Fwd: [MASSBIRD] Another Massachusetts GREAT HORNED OWL has been poisoned

[John Edmondson]

Forwarding in case not everyone on the Menotomy Bird Club email list saw this. Sorry if you get this twice.

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Barbara Volkle <bar...@theworld.com>
Date: Thu, Dec 8, 2022 at 9:15 AM
Subject: [MASSBIRD] Another Massachusetts GREAT HORNED OWL has been poisoned
To: <mass...@theworld.com>

Thanks to Gary Menin, Sr. for this post.

Barbara Volkle
Northborough,MA
bar...@theworld.com

*


Date:  Thu, 8 Dec 2022 07:25:00 -0500
From: gcme...@gmail.com
Subject: Another Massachusetts GREAT HORNED OWL has been poisoned - NOW
Something We All Can Do To Save Our Raptors & It Costs Nothing Except A
Little Of Your Time ~

Dear All Wildlife Advocates:


After many, many months of efforts by you and hundreds of others - the
very benign, very modest Hawkins bill (towards better protection of
Massachusetts wildlife via better poison control) remains stalled in
Beacon Hill.  To say this is frustrating is beyond understatement,
especially right now when we've just learned of the poisoning of yet
another magnificent Massachusetts raptor - a Great Horned Owl, in Arlington.

The stalled Hawkins Bill notwithstanding, there is something we all can
do now towards saving our raptors and it costs nothing except some of
your time. And it's at the Federal level.

You see the EPA has just issued their Proposed Interim Registration
Review Decision (PID) - (copy attached) - for Seven Anticoagulant
Rodenticides, that are wreaking havoc on our treasured raptors.  Indeed
the same rodenticides that are showing up in all (100%) of our
preeminent rodent controllers in Massachusetts - the Great Horned Owls
and the Red Tailed Hawks.

What this means is that it's an opportunity now for us to comment on
this PID and insist that the EPA take stronger action.

For example, notwithstanding proposed limitations on non-professional
purchase of these poisons by consumers at brick & mortar retailers -
Amazon will readily provide anyone with these same poisons over-night
and I personally do not see how this will change via the PID.

On another point that the PID puts forth - i.e. that exterminators will
be required to do carcass collection towards avoid secondary non target
animal poisoning - the only carcass collection evidence I've seen is via
poisoned raptors, foxes, pumas etc whose collection efforts resulted in
their death. I would never trust an exterminator to beat out our raptors
in finding poisoned rodents - IMO it just will not happen.

There's many more points to challenge/propose.

If you want to write a comment to the EPA, please follow these instructions:

Go to Regulations.gov
<https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fregulations.gov%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR0ZJbDjvwitwP1wKLqcCdbP6CNgWxRIdtz9pgI0lR1ddVed6dXlH5pRL_E&h=AT3ef62hgXDA7jWd5zxvsoDX4z3paP6ewILinKcNQJ3GLLCo2M2A8czdZqVMRvwCinbX9ftBvBqaX5GD4aqKy1vs59IKyPoeT_mVm5CUbIlhqMJ_JSrkUdXqJNnHLpeOxg&__tn__=-UK-R&c%5b0%5d=AT3N9MbCpA33F_BY9bUz12GKR-ylS7bGOH119V2vTHgqzvpGcUsRrEAdD2EQSN_TvEjA93OgegZkluPyiXaLhMtVjFo9FLxckMiG9D4TrfTfkfUAIWUsb4bM540JVejP9_aWwCLHP9oKBMjUhLoTDPJCJ9BkI0sfU8CXVxQ>

In the search box, put in EPA-HQ-OPP-2015-0767. That's the docket for
brodifacoum, one of the most toxic SGARs.

Look for "Pesticide Registration Review: Proposed Interim Decision for
the Rodenticides".

Click the Comment Box below on the left side.

Write in your comment.

Fill out the rest of the boxes, include any supplemental files you need
to, if appropriate, and then click the "you're not a robot" button and
finally hit the submit button.

You do need to repeat the process for each PID cited rodenticide.

Some advice:

A comment that expresses support or disagreement for a particular action
provides general feedback to EPA.  However, a comment that is
constructive and provides information to support an argument is more
likely to inform EPA’s decision-making process. Be concise but support
your claims.

Explain your views as clearly as possible, avoiding the use of profanity
or personal threats. Explain why you agree or disagree; suggest
alternatives and substitute language for your requested changes. Provide
specific examples to illustrate your concerns and suggest alternatives.

Base your comments on sound reasoning, scientific evidence, and/or how
you will be impacted by the agency’s proposal. Describe any assumptions
and provide the technical information and/or data that you used. If you
estimate potential costs or burdens, explain how you arrived at your
estimate in sufficient detail to allow for it to be reproduced.

The comment process is not a vote – one well-supported comment is often
more informative to the agency than a thousand form letters. Indeed - to
be effective therefore - we are all going to have to make unique and
original comments.

We have until February 13, 2023 to submit our comments.

Gary Menin, Sr.
Talkin' Birds Ambassador [https://www.talkinbirds.com/
<https://www.talkinbirds.com/>]


PS: I leave you with this perspective from a Massachusetts local rehabber:


"I will no longer stand idly by while I continue to witness the effects
of rodenticide on Massachusetts wildlife. After months of attempting to
get somewhere with this, I realize that my efforts will not be taken
seriously by those in power unless they realize the people of the state
have had enough. One wildlife clinic has been testing birds of prey in
our state and 100% have tested POSITIVE for some form of rat poison. To
my knowledge, no studies have been done to learn the effects it has had
on the rest of our predatory animals - despite the fact that wildlife
rehabilitators continue to receive animals in their care that are dying
from it.

This red fox was only 4 months old when it died a horrible death in our
care. Testing of its liver showed three separate types of rat poison in
its system. It bled out internally. The animals that eat the rodents in
our state are being exposed to rat poison second hand. It happens more
than you realize.

Here is what I need: An amazing attorney who understands wildlife and
state laws. A devoted biologist who would be willing to head a study
that tests deceased predators for rodenticide exposure. Someone with
political power who shows a genuine interest in the conservation of our
local wildlife. And YOU. I need you. Right now.

Those in power show interest when they see LOTS of public attention on
an issue. The more people react to this post and SHARE it, the more
those people are going to notice. Are you tired of this too? Are you
ready to see a change? Then let’s do this - together. I’m asking my
fellow rehabilitators, the humane society, the MSPCA, Animal Control
Officers, Veterinary Clinics and residents of this great state to take a
stand.

I am throwing that rock. I NEED you to be that ripple...." Jane Newhouse
of Newhouse Wildlife Rescue

[MJ Keeler]

Thanks John.

Folks, it's really important to voice your concern on a federal level.  I've written to our Mass reps urging them to push this bill in the Senate, I urge you to also write to your reps.

There is very limited time to support the bill.  The fact we can comment on product registration is very important to support our efforts.

Thanks all.

MJ

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[Rekha Murthy]

Hello,

Does anyone know the status of the MA bill involving control of rodenticides? I found H.4931 and learned that it passed the House in June. Where is it now, and does it have a number/page? 

I don't know the process well, but I want to reach out to our state senators.

I'll also try to leave a comment based on the instructions that John forwarded. Thank you.

Rekha

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[Andrew Whitacre]

Hi Rekha!

Someone else might have better off-the-record info about the status of any Senate version of H.4931, but I just wanted to note our reps Garballey and Friedman just introduced an Arlington-specific bill in the House last week: https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/HD5560. "An Act authorizing the town of Arlington to prohibit use of second generation anti-coagulant rodenticides by commercial pesticide applicators". I'd like to know what their reasoning is, given that it creates a second legislative step (state approval and then presumably town meeting) and that, well, rodent predators haven't evolved to hunt based on town borders. But if it's a sign that H.4931 doesn't have support in the Senate, that would be good to know.

Andrew

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[David K. Bean]

Good for them! There has been a fair amount of public concern over the poisonings of eagles, hawks, and owls in Arlington and people are aware that the state law regulating pesticide use preempts a town bylaw. This bill would allow Arlington, on its own, to regulate them further. If the state won’t do it, let the town. Other nearby towns might take notice and do the same thing. At any rate, resident raptors probably hunt more near home than farther away. It can’t hurt, in any case.

 

David Bean

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[Alan Linov]

Such a "home rule petition" typically happens after the town local government adopts a measure that cannot be implemented without state approval. I checked the records from the 2022 Arlington Town Meeting and found that there was a warrant article adopted regarding "...phase out of certain toxic rodenticides on public/private property...". The warrant article starts on page 44 of the document at this link:
https://www.arlingtonma.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/61442/637907234372100000

Alan

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