Reader to Reader

Dear Carole,

Background:

Denise Forbes and I created a petition to the Governor that started in February and sent to him June 1, containing 1,200 signatures.

• We gained the support of the Great Barrington Coop who allowed us to have a solicitation table to garner signatures in front of the store in May.
• Denise organized a demonstration in front of Town Hall on the Saturday before Labor Day.
• I wrote an email to our Town Manager and Select Board Chair which I will send separately on action items.

I am hoping the GBFD [Great Barrington Fire District Water Department] will rethink their role and moral responsibility to help the Town produce safe water for Housatonic.

Many people were concerned that their water rates would be raised if we took over HWW [Housatonic Water Works] and thus have repelled the idea that we should look the other way, but I hope not.

I have encouraged Housatonic to stand up for themselves otherwise, they will be pushed to the back of the bus.

Take a look at the demographics in Housatonic. How could we not help them?

Sharon Gregory

Dear Sharon,

I salute your efforts and wish Housatonic all the best in resolving the water problem. Also, 27 of the houses on HWW are in Stockbridge. Thank you for writing.

Carole

To the editor:

In response to a letter a wrote, I was accused of "lacking credibility" for using the words, Agent Orange.

My exact words were: "think agent orange" when referring to defoliant chemicals. The mention was to give readers an idea what "defoliants" are. Agent Orange is familiar to most.

In response, I enlisted a meticulous researcher and member of the Conservation Commission — Thomas Labelle. He presented an exhaustive list of what was dumped into the Bowl between 1960 and 1977 before townspeople becoming educated about these chemicals and compounds. Here, from Tom LaBelle, is the list of the herbicides used in the Bowl between 1960 and 1977. A total of 38,800 lbs. of granular pesticide and 21,753 gallons

of liquid pesticide were used during these years.

GRANULAR PESTICIDES

Breakdown of individual chemicals used:

2,4-D Granular — 20,300 lbs

Copper Sulphate — 5,000 lbs

Malachite — 2,500 lbs.

Citrine G — 7,000 lbs.

Aquazine — 4,000 lbs.

LIQUID PESTICIDES

Breakdown of individual chemicals used:

20,600 gallons of Sodium Arsenate

842 gallons of Silvex

185 gallons of Aquathol-K

126 gallons of Hydrothol-47

YEAR BY YEAR TREATMENT

Year Chemicals Used Amount Applied

1960 Sodium Arsenate 1100 gal

1961 Sodium Arsenate 5500 gal

1964 2,4-0 Granular 300 lbs

1965 2,4-0 Granular 20,000 lbs

1966 Copper Sulfate 2500 lbs

1967 Sodium Arsenate 3000 gal

1968 Sodium Arsenate 3000 gal

1969 Sodium Arsenate 8000 gal

1969 Copper Sulfate 2500 lbs

1970 Malachite 2500 lbs

1972 Silvex (Kuron) 389 gal

1972 Aquathol -K 33 gal

1972 Hydrothol- 47 126 gal

1974 Silvex (Kuron) 104 gal

1974 Aquathol- K 152 gal

1974 Citrine G 7000 lbs

1976 Silvex (Kuron) 149 gal

1976 Aquazine 4000 lbs

1977 Silv.ex (Kuron) 200 gal

(SOURCE "The Fugro Report" 1996)

AGENT ORANGE

There are two active ingredients in Agent Orange: 2,4-D which WAS used in Stockbridge Bowl, and 2,4,5-T which is the chemical that made Agent Orange so deadly to humans. This latter chemical, 2,4,5-T contains traces of 2,3,7,8-tetracholoorodibenzo-p-dioxin, a compound known to cause a broad range of cancers in humans. This chemical, however, WAS NOT used in Stockbridge Bowl.

The chemical compound, Agent Orange, was NOT used in the Bowl, although an active ingredient of Agent Orange WAS used in Stockbridge Bowl for two years.

John H. Hart — President & CEO Berkshire Brochure

Photo: Patrick White