Joe Drennan
Staff WriterA group of citizens came to the Columbus Township town board asking for their help in preventing the DNR from applying the chemical rotenone to both Mud and Howard Lake during the week of Oct. 25. Like the citizens, the town board is concerned about the application but they don't know how much they can do to prevent it from happening.
The DNR plans to apply rotenone to both Mud and Howard lake by helicopter and by boat. The goal is to kill off ìrough fishî such as carp to improve the water quality and waterfowl habitat of the lakes.
The plan was at one time slated to move forward in 1997, but citizens raised concerns back then and filed a law suit to stop the project.
Because of the citizen concerns, the DNR prepared an Environmental Assessment Worksheet of the affects of the application and have since studied models of how the rotenone might drift from the helicopter application.
ìA number of changes have been made from the original plan to accommodate citizensí concerns,î Harland Hiemstra of the DNR said. ìWeíve cut back on treatment from helicopter from 170 to 70 acres and offered adjoining land owners the opportunity that if they still have concerns about the sound scientific data, to offer a 600 foot buffer around their property.î
Questions
Supervisor Renea Fry questioned how the land owners were notified of the plan to treat the lakes from the air and on the water.
It was explained that the land owners whose property abuts the lakes received a letter telling them of the project, but they were not told of the 600 foot buffer zone option.
Residents were made aware of the buffer zone only if they called with questions.
While talking about how residents and which residents were notified, the issue of the 600 foot buffer zone was debated.
The DNR claims they are using the same buffer zone rules that the Metropolitan Mosquito Control uses when they spray for mosquitoes.
Hiemstra said last week the Metropolitan Mosquito Control uses a 600 foot buffer zone from the place of residence, not property line, but some argued that they have looked at those same guidelines and they claim it is from the property line.
ìDoes the DNR run into opposition often when they do this,î Town Board Chairman Mel Mettler questioned.
Hiemstra said that in the 42 applications that have been completed state-wide since this particular project was proposed back in 1997, there has been one other instance where there was opposition.
The DNR feels there is no risk to humans because the rotenone will be released by trained, licensed professionals who know what they are doing, officials said.
When the chemical is released by helicopter, the pilot will have sophisticated GPS instruments on board that will not only tell him where and when to release the chemical, the town board was told.
Hiemstra also said that if there is even a slight wind, the application by air will be postponed until weather conditions are suitable.
The application is postponed in a slight wind to minimize any drift that might occur as the chemical travels from the air to the ground.
Citizens asked how long they should keep their children out of their yards after the application and Hiemstra said that the DNR posts 48 hours, but the label on the product says immediately after the product has mixed with the water.
If citizens have questions about the procedure or questions about the date of application, they can call 651-296-3450.
Engineerís report
Hornsby Street road improvements were to begin Monday, with work to take about two weeks.
The freeway district sanitary sewer project that will connect Gander Mountain to the sewer was to begin Monday.
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