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OCTOBER 24, 2019
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New herbicide for Iroquois?
Observer photo by Pogo Senior
Milfoil is visible at the north end of Lake Iroquois in this 2017 photo. The milfoil infestation has worsened over the past two years, according to a survey completed this September.
Milfoil infestation worsens; beach use plummets By Jason Starr Observer staff
A new herbicide targeted at invasive Eurasian milfoil was approved for use in Vermont this year, and homeowners around Lake Iroquois have begun researching the possibility of using it. The chemical is sold under the brand name ProcellaCor; its active ingredient is a chemical called florpyrauxifen-benzyl. ProcelloCor was applied to four lakes in Vermont this summer, and two other applications, including Indian Brook Resorvoir in Essex, are under review for next season. According to Vermont Lake and Shoreland Permit Analyst Misha Cetnar, ProcellaCor is a better option for milfoil control than Sonar, which has been the go-to herbicide for milfoil
control in Vermont. Sonar’s active ingredient is a chemical called floridone, which, according to the product label, is “harmful if swallowed, absorbed through skin or inhaled.” The Lake Iroquois homeowners association applied to use Sonar in 2018, but the Department of Environmental Conservation denied the permit amid strong opposition from some lake residents, backed by a Massachusetts group called the Toxics Action Center. ProcellaCor is less harmful to native vegetation than Sonar, Cetnar said. It can also be applied one time to specific areas of milfoil overgrowth, unlike Sonar, which requires several doses throughout the summer season. The chemical was used this summer in Lake Morey, Lake Hortonia, Lake St. Catherine and Burr Pond. “You pick one area that is high density and you treat that area,” Cetnar said. “It has worked incredibly well.” Both the federal EPA and the Vermont Agency of Agriculture have approved Procel-
laCor for use in water bodies. The Vermont Department of Health reviewed the four permits this summer and found the risk to public health to be negligible. “Human exposure to the inert compounds contained in ProcellaCor … is not likely to result in an increase in the level of concern for public health,” State Toxicologist Sarah Vose wrote in application documents. The DEC does recommend staying out of the water on the day of treatment, but Cetnar said the chemicals in ProcellaCor break down and are no longer present within a few days of application. Shaina Kasper of the Toxics Action Center, who worked with Hinesburg residents to defeat the Sonar permit in 2018, could not be reached for comment. ‘I’M NOT STAYING HERE’ Lake Iroquois’ milfoil problem worsened see IROQUOIS page 3
Town stays in opiate lawsuit The Town of Williston will remain part of a group of cities and towns across the country seeking compensation from opiate drug companies for fueling opiate addiction, the selectboard decided last Tuesday. In September, the town was automatically included with municipalities nationwide in a federal class action lawsuit, and given a Nov. 22 deadline to opt out. Despite some misgivings from board member Joy Limoge (“My gut reaction is I want to opt out,” she said), the board was unanimous in its decision to take a wait-and-see approach, and remain eligible for any settlement that might come from the lawsuit. “That’s the easiest course of action,” said board member Ted Kenney, “and if we get some money, it’s found money. We don’t have to do anything for it.” The board also decided against joining the Town of Bennington in an independent lawsuit against opioid drug companies. Town officials had been approached by lawyers representing Bennington about joining the lawsuit. “If we join with Bennington, there is going to be an impact on staff to show damages,” Town Manager Rick McGuire said. “They are there, but it’s not that easy to quantify.” On Monday, a group of state attorneys general proposed a $48 billion national settlement offer to four opioid drug manufacturers. According to the class action lawsuit notification sent to the town last month, 75 percent of the municipalities involved would have to agree to a settlement proposal for it to be accepted. The payout to each municipality would be based on population. — Jason Starr
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