Official Alleges Improper Pesticide Use (in SW United States)

[meganmonkey]

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - Forest Service managers created a potential threat to the public through risky spraying of pesticides and weed-killers in the Southwest, a federal official charges in a whistleblower complaint obtained by The Associated Press.

Environmental laws and the agency's own rules on spraying were ignored, the complaint says. For example, it says that over the past three years thousands of pounds of insecticides were used near campgrounds in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest without justification or determining the risk to campers and other visitors.

Doug Parker, the pesticide coordinator and assistant director of forestry and forest health for the Forest Service's Southwestern Region, would not discuss his accusations, saying his supervisor has ordered him not to speak publicly about the matter.

His lawyer, Dennis Montoya, said Parker believes he could lose his job for speaking out but considers it critical that the Forest Service ensure that pesticides are used responsibly.



http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-4962435,00.html

[leftchick]

1. again I say...

This is breaking news in a foreign news source?

:banghead:

[meganmonkey]

2. Well, for what it's worth, I check the Guardian more than any other source

(aside from LBN, of course ;) ), so I often link it. I google-newsed it and I did get some domestic hits, too, but not a whole lot...

[Straight Shooter]

3. Well, who cares if campers and their little kids get sick, or perhaps die.

They're usually ecoterrorists anyway.

:sarcasm:

[Journeyman]

4. We really "should" have been watching for crop dusters we don't own...

flown by people we don't know, so as to avert a terrorist threat. Who knew it would be New Mexicans coming after us. . . er, coming after themselves in those rogue crop dusters. . .

[struggle4progress]

5. kick