In a move not seen for almost 40 years, the Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday issued an emergency order suspending all uses of a weedkiller linked to serious health risks for unborn babies. The herbicide dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate, also known as DCPA or Dacthal, is used on crops such as broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage and onions. Fetuses exposed
Invasive Eurasian water milfoil is flourishing in Wisconsin’s lakes, sometimes outcompeting native plants and creating floating mats that cause problems for people, boats and property values. But new research shows that the benefits of using one type of historical lake-wide herbicide treatment may be outweighed by the costs to native aquatic plants. Lake management teams
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the state’s lead agency for hydrilla control since July 1, 2008 faces a daunting challenge. Not only must the agency manage the spread of hydrilla it must maintain waterways for boating navigation and flood control, but it must also consider the wants of Florida residents. While everyone agrees that
The (American) Okanogan County Noxious Weed Control Board has applied to a national environmental agency to treat Eurasian water milfoil with an aquatic herbicide, much to the dismay of the (Canadian) Okanagan Basin Water Board. Osoyoos Lake is located in Osoyoos, British Columbia and Oroville, Washington; making it an international lake. The Boundary Waters Treaty
Treasure Coast governments spray more than 100,000 gallons of weed- and bug-killing poisons yearly at sites where the runoff can flow into waterways, but with minimal regulation, there main guideline is “follow the label instructions.” Agencies and manufactures insist the chemicals sprayed in marshes, canals and ditches are safe, but no one tests for residue
Herbicides, hormone-disrupting chemicals, as well as pathogens and parasites in the water, are the most likely causes for the decade-long decline of prize game fish in the Susquehanna River, a new study by state and federal agencies says. The study by the agency, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and six partner agencies is the
During a comprehensive fish survey which included spring, summer and fall netting and electrofishing surveys, Greg Matzke, a fisheries biologist for the Wisconsin DNR discovered that all of the lake’s largemouth bass were older than 5 years of age. After intense sampling last year, only one black crappie was under six years of age and
David Tyler, publisher of the Cazenovia Republican in Cazenovia New York appreciates and applauds the efforts of the Cazenovia Lake Association and the Lake Watershed Council in their efforts to maintain the health of the lake. With that said, he questions the effect of herbicide treatments on the size and number of fishing being caught.
A scheduled treatment of Eurasian watermilfoil in Lake Opechee in New Hampshire was postponed when the chemical herbicide, Sculpin which is a formulation of 2,4-D, was found to have produced less than optimal results at other locations. While used successfully in the past, recent visits to other locations treated with the herbicide showed the ineffectiveness.
Authorities in the Medong delta province of Hau Giang have banned local authorities from spraying herbicide to the water hyacinth. This fast growing plant has slowly been taking over and blocking waterway traffic on rivers and canals in the area. Many people breed water hyacinth locally to use for making exportable products such as baskets