on cities and not
agriculture.
2) The chemical has never been tested on moths, animals, or humans for
safety or efficacy.
3) An emergency exemption is used for a moth which is not dangerous to
humans; nor does it cause significant crop damage, especially in
California's warm climate regions.
4) Minute doses of the chemical causes reproductive effects on women,
and likely men.
5) Some of the chemical ingredients have no material safety data sheets
regarding human exposure, and samples of the pesticide have never been
independently scrutinized except by the EPA.
6) The majority of the funding of this project comes from the USDA and
Commodity Credit Corporation funds, these funds are managed by George
W.
Bush appointees.
7) Plans are being put in place to continue aerial spraying over other
populated portions of California, including San Mateo, San Francisco,
Oakland, and many regions in Southern California. The moth has a
peculiar habit of living in cities.
8) The spray plan does not include all the moth finds, but rather
mostly
moth finds in cities. For a spray plan to work to control these
insects,
a buffer zone should be created around all the moths; such that none
escape the spray, but this is not what is being done.
9) People who have been sprayed feel significantly impacted, physically
and emotionally.
10) People who understand the situation respond to it, as if they are
being attacked.
11) Preliminary research shows the microcapsule particles to be of a
dangerous size.
12) Microcapsules are used to deliver drugs deep into the human body.
For me, I felt like the airplanes spraying chemicals were attacking my
very right to exist and be here. What do you conclude?
Is the Government Negligent, Or Sinister?
The urgent question that I must bring your attention to, is this: Is
the
government just the biggest, dumbest entity on the planet; where they
haphazardly declare an emergency, which this is not one, and then over
eagerly dose whole cities with untested chemicals?
Or,
Is what we are experiencing part of a sinister plan to poison (or
worse)
a large populace, who more and more, is choosing an alternative and
chemical free lifestyle? It is unclear how much the government is aware
of this plan, but it is clear that the government goes out of their way
to deny and hide all serious reported health claims.
These may be scary questions to consider or you may find them amusing
and absurd. But if you lived in the spray zone and experienced what we
have, you might be asking yourself the same questions too.
It is likely that both of these statements are true, that the
government
is acting in a negligent, and sinister way.
A Time for Mourning
Even if we do not know for sure the intention of the aerial spray, we
must begin to acknowledge the great human tragedy that is now playing
out before us.
Over 200,000 fellow residents of California, USA, are being exposed,
needlessly, to biologically active time-release chemicals. Pregnant
women, infants, and the sick will be the most effected, because we know
that even the most minute dose of the chemical can find its way into
fetuses and affect them, and can find its way into human breast milk.
These residents are being exposed to chemicals against their will. Some
of them have had to rush to the emergency room for treatment. Others,
like myself, have literally fled to protect their lives. Many
businesses
are and will be devastated as owners decide to move out if their
business is affected. Many children's hopes will be dashed when their
parents decide to leave the area and the only homes they've ever known,
and many sick and elderly people will be torn from their own homes to
avoid becoming gravely ill.
There is a war happening right here, on our own soil; as citizens try
desperately to assert their right to survive, to exist, and to do so
without this obscene government intrusion.
Today is a day to mourn. A day to mourn the ignorance and the violence
perpetuated on our own soil. Today is a day to acknowledge the profound
and sad fact that our government seems hell bent on turning this world
into a war zone. Today is a day to mourn for the children whose growing
bodies are being affected by this spray and for the countless people
who
were not even informed about what the spray means or when it will take
place. Today is a day to mourn the liars in the government, who use our
tax money to test chemicals on the public and then use our money,
again,
to pay lawyers to defend their negligent actions in court case after
court case.
Today is not a good day, but a day when we are being called upon to
surrender our greater reality that includes all of our feelings and
experiences, good ones and bad ones. We must look now on what we have
become as a nation, and what we have allowed to happen.
I sincerely believe that only through looking at the outer and inner
experience and through accepting our own feelings, can we find a way to
both make peace within and to take effectual action in the world to
stop
this violence once and for all.
The Earth is in mourning. She wants to protect her children from harm
so
badly.
Recent Checkmate Aerial Spray Research Confirms Its Harm
A recently released study about Checkmate LBAM-F by the Aquatic
Toxicology Laboratory at
The University of California, Davis confirms the danger of this aerial
application. The authors state on page three that, "the microcapsules
ranged in size from approximately 10 microns to 190 microns.."
Microcapsules circa the 10 micron size range fall under the category of
"particle pollution" according to the American Lung Association (ALA).
On the ALA's website they state, ""Particle pollution, called
particulate matter or PM, is a combination of fine solids and aerosols
that are suspended in the air we breathe... The ones of most concern
are
small enough to lodge deep in the lungs where they can do serious
damage. They are measured in microns. The largest of concern are 10
microns in diameter."
Particle pollution has well documented short and long term health
effects, including: death from respiratory and cardiovascular causes,
including strokes; inflammation of lung tissue in young, healthy
adults;
increased severity of asthma attacks in children; slowed lung function
growth in children and teenagers; significant damage to the small
airways of the lungs; and increased risk of dying from lung cancer.
Children under 18 and adults over the age of 65 will be the ones most
harmed by this chemical assault.
A Call to Action
Aerial application of chemicals, whether supposed safe or not, violates
the very roots of our democracy and the free will of the people of the
United States of America. What choices will residents of this democracy
have left if they choose to not be sprayed with potentially deadly
chemicals and are then denied that right? If you continue to stand by
and let this happen, do you think your city and your county will be
immune from the next senseless government incursion? Now there are
court
cases and legal presidents being set, which our government can use, to
justify further hostile actions against its own people.
You cannot continue to sit around and think that you will not be
affected by the actions that our government is taking today. You must
act because the people here need your help. Every action you take has
the potential to help. Your friends and family need you. Your country
needs you. This world needs everyone of you to stand up and say loudly
and clearly that you have had enough and you will not take this
governmental bullying anymore!
Here are suggestions for action:
Call Governor Schwarzenegger who supports the biochemical aerial
spraying that harms children and tell his staffers that you order the
Governor to immediately halt the spraying.
(916) 445-2841 2841 (press #1, #5, #0)
Fax: (916) 445-4633
See my related story: (www.newstarget.com/022158.html)
Call your local senator and congressional representative. And I
encourage you to call these California Senators. Federal offices will
say that this is a state matter. You tell them that this LBAM
eradication plan is funded by the USDA and that this is certainly a
federal problem.
(Both California US Government Senators have been sitting on the fence,
even though a congressional investigation as to why the USDA and EPA
are
so eager to spray chemicals on people, in plain violation of their own
laws, is called for.)
Senator Diane Feinstein
San Fransisco Office - (415) 393-0707
Senator Barbara Boxer
San Fransisco Office - (415) 403-0100
Democracy Now!
They want to here our stories,
(www.democracynow.org/storyidea.pl)
Send them this link with this article, or post a summary of this
article
to their e-mail.
The American Civil Liberties Union
The ACLU is a pioneer in human and civil rights, yet they claim that
this is an environmental issue. Think again, this is a human rights
issue, let them know (www.aclu.org/contact/general/index.html)
The Sierra Club
They should be suing to stop this but rather have laid back in their
support, claiming that pheromones are a safer alternatives than
insecticides according to the information they are receiving from the
EPA. Think Again, pheromones in microcapsules, never tested before on
animals or people, could be deadly. The Sierra Club is being
intentionally misled into supporting a substance that they know very
little about.
Let them know your opinion. National Headquarters 415-977-5500
The National Resources Defense Council (NRDC)
They are a lead environmental organization who usually has a fabulous
track record in fighting against such atrocities as spraying chemicals.
However, they have been ardent supporters of pheromone use, stating
that
the pheromone is safe because the EPA says it is better than
traditional
pesticides. Note that we were also told that they have not done ANY
independent research into the toxic side effects of pheromones and do
not have the resources to have their own scientists do any testing.
Basically they are taking the EPA and USDA's word that it is safe, even
though there are no tests available to show that it is safe or
effective.
Call them and let them know how you feel. And ask them why they aren't
doing their own tests.
National Headquarters Telephone: (212) 727-2700
Or the San Francisco, CA Office: (415) 875-6100
Personal Action
Talk to your friends about this and other government abuses.
If you can provide us legal, scientific, medical or other expert
support
contact the author of this article immediately.
Write Articles relating to this topic or to human rights in the United
States.
Alert national and international media organizations, use your personal
contacts to help the cause; spread this article.
Feel your feelings, let your feelings be present.
Pray, Meditate, Dance, Dream, Act for peace.
Boycott Roll International, owner of Suterra the maker's of Checkmate
Companies include: Fiji Water, Paramount Farms, Paramount Citrus, POM
Wonderful, The Franklin Mint, and Teleflora
Some of Checkmate's Published Ingredients:
Here are three published Checkmate ingredients, of particular concern,
which have been and will continue to be sprayed upon humans and their
environment.
Butylated hydroxytoluene
The Material Saftey Data Sheet States:
"Mutagenic for mammalian somatic cells. Mutagenic for bacteria and/or
yeast" "The substance may be toxic to blood, liver, central nervous
system(CNS). Repeated or prolonged exposure to the substances can
produce target organs damage."
Tricaprylmethyammonimum chloride
There is no information or documentation about this substance or how
chronic exposure to it can effect human health. That means we cannot be
certain that even small doses are safe.
2-hydroxy-4-n-octyloxybenzophenone
This is a Xenochemical that binds to estrogen receptors not just in
animals, but in humans. In other words, even in small doses, it signals
people's bodies to take a specific biological action. Even small doses
could affect hormonal functions by causing the constant production of
estrogen. Prolonged exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals is the
cause of breast cancer.
Legal Cases
Helping Our Peninsula's Environment sued for a restraining order to
stop
aerial spraying in Monterey and lost because the disputed Checkmate
ingredient was not in the EPA's documents; even though the pesticide
manufacturer, Suterra, reported that they did use the disputed
ingredient in the manufacture of Checkmate. The lawsuit included a
document by a former EPA chemist showing how such an aerial spray
program is dangerous to both humans and the environment. The lawsuit
continues. Text of HOPE's lawsuit is at (www.1hope.org/SPRAYTRO.PDF)
The City and County of Santa Cruz voted to sue the California
Department
of Food and Agriculture, they too lost their request for a restraining
order of the spray, even with a rock-solid case which stated that the
county could not perform its functions; such as school, police,
protect,
and administer the city while aerial spraying continued. They too did
not get a restraining order, as their case continues. You can read the
court case here
(www.santacruzcourt.org/News/lbam.htm)
A group of local residents filed suit in Federal Court and also did not
get a restraining order, but did get a November 21st, 2007 Federal
Court
date to have their case more fully considered. Please consider
attending
this monumental hearing as citizens will stand and defend their civil
liberties and right to a healthy life. Docket #0705587
Conclusion
Telling you this truth, about this atrocity, is my prayer and hope for
peace.
I leave you with part of this press release by a strong opponent to the
aerial spraying, California State Senator John Laird.
"Of greatest concern to me is the notion that speculative economic
impacts may be outweighing the need to protect human health. In
Monterey
County there are reports of more than 200 health complaints associated
with aerial spraying. Yet, to date there is no evidence that reports
have been analyzed, and a promised 'white paper' on the toxicological
data on the pheromone product and the health complaints taken as a
whole
has not been released. In fact, in his October 26th letter to me, CDFA
Secretary Kawamura indicated there are no plans to either study long
term effects of the spraying or conduct an epidemiological analysis of
the complaints CDFA has received.
In light of the unresolved health complaints and unanswered scientific
questions, the "precautionary principle" should serve as a guide. It
has
been described as a political and moral principle that says if an
action
or policy could harm the public or the environment, the burden of proof
falls on the proponent of the action -- rather than on the public.
It was determined in Superior Court that the County of Santa Cruz
failed
to meet the burden of proof required to obtain a temporary restraining
order against the state. However, in the court of public opinion, the
burden of proof ought to be on CDFA to prove LBAM-F and OLR-F are safe
prior to spraying it on residential populations monthly for an
open-ended period of time."
(democrats.assembly.ca.gov/MEMBE...1.htm
)
Further information and research about the Light Brown Apple Moth
Aerial
Spray program is available at: Hope For Truth
About the author
Rami Nagel is a father who cares about the way we affect each other,
our
children, and our planet through our lifestyle choices. His health
background is in hands-on energy healing, Hatha & Bhakti yoga and the
Pathwork.
Rami is author of several health resources:
www.curetoothdecay.com - Heal and Prevent Cavities with Nutrition!
www.healingourchildren.net - Learn the Cause and Prevention of the
Diseases of Pregnancy and Childhood
www.preconceptionhealth.org - A Program for Preconception Health based
on Indigenous Wisdom
www.yourreturn.org - The cause of disease and the end of suffering of
humanity.
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