Groups decry use of herbicides along power lines
SYDNEY — Two environmental groups are speaking out against Nova Scotia Power's use of herbicides along power lines as vegetation management.
The Margaree Environmental Association in Cape Breton and the Ecology Action Centre in Halifax are both actively opposing the electric utility's application of herbicides such as Aspect along power lines to manage vegetation growth.
“Our group and other groups have been calling for Nova Scotia Power to stop spraying herbicides for many years,” Margaree Environmental Association co-chair Neal Livingston told The Cape Breton Post. “(It's) really unacceptable, both environmentally and socially.”
NSP mainly uses Aspect herbicide — registered for use by the Pest Management Regulatory Agency of Health Canada — but also sometimes uses Arsenal Powerline, Garlon and other approved products on a case-by-case basis.
The active ingredient in Aspect herbicide is 2,4-D, one of the two active ingredients in Agent Orange, the herbicide mixture used by the U.S. military during the Vietnam War.
“There's no excuse for Nova Scotia Power still using herbicides,” said Livingston, who is also a private forested land owner.
“(Vegetation management) is something that can be done manually, either with machines with mowers on them or with crews with clearing saws, which are highly effective. And it's just an example of lazy corporate behavior that isn't socially responsible.”
Livingston said the approval granted by the provincial Environment Department for NSP to apply the herbicides on selected right-of-ways amounts to “pollution permits.”
“Considering how much public pressure there was against herbicide spraying of forests last year, why is Nova Scotia Power even coming forward with such a thing? It's just completely outrageous.”
Raymond Plourde, the Ecology Action Centre's senior wilderness co-ordinator, released a statement on the environmental organization's opposition to the use of herbicides along power lines.
“The Ecology Action Centre is strongly against the use of chemical herbicides and pesticides because they often have unintended impacts on insects, aquatic and terrestrial wildlife and other non-targeted plants,” Plourde said. “There is also a significant body of both science and lawsuits that suggest strongly that there may be significant risk to humans as well.”
Plourde said that we should now be “well beyond” spraying poisons into our shared environment.
“The reason they do it is because it is the cheapest way to deal with regrowth of native plant species beneath their power lines,” he said.
“By taking the cheap route, they run against the current of science and public opinion that says humans need to stop polluting the environment with, among other things, chemical spraying.”
Plourde said the growing number of lawsuits and big settlements against herbicide makers also suggests that using these chemicals could be much more expensive for companies in the long run.
The Cape Breton Post reached out to Nova Scotia Power with questions regarding the environmental and health precautions the company takes when spraying herbicides
“Safety is the most important work we do,” said Jacqueline Foster, senior communications adviser with NSP.
“Our contractors are trained professionals and follow all personal protection equipment ... and safe handling requirements listed on the labels of the products.”
Foster said NSP does not use aerial application of herbicides, and only specific species are treated so that products are applied in a very selective, controlled way.
“If there is any risk of offtarget application, the herbicide is not applied,” she said.
NSP places ads in newspapers at least 20 days in advance of spraying and local signage is posted in the area at least seven days ahead of time.
“(NSP) takes our environmental responsibilities very seriously,” she said. “All potential application sites are submitted to the Nova Scotia Environment and Climate Change pesticide co-ordinator for approval.”
Sensitive ecosystems are identified during the planning phase and those applying the herbicide will impose all required buffers to water bodies, according to Foster.