I am chemically sensitive. I live in the River Station Apts. on Barre St. To get to the Co-op, I walk through our back parking lot, cross the RR tracks and the walking/biking paved path and I'm there.
But what was once a pleasant walk may soon put my health seriously in jeopardy. Earlier last month in a notice buried deep in Seven Days, the New England Central Railroad filed a notice of intent with the State Department of Agriculture to spray herbicides along the train tracks running through Montpelier (as well as numerous other towns including Berlin, Northfield, etc.). In most places they want to spray everything up to 4' from the center of the tracks on either side for a total of 8'. In some places they want to be allowed to spray up to 10' across. (Of course, this doesn't include drift….)
In conversations I had over a week ago with Kerry Giguer of the Dept. of Ag., none of the train tracks in Montpelier from west of the VSECU on Bailey Ave. heading SE--perhaps as far as the rail crossing at Price Chopper--have been sprayed for the past 3-4 years. But he was unsure if the new person in charge of coordinating the spraying for the railroad would ask that they be allowed to spray all or part of that stretch which has been unsprayed for so long.
Unfortunately, in a conversation this past Monday the new manager said the railroad does intend to to ask permission to spray all of the right-of-way, including the section that had gone unsprayed for years. And not only that, but they want to spray not just once, but twice: once in mid-May and once in mid-June.
Not only would this would be devastating for my health, I strongly believe that it could also endanger the health of everyone who uses the bike/walking path, etc. (I cringe at the thought of the wee ones in strollers….)
To ensure that the Dept. of Ag. prohibits the railroad from spraying any herbicide(s)--both now and in the future--on the stretch of right-of-way from west of the Peace Garden, past the High School and the credit union to east of the storage units along the river (and perhaps as far as Price Choppers), concerned residents of Montpelier (as well as those who live outside the city limits but who use the bike/walking path, shop at the Co-op or Shaws, park in municipal parking, etc. anywhere along that stretch of right-of-way) need to attend the meeting scheduled for next week on thei railroad's pending request for approval to apply herbicides.
The meeting is set for Tues., May 6 at 1:00 pm in the Catamount Room at the Agency of Natural Resources / Davis Building next to National Life. The chair of the VT Pesticide Advisory Council has requested that concerned individuals who wish to oppose the proposed spraying not only attend the meeting, but come prepared to request that the Dept. of Ag. prohibit the railroad from ever spraying herbicides on this stretch of track again.
P.S. Calls and emails opposing the proposed spraying are needed, but your attendance is also essential.
For more information, please call:
VT State Department of Agriculture - Kerry Giguer - 802-828-2431
VT Pesticide Advisory Council - Razell Hoffman (chair) - 802-863-7558. (She works in the St. Health Dept.)
Jan 29, 2025, 9 AM to 12 PM
BPL Sunshiny CrafternoonJan 31, 2025, 3 to 4:30 PM
Winter Sunday Series Concert with Sap LineFeb 2, 2025, 3 PM