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The Poisoning of PG&E Power Poles
Keep PG&E poisons off your property!Neither PG&E or its contractors provided advance notification or obtained permission from residents before using pesticides on their property. Residents state that after denying permission to treat power poles on their property and asking pesticide applicators to leave, the applicators often returned later to treat poles when the residents were not at home. Recently herbicides were sprayed by a Provco workers within 20 feet of a school yard full of children. Children and staff reported a bad odor followed by symptoms of exposure including stinging eyes and sore throats. (In the News: Northcoast Journal 2/27/03: "Power Pole Spraying Is Back", Arcata Eye 7/21/03: "Pole Probes Pose Problems") Millions of utility poles carry electricity, phone and cable lines through fields and forests, over mountains and across deserts, along roads and in cities. Poles are usually owned by the electricity company, but most of the land traversed by these utility lines is not; it belongs to homeowners, farmers, timber companies and other businesses, or the land is publicly owned under government management. In response to this, CATs has started a poisoned power poles campaign to stop unnecessary application of pesticides on power poles.
On March 6-9th Californians for Alternatives to Toxics attended the 2003 Public Interest Environmental law Conference held at the University of Oregon in Eugene. At CATs' information table, one of the projects that generated the most attention was the power pole/right of way spraying. The power pole petition received 65 new signatures from concerned activists, scientists, environmental lawyers, and students. During this last week CATs also received 19 more signatures from an organic farmer in So. Humboldt, and 35 signatures from Chautaqua Natural Foods Store in Redway. Overall in the month of March, CATs has collected 119 new signatures for the power poles campaign! Keep up the good work sending in signed petitions, the more people who stand up to be heard, the more motivation there will be for PG&E to change their current practices. Sign the petition today!
Sample letters to representatives and the Public utilities Commission More infomational and legal strategy meetings in northern and southern Humboldt: Dates announced soon! 'Town Hall' style meeting for people to give feedback directly to representatives: more details soon!
10/24/02: Informational meeting Redway 01/11/03: Legal strategy meeting in Garberville 02/22/03: Workshop on letters to PG&E, PUC, and representatives in Redway 02/26/03: Informational and political action meeting in Mckinleyville
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Reptile, Amphibian
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