[MASSBIRD] Arlington bylaw - NOW THIS IS THINKING GLOBALLY BUT ACTING LOCALLY !

[Barbara Volkle]

Thanks to Gary Menin, Sr. for this post.

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

*

From: gcmeninsr <gcme...@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 17 Jan 2023 05:18:54 -0500
Subject: NOW THIS IS THINKING GLOBALLY BUT ACTING LOCALLY !


Forwarded on Behalf Of Elaine Crowder - Arlington Activist Extraordinaire


But now it's about You - Allies - Past, Present & Future towards
protecting our Bald Eagles, Great Horned Owls, Red Tailed Hawks and other
precious wildlife - t**hank you for Your support of Arlington's efforts to
reduce unintended wildlife access to deadly anticoagulant rodenticides.

An update for You:

1) The enactment of a new Town Rodenticide Policy (see below) banning
Second Gen Anticoagulants on all Town Properties.

2) NEXT STEP: All Massachusetts - Please support Arlington's petition to
the state to allow a total ban of second gen rodenticides everywhere in
Arlington, private property as well as public. Write your state reps to
urge that they vote YES. (Arlington's Home Rule Petition, see below)And
thank you to Arlington's Rep. Sean Garballey and Sen. Cindy Friedman for
the support they've offered our Home Rule PetitionBest, Elaine Crowder1)
Arlington's Town Manager Sandy Pooler just announced the creation of a
policy which bans the use of Second Generation Anticoagulant Rodenticides
on all Arlington Town properties:
https://www.arlingtonma.gov/Home/Components/News/News/12878/16?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
The policy, entitled "Use of Second Generation Anticoagulant Rodenticides"
in part states: "The use of SGARs on Town-owned properties is hereby
prohibited as of the effective date of this policy." (1/4/2023)

It applies to "all Town-owned property, including buildings, grounds,
parks, open spaces, and the public right of way, and shall be adhered to by
all employees of the Town of Arlington, as well as third party vendors and
contractors providing services at Town-owned property."
https://www.arlingtonma.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/63576/638091303462899540


2) All MA residents who want less rodenticide use - urge your MA
legislators to vote YES on Arlington's Home Rule petition, which would
expand the Town's second gen rodenticide ban to all private as well as Town
properties:

"the Town of Arlington may regulate through local bylaw or Board of Health
regulation or ordinance the use of second generation anti-coagulant
rodenticides within the Town of Arlington, including prohibiting the use of
such pesticides by licensed commercial applicators as defined in 333 C.M.R.
10.00*." (Full text at end of 2022 Article 18:
https://arlington.novusagenda.com/Agendapublic/CoverSheet.aspx?ItemID=13571&MeetingID=1564
)

The hope is that if state senators and representatives hear support from
their own constituent's for our home rule petition, we stand a better
chance of getting a YES and advancing rodenticide protections statewide.

So please send far and wide in Massachusetts. This is a big deal - let's
now make it bigger by starting a Statewide movement !

Gary Menin, Sr. Talkin' Birds Ambassador https://www.talkinbirds.com/
Advocate For Keeping Our Raptors Poison Free ~
978 422 8155

[Andrew Joslin]

Wow, such important work and great effort. Thank you Elaine Crowder and
the people of Arlington rising up to face this terrible problem.

Congratulations to Arlington for enacting the SGARs ban on town
property! It's a an important foothold.

And thanks for the legislative action plan. This is certainly strong
leadership and a model for the concerned citizens of our Massachusetts
cities and towns to emulate!

Andrew Joslin
Carlisle, MA