Submitted by Sue Phelan, info@GreenCAPE.org
The Attorney General’s Office reports that there are few complaints/objections filed with MDAR related to the NSTAR/Eversource herbicide spraying this year. Complaints are necessary for the AG to investigate the spraying. They require documentation. Send your objections and report any questionable spraying activity you see. Ask the Attorney General’s Office to investigate MDAR (the state agency charged with regulating the utility spraying) and its pathetic oversight, inspection, enforcement, and worse–the very approval of the Yearly Operational Plan. Attorney General Maura Healey is the “people’s lawyer”– chief lawyer and law enforcement officer of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. In her inaugural address, she stated, “The division will fight to keep our children safe and healthy, in their schools and in their homes, on the streets and online.” How about if those homes, streets, and schools are under or abutting the NSTAR/Eversource rights of way (ROWs)? The longer term problem is the further degradation of the Cape’s water which affects everyone whether you live on/near the utility rights-of-way or not. 2000 plus gallons of herbicide applied every year over the soil and water of Cape Cod benefits nothing but the bottom line of this bully corporation NSTAR/Eversource.
Time is running out to halt this poison plan. It’s still possible to spare some properties but it needs your attention TODAY. The spray crews are already out there. Let us know if you see them and we will help you document any chemical exposure for future legal action. We have lawyers willing to help but documentation is required.
GreenCAPE has several legal and field strategies up our green sleeves. Stay tuned. Here are a few actions YOU can easily take now that will make a difference in the outcome of this NSTAR/Eversource surreptitious toxic trespass on private and municipal properties.
OBJECT NOW to the application of herbicides on NSTAR/Eversource rights-of-way over our drinking water supply by sending an email or letter opposing the herbicide plan to the following: (Please Do NOT just call this time – documentation is one of the goals here).
Maura Healey, Attorney General
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
One Ashburton Place
Boston, MA 02108 -1518
ago@state.ma.us
617-727-2200
By the way, Attorney General Healey will be visiting the Cape very soon. (Wednesday, October 14, 2015 at 7:30pm., Barnstable Senior Center, 825 Falmouth Road (Rte 28) in Hyannis) and this affords an opportunity to remind her that all towns on Cape Cod already passed resolutions opposing NSTAR’s rights-of-way spraying.
Contact Commissioner John Lebeaux/MDAR, a new commissioner, and remind him that all towns on Cape Cod already passed resolutions opposing NSTAR’s rights-of-way spraying.
251 Causeway St., Suite 500
Boston, MA 02114
john.lebeaux@state.ma.us
Contact Rights-of-Way Program Field Coordinator/Inspector/Enforcement Mike McLean:Michael.mcclean@state.ma.us (same address as above).
Contact your State Representatives and Senators and request their help to stop the spraying NOW. https://malegislature.gov/people/search. Remind them AGAIN that their constituents in every single town on Cape Cod — all 15 of them — passed a resolution opposing the NSTAR/Eversource herbicide plan. 2000 plus gallons sprayed annually above the water supply adds up fast. How will they specifically help halt NSTAR/Eversource this time? Get a firm commitment from them.
Call Neversource (NSTAR+ Eversource=Neversource) and tell them you object to the use of herbicides along Cape rights-of-way and that you want a more long-term, sustainable approach to vegetation management; to maintain the power line easements the way they have for many years with selective cutting and mowing, and to consider the services of a professional goat herder.
NSTAR/Eversource Pres. and CEO Tom May at 617-424-2527; Investor Relations at 781-441-8338 or https://www.nu.com/fomrs/formInvestors.asp
Keep those letters going to the Cape Cod Times http://services.capecodonline.com/reader-services/submissions/letter-to-editor/ or your local weekly newspaper. If they don’t print your letter, send it again and call them. Keep this problem in the news.
Sign the GreenCAPE online petition if you haven’t already.
Help Halt Spraying! Check out our new website and JOIN GREENCAPE – Get Updates and like GreenCAPE on Facebook and share!
Spraying will continue into the future if you do nothing. Join us in stopping it! We did it before and we will do it again!
Please forward to friends of Cape Cod wherever you find them.