EPA OKs spraying pesticides over waters

[cal04]

The Bush administration pleased farmers and frustrated environmentalists Monday by declaring that pesticides can be sprayed into and over waters without first obtaining special permits.

The heavily lobbied decision is supposed to settle a dispute that's roiled federal courts and divided state regulators. It's popular among those who spray pesticides for a living, but it worries those who fear poisoned waters will result.

"We need to act fast to stop mosquitoes when they are found," argued Jim Tassano, a pest-control operator in the California foothills town of Sonora. "Any delay results in adults emerging. It is far cheaper and much more effective to kill them as larvae ... (and) if a permit is required, the costs would skyrocket."

(snip)
Environmentalists, though, note that mosquito-killing chemicals can also poison shrimp, frogs and other aquatic innocents. The good intentions of mosquito-hunters shouldn't exempt the chemicals from permit requirements, these advocates believe.

http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/16109922.htm

[ThomCat]

1. Damn

x(

How long will it take our party to purge the idiots from the bureaucratic positions in government?

[Dead_Parrot]

2. ...

a pesticide, when it's deliberately applied, isn't a "pollutant"

What can you say? :grr:

[JohnWxy]

3. Jeeesus!!

[KT2000]

4. They just can't kill us off

fast enough.
Psychopaths are in charge.

[phantom power]

5. Anybody notice anything familiar about this argument....?

"Any delay results in adults emerging... if a permit is required, the costs would skyrocket."

Something about delays... terrorists... warrants... wiretapping...

If we don't poison ourselves, the terroris -- I mean mosquitos -- will win!

[tbyg52]

8. Don't do this to me...

while I'm having my morning coffee!! (Picture it sprayed on the keyboard.) :rofl:

[Chulanowa]

6. Want to kill mosquitos? Easy solution!

The Eastern mosquitofish is a very benign species. It lives entirely off of surface-dwelling insects, primarily mosquito larvae. It doesn't disrubpt the ecology where it's placed, in fact it may provide a food source for predators, if local mid-water species of prey fish are getting scarce, as is the case in many waterways. They breed like crazy, and devour mosquitos even crazier.

The best part? Several hundred thousand of them cost only a tiny fraction of what a single tank of air-sprayed pesticide does, and applying mosquitofish doesn't require a permit.

[Gelliebeans]

7. great idea

we have used it for years in our little pond.

[tbyg52]

9. They'd never buy it

a) Makes too much sense
b) Doesn't provide ongoing jobs for cronies
c) Offers no way to control anything except mosquitoes