This winter, "Bonnie" Prince Charlie and his wife, Camilla, came to West Marin to revel in the fresh natural foods our farms produce. But despite our county's gorgeous features, and its "green" consciousness, other factors are at play. There is a deadly secret - and components of this secret lurk about in every corner.
Toxic chemicals are used, often by the same populace that boasts of being green. Air fresheners and disinfectants, fabric softeners with their benzenes, rose bush anti-fungal sprays, these products sit comfortably on shelves in "green" households in Marin. And this February, in West Marin, farmers who are combating the distaff thistle will apply poisons over their fields to eradicate the pest.

Plans are for the toxins 2-4 D and Transline to be sprayed aerially from helicopters. There is no procedure in place for public notification - other than that some farmers have offered to post the spray information on their fences. This tactic, although appreciated, is not of much help for bicyclists and others driving through on the highway.


Industry Blindsides the Consumer
In fact, a true public notification plan is probably illegal according to California State Agricultural Code - a code that was formulated in part during the eighties.

Back then, pesticide manufacturers' lobbyists applied massive amounts of monetary and political pressure on legislators. They succeeded. Thus, the language in the Code restricts a community's ability to require notification of any product that the EPA has deemed as acceptable. So Californians are at a great disadvantage in terms of the amount of protection that they can legally wrangle for themselves. Citizens in other states do not face this legal challenge.


Let the Copter Blades Whirr
So where, exactly, will the spraying occur? According to a press release from Donna Sheehan, of Marin Mission Organic, the ranches where spraying will occur are located in areas "spanning the lee of the coastal hills from Valley Ford, through Hicks Valley Road and Nicasio." Also according to Sheehan's press release, "aerial spraying of pasture and rangeland creates a high risk of droplet drift that can carry for over ten miles in wind conditions over 4 mph and when wind temperatures rise." Members in the West Marin community worry that the same organic farms that received world-wide reknown through the efforts of Prince Charles might possibly be tainted by this spray.

Through the efforts of West Marin Sustainable Resource Coalition (WMSRC), Sheehan obtained the public records of the spray permits. Reading these, she discovered that aerial spraying of thistles and broadleaf weeds was taking place annually. Also, that in 2005, over 2,000 acres were given permits for spraying and that manual and boom spraying of industrial herbicides were even more widespread than that. Additionally, as always, there is no requirement or legal ability to require any public notification of aerial spraying.

Sheehan contacted Marin County Agricultural Commissioner Stacy Carlsen. Carlsen hoped to put this spraying in perspective - that only 3,000 acres are sprayed in West Marin farms and ranches as opposed to the hundred thousand acres that are contaminated by toxics through the use of gardeners hired by individual householders. Some activists contend that although most people in Marin would state emphatically that their households are "green," the pervasive presence of hired hands as gardeners, most of whom are not educated about ecological matters, suggests otherwise... And lends strong support to Carlsen's argument. Since many who do the gardening and lawn work in Marin live in other communities, their purchase of chemicals for use on Marin lawns does not even register in the County-wide surveys. (Many of you know Sheehan from her and her husband Paul Reffell's recent promotion in photographing naked women spelling out the word "Peace." Others of you will remember that Sheehan took the civil disobedience of lying down in front of spray trucks twenty years ago on behalf of "Mow and Sow." Her action was credited with stopping the routine spraying of roadsides in West Marin.)


Transline and 2-4 D: Risky Ingredients
Now for a quick look at what we know about the chemical product 2,4 D. On November 18, 2005, a notice by OEHHA was published in the California Regulatory Notice Register announcing its intent to list 2, 4-D under Proposition 65 as a chemical known to the state to cause reproductive toxicity. Activists refer to this toxin as "one half of agent orange."

As far as the chemical product transline: well, there are as many questions as answers. Its main ingredient, clopyralid, disrupts plant growth. According to "The Journal of Pesticide Reform," it accomplishes this by binding to those molecules "normally used as receptors for growth..." The product also can cause eye irritation, damage and even blindness. Also, when mammals are exposed to clopyralid for a three-month term, the size of liver cells in females increased at two of the four doses that were used."

Let's stop right here. When I researched this issue in the summer of 2000, for a spraying operation then, at least one rancher told me that he took the precaution of sheltering the water source that his cows used during the spray period. But what of wildlife? Ag Commissioner Carlsen offered me the reassurance that the creeks would not be impacted by the helicopter spraying. Maybe he was mentally referencing the last protested aerial spraying six years ago. That spray operation occurred during the summer, when many creeks were dry. But in a wet February, the creeks are flowing everywhere. So this time around, our wildlife is most likely at risk.

Also at risk is disruption of endangered plants. According to my Summer 2000 research, Transline kills all members of the legume and sunflower families. Now some of those plants fall into the endangered species list and reside on some of the same West Marin ridges where the toxin will be used. Now activists in other sections of the country have had better luck than Marin County ecology proponents. In the State of Washington, clopyralid is banned for use in lawn products. According to Susan Bower, of Citizens for Better Forestry, there are significant reasons for concern about this product. "Animals that eat the vegetation, even their urine and feces kill plants," Bower says.

Furthermore, the Journal of Pesticide Reform report suggests the star thistle weed is highly resistant to clopyralid. The star thistle is an unpopular plant, as it poisons horses and degrades grazing land for both livestock and wildlife by crowding out native species. Does a better alternative exist?

Many ecologists have gone on the record about the noxious weed situation. Most acknowledge that whenever you have noxious weeds, then there is an indication of ground disturbance from overgrazing, logging, or other activities. A true Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategy looks at how to change land-management practices to prevent noxious weeds. For instance, Al Poncia has certain Integrated Pest Management strategies in place at his ranch.

His practices include tilling over the weeds, fertilizing, and then spreading grass seed. Even so, in certain places on his ranch, he still feels the need to use pesticides.

As I interviewed the head of Marin Organic, Helge Hellberg, I realized the full dimension facing those who want a positive outcome for ranchers and environment both. Hellberg stressed the importance of cooperation rather than opposition. In terms of a long term strategy "we are better off seeking and working out solutions." The rancher is the steward of the land - both Ag Commissioner Carlsen and Hellberg are on the same page on this. Hellberg is assembling at least five models of how to deter the star thistle without using aerial spraying, or indeed any spraying. To this end, he will be helping West Marinites gather at a series of meetings to be held in April and May. The dates will be announced in next month's Coastal Post.

Also, Hellberg mentioned a new bright idea, brain child of Kathy Voth. This woman uses a molasses spray to entice cows to eat the thistle. When I suggested that this might be bad for the cows, Hellberg said the notion that star and distaff thistle is so toxic is not entirely true, as much depends on how much an animal eats and whether or not the rancher augments this feeding with a sugar block or molasses. He stated that thistle has the protein content of alfalfa.

Meanwhile, the public might want to invite their elected officials to join in on this issue. People in West Marin should contact Supervisor Steve Kinsey (415 499-7331) to step forward and insist that public notification go forward. An argument could be made that this action would be illegal; however, the Town of Fairfax has employed public notification for some time. Although the State of California continually threatens a lawsuit against the town, so far it has not taken that step.

It should only be a matter of time before the millions of dedicated environmentalists in this state tackle the reprehensible portion of California State Code that forbids public notification. As we watch Abramoff go down in flames, we should look to that critical pesticide legislation that Big Chemical Money forced into existence. The need for notification is now. The public's health should not be beholden to the scandalous activities of the lobbyists of the past.

For further contact: Donna Sheehan, partnership@baringwitness.org; Judy Shils, Marin Cancer Project, (415) 457-1989; Helge Hellberg, Marin Organic, 415 663 9667.