RutlandHerald.com - We Are Vermont

Kudos to those questioning the indiscriminate, abusive and irresponsible use of pesticides in our waters. Like other pisicides of similarly common but equally irresponsible and widespread use by our government and TNC, TFM has been shown to have devastating effects on both the macroinvertebrate and amphibian communities where it has been used. Moreover, both TFM and its metabolites have been shown to be highly carcinogenic and to pose potentially serious threats to human health. Yet, TNC advocates the continuing, widespread and indiscriminate use of this poison in the absence of factual support or long-term result. Apparently, TNC, along with its federal partners, are now also advocates of the destruction of macroinvertebrate and amphibian biodiversity. Is the potential for fewer lampreys (as yet unrealized after more than 20 years of use) worth these additive and as yet unquantified losses of biodiversity and the equally unquantified but potentially serious risks to human health that continuing use of this poison presents? I don't think so, and I doubt anyone else (other than TNC and its govt. buddies) would either after checking what this stuff is and actually does at www.fluroridealert.org/pesticides/tfm.pubmed.abstracts.htm. Finally, because of the risks to the environment, biodiversity, and the human community that use of TFM poses, an EIS -- not a mere EA -- is required under NEPA for each of these poisoning projects.

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