Comments on: Not in my backyard http://capenews.net/blogs/under_the_lens/2010/04/09/nimby/ Blog focusing on science and environmental issues affecting the Upper Cape Wed, 01 Jun 2011 21:06:50 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: Gail Palmer http://capenews.net/blogs/under_the_lens/2010/04/09/nimby/comment-page-1/#comment-90 Gail Palmer Mon, 12 Apr 2010 11:31:56 +0000 http://capenews.net/blogs/under_the_lens/?p=117#comment-90 This article is extremely well written, but misses a couple of points. Chemicals aren't "approved" by EPA, they are listed, with their labeling requirements. And the very commonly used glyphosate appeared in 2007 on EPA's list of suspected endocrine disruptors. Despite strong evidence, it took more than a decade for this list to be drafted, probably will take another decade for results/action. (Endocrine disruptors have been linked to birth defects, early term miscarriages, sex organ abnormalities in amphibians.) Meanwhile, the complacent public will go merrily through life, confident that Big Brother is taking care of us. This article is extremely well written, but misses a couple of points. Chemicals aren’t “approved” by EPA, they are listed, with their labeling requirements. And the very commonly used glyphosate appeared in 2007 on EPA’s list of suspected endocrine disruptors. Despite strong evidence, it took more than a decade for this list to be drafted, probably will take another decade for results/action. (Endocrine disruptors have been linked to birth defects, early term miscarriages, sex organ abnormalities in amphibians.) Meanwhile, the complacent public will go merrily through life, confident that Big Brother is taking care of us.

]]> By: Patrick Mehr http://capenews.net/blogs/under_the_lens/2010/04/09/nimby/comment-page-1/#comment-89 Patrick Mehr Sun, 11 Apr 2010 16:04:22 +0000 http://capenews.net/blogs/under_the_lens/?p=117#comment-89 NStar enjoys a monopoly in each of the 82 cities and towns where it now operates. Ending NStar's monopoly will make NStar listen more carefully to the communities it is supposed to serve. Ask the Legislature to end NStar's monopoly by allowing new municipal electric utilities in Massachusetts: sign the petition at http://www.tinyurl.com/munipetition Besides being controlled locally, municipal utilities also charge much less than NStar: in 2009, 500 kilowatt-hours per month cost $97 from NStar but only $70 from the average municipal utility (like Braintree, Concord, Taunton or Peabody). Patrick Mehr Massachusetts Alliance for Municipal Electric Choice http://www.massmunichoice.org NStar enjoys a monopoly in each of the 82 cities and towns where it now operates. Ending NStar’s monopoly will make NStar listen more carefully to the communities it is supposed to serve.

Ask the Legislature to end NStar’s monopoly by allowing new municipal electric utilities in Massachusetts: sign the petition at http://www.tinyurl.com/munipetition

Besides being controlled locally, municipal utilities also charge much less than NStar: in 2009, 500 kilowatt-hours per month cost $97 from NStar but only $70 from the average municipal utility (like Braintree, Concord, Taunton or Peabody).

Patrick Mehr
Massachusetts Alliance for Municipal Electric Choice
http://www.massmunichoice.org

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