Jan.14th rodenticide policy review meeting 2-4 pm SF City Hall

[Guest guest]

Jamie Ray <jamie_ray

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 21:30:31 -0800

 

Dec. 9,2008

 

Dear friends, this is a request for your attendance at the SF Department of Environment pesticide review meeting this coming Monday from 2-4 at City Hall, Rm. 421, to review rodenticide and other pesticide use in SF.

 

The San Francisco Commission on the Environment voted last May to add 2nd generation rodenticides to San Francisco's Reduced-Risk Pesticide list, to protect wildlife from dying from secondary poisoning - when eating rodents as part of their natural diet.

 

This legislation made San Francisco the first county in the state to protect wildlife from secondary poisoning, by prohibiting the use of these poisons outdoors.

 

Since then, Ventura County has implemented a similar protection measure. Berkeley and Marin County are also working to implement similar protection measures. It is my hope that all California counties will follow suit. This is why I've sent this email to a few wildlife advocates outside the Bay Area.

 

The Audubon Society, Hungry Owl Project, Golden Gate Raptor Observatory, USFWS, and Wildcare all joined SF ROMP wildlife rehabilitation program in a meeting with the SF Department of the Environment and many city agencies to help enact this legislation last spring.

 

Next Monday, from 2pm to 4pm, the San Francisco Department of the Environment will be holding their annual review meeting to review this legislation, and other pesticide use in 2007.

 

The magnitude of the problem of wildlife dying from eating rodents poisoned with single feed rodenticides is staggering, due to the fact that so many species eat rodents. Raptors and mammals of all species are affected.

 

As San Francisco's legislation is the first of it's kind in the state, this 1st review meeting will be important to attend for anyone concerned with this issue.

 

The City issued exemptions for the use of these rodenticides at a few locations, which will feature in this review meeting.

 

Those who attend will have the opportunity to question and discuss the exemptions that were given - with the view to determining whether alternative non-poisoning measures may be applicable in these locations in future, and assisting other counties in drafting similar legislation. Rodent issues typically involve removing food sources- but logistics from the perspective of the agencies will be important to review and discuss. Simply attending and stating your support of the legislation and your desire that it not be eroded with exemptions will be extremely helpful in these early days of activism on this issue!

 

Wildlife are so often and easily forgotten. But please don't miss this opportunity to make a big impact on whether they will live or die - when they eat their next dinner.

 

The SF DOE wants to protect wildlife from dying from eating poisoned rodents - but they need the community (wildlife advocates) to back them up - to reinforce our support of this legislation.

 

Please join me at this meeting in thanking DOE for their leadership on this issue, and reinforce our concern that they retain strict adherence to this wildlife protection measure.

 

The meeting is scheduled for:

1/14/08, 2-4pm

Rm 421, City Hall, SF

 

Thank You!

Jamie Ray, Director,

SF Rescued Orphan Mammal Program

sfromp.org

jamie_ray

 

Please see the attached email below from the Department of the Environment for list of exemptions, pesticide restricted list, and invitation to this meeting.

 

--------------------

For those less familiar with this issue - please read the following:

 

Secondary poisoning occurs when wildlife eat poisoned rodents. 2nd generation poisons, also known as single-feed poisons are particularly dangerous to rodent and carrion eating wildlife because of the extremely high dosage of poison contained in a single-feed for a rodent. Essentially a lethal dose is consumed in every feed. The problem is magnified by the fact that rodents can and often times do feed multiple times in the 4-10 days before they die from the effects of the poison. The result of multiple lethal-dose feeds, is that by the time the rodent dies, they can contain a lethal dose for a much larger animal.

 

From hawks to mountain lions, the evidence is in - provided by the EPA - documenting the catastrophic effect these poisons are having on non-target species.

 

Many of you sent letters to the EPA last spring when the EPA asked for public comment on restricting the use of these poisons to protect wildlife. To date, no firm response has been issued by the EPA, but they received over 900 letters. Pressure from industry is likely to prevent them from taking serious protection measures, unfortunately.

 

That is why we have to act locally to protect our wildlife from dying when they eat rodents, which are part of many wild animal's natural diet.

 

San Francisco's press came to watch and document the release of a hawk that had been rehabilitated at Wildcare, after being poisoned in Golden Gate Park, on March 16th, 2007, bringing this issue to the public's attention. Some media reporters told me they received upwards of 200 letters from outraged residents that such a thing could occur in our parks.

 

The San Francisco Department of the Environment responded immediately - issuing a moratorium on the use of these poisons outdoors by all city and county agencies, including the Recreation and Parks Department, responsible for placing these poisons in our parks. This moratorium was followed with a meeting with the Department of Environment and all county agencies in May, 2007. After much dialogue with wildlife advocates and city agencies, the committee agreed to recommend that the Commission vote to adopt legislation to prohibit the use of 2nd generatioin rodent poisons outdoors. In May, the Commission on the Environment, following more lengthy discussion, passed this legislation, making the moratorium permanent - byadding these poisons to the restricted use list.

--------------------

 

 

 

Jessian Choy <Jessian.Choy

January 9, 2008 1:40:57 PM PST

Cc: Chris Geiger <Chris.Geiger

1/14/08, 2-4pm, Public Hearing for SF's 2008 Reduced Risk Pesticide List

 

TO: SAN FRANCISCO IPM TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND INTERESTED PARTIES

 

Chris Geiger, and I are looking forward to seeing some of you at the:

 

Public Hearing for SF's 2008 Reduced Risk Pesticide List

1/14/08, 2-4pm

Rm 421, City Hall, SF

 

I attached details below.

 

Also, I attached the draft of SF's 2008 Reduced Risk Pesticide List.

 

(See attached file: Pesticide List 2008 DRAFT 1-9-08.xls)

 

Thanks,

 

Jessian

 

----------

 

Jessian Choy

City Toxics Reduction Assistant

Green Purchasing, Toxics Disposal, IPM

San Francisco Dept. of the Environment

11 Grove St.

San Francisco, CA 94102

Phone: (415)355-3776

Fax: (415)554-6393

Email: jessian.choy

Website: www.SFEnvironment.org <http://www.SFEnvironment.org>

 

----- Forwarded by Jessian Choy/ENV/SFGOV on 01/09/2008 01:20 PM -----

 

Jessian

Choy/ENV/SFGOV

To

12/26/2007 04:24 IPM TAC Members AND TAC Regional

PM Interested Parties- as of 12/26/07

cc

Chris Geiger/ENV/SFGOV@SFGOV

Subject

1/14/08, 2-4pm, Public Hearing for

2008 SF's Reduced Risk Pesticide

List

 

TO: SAN FRANCISCO IPM TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND INTERESTED PARTIES

 

The time has come for our annual public hearing to review the proposed 2008

Reduced-Risk Pesticide List. This list denotes specific pesticide products

that may be used for pest management purposes on City properties. All other

pesticides are banned under Chapter 3 of the SF Environment Code, unless an

exemption has been granted by the Dept. of the Environment.

 

Besides enabling a public review of the listed products, this meeting also

offers the opportunity for City pest management staff to hear public

concerns about pesticide use, and to explain their pest management

activities. We believe this two-way communication has been critical to the

success of the City's Integrated Pest Management Program over the years.

 

Please mark your calendars and plan to attend if you have any concerns or

questions about specific products included in the List, or about pesticide

use on City properties. City departments who have used " Limited Use -

Special Concern " products in 2007, or who have been granted exemptions in

2007, are required to justify these uses at the meeting (see below).

 

The meeting is scheduled for:

1/14/08, 2-4pm

Rm 421, City Hall, SF

 

City departments required to present justifications are:

 

SF Dept. of Public Health

Exemption for Top Gun All-Weather Bait Block in DPH-Laguna Honda

Exemption for Quintox for mice in M & N Wards, Laguna Honda Hospital

 

SF Dept. of Public Works

Exemption for Subdue MAXX in Harding Park Golf Course

 

SF Dept. of Recreation & Parks

Exemption for Basagran in Golden Gate Park

Exemption for Vanquish (dicamba) herbicide in Harding Park Golf Course

 

San Francisco International Airport

Exemption for Contrac All-Weather Blox for rats

 

SF Public Utilities Commission

Exemption for Transline for yellow star thistle in 2001 test area on Canada

Road

 

State Coastal Conservancy

Exemption for Habitat (BASF) for invasive hybrid Spartina India Basin

 

Chris Geiger, and I are looking forward to seeing you there!

 

Thanks,

Jessian

Website: www.SFEnvironment.org <http://www.SFEnvironment.org>