URGENT, STOP EPA APPROVING OF GE BT CROPS.

[Guest guest]

URGENT, STOP EPA APPROVING OF GE BT CROPS.

 

 

Stop the EPA from Approving GE Plant Pesticides!

 

PUBLIC COMMENT DEADLINE:

 

AUGUST 31, 2001

 

 

The EPA is now considering whether or not to approve registrations of

genetically engineered B.t. crops. These plant pesticides have been

spliced with bacterial DNA to produce proteins that are toxic to some

insect pests and butterflies. These crops also pose risks to human

health and negative economic consequences to organic and conventional

farmers. (Please see Reference # 1 )

 

For further information , please contact :

Mike Mendelsohn, Biopesticides and

Pollution Prevention Division (7511C), Office of Pesticide Programs,

Tel : (703) 308-8715; Fax : (703) 308-7026;

 

Please tell EPA to end the registrations for Bt crops today !

 

The SAMPLE LETTER & CONTACT INFORMATION

are as following :

 

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SAMPLE LETTER : (you may write your own letter if you wish. thanks).

 

 

SUBJECT : Docket Number OPP-00678 B

 

Dear Administrator Whitman:

 

I am writing to express my opposition to the EPA's re-registration of

three Bt crops - Bt corn, cotton, and potatoes. There should be

a moratorium on all GE foods until long-term studies show that these

crops are safe for human health and the environment. Continued

registration of these Bt crops ignores evidence of their potential for

serious harm. Bt crops :

 

· Pose unacceptable risks to butterflies such as Monarchs and the

endangered Karner Blue. Lab and field studies show that Monarch

butterfly larvae are killed when they consume pollen from pesticide

plants that drifts to milkweed, their only source of food. Research

also shows that Bt pollen may threaten endangered butterflies like

the Karner Blue.

 

· Threaten human health with the potential to cause allergic reactions.

One Bt crop- StarLinkT corn - has already been withdrawn from the

market because of its allergenic potential. New research shows that

Bt cotton also contains a protein that affects the immune system.

Consumers shouldn't be the guinea pigs to see if Bt corn - in particular

Bt sweet corn - is also allergenic.

 

· Contaminate organic farmers' crops and conventional non-GE fields.

Organic and non-GE corn farmers have lost valuable markets because

of contamination. GE corn and non-GE corn cannot coexist in the same

region because of the potential for corn pollen to travel in the wind.

The EPA's analysis has not considered the significant economic

impacts of Bt corn on the organic and non-GE farm sectors.

 

· Will inevitably lead to the loss of Bt for organic pest control.

The resistance management plans EPA is proposing are fatally flawed,

because a number of assumptions they rely on are invalid.

For example, grower compliance is not 100% and neither Bt cotton

nor Bt corn contain a high dose against cotton bollworm/corn earworm.

 

· Pose other potential environmental consequences for agricultural and

natural ecosystems. Bt crops have potential effects on soil organisms

and natural enemies of crop pests. Pollen from Bt crops, in particular

Bt corn and Bt cotton, can flow to wild and weedy relatives, with

potential long-term ecological consequences. The most important of

these wild relatives in North America is teosinte, a close relative of

corn. Growing of Bt corn in the US poses a significant threat to this

important reservoir of corn genetic diversity.

 

 

The EPA should act to protect consumers and the environment by denying

the Re-Registration of these dangerous crops. Thank you.

 

Sincerely,

 

Your name,

Your Address,

City, State , Zip

Country

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CONTACT INFORMATION :

 

A: You may submit comments through the mail, in person, or

electronically.

 

To ensure proper receipt by EPA, it is imperative that you identify

DOCKET control number OPP-00678B in the subject line on

the first page of your response.

 

1. By mail :

 

EPA Administrator Christine Todd Whitman

Public Information and Records Integrity Branch (PIRIB)

Information Resources and Services Division (7502C)

Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP)

Environmental Protection Agency

1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.

Washington, DC 20460

 

2. By Email :

EMAIL : opp-docket (@epa.gov )

Avoid the use of special characters and any form of encryption.

All comments in electronic form must be identified by DOCKET

control number OPP-00678B.

 

3. In person or by courier :

Public Information and Records Integrity Branch (PIRIB),

Information Resources and Services Division (7502C),

Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP),

Environmental Protection Agency,

Room. 119, Crystal Mall #2,

1921 Jefferson Davis Hwy.,

Arlington, VA.

The PIRIB is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday,

excluding legal holidays. The PIRIB telephone number is

(703) 305-5805.

 

 

B : Please send a Copy of your letter (or CC if you send by email ) to:

 

President George W. Bush & First Lady Laura Bush and

Vice President Dick Cheney and Mrs. Cheney and

Cabinet members :

(copy the following address list and paste to CC field. ) :

(Note: it must have comma between addresses.

The following first four addresses has @whitehouse.gov )

 

 

president ,

first.lady ,

vice.president ,

mrs.cheney ,

whitman.christine,

ann.veneman ,

 

 

C: Please also send a copy (or CC ) to :

 

Your U.S. Senators

Your U.S. Representative

Please click following to get their contact information :

 

http://www.vote-smart.org/index.phtml

 

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References :

1: http://www.epa.gov/EPA-PEST/2001/July/Day-17/p17906.htm

2: http://www.foodsafetynow.org/

http://www.foodsafetynow.org/send.asp?cam_id=92

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Thanks so much for your kindness, compassion and help.