Pubdate: Sun, 11 Aug 2013
Source: Chico Enterprise-Record (CA)
Copyright: 2013 Chico Enterprise-Record
Contact:  http://www.chicoer.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/861
Note: Letters from newspaper's circulation area receive publishing priority
Author: Bonnie Masarik

COUNTY SHOULD HAVE SEEN THIS COMING

I have been reading recently about the Butte County Board of 
Supervisors reaching out to the Water Quality Control Board, a letter 
asking the water board to use its enforcement authority when it comes 
to surface and groundwater pollution as a tool to fight against 
marijuana grows.

You have got to be kidding me. I think our Board of Supervisors was 
well informed about the concerns and dangers of unlawful pesticides, 
rat poison, fertilizers, etc., by the many comments from the 
opponents of marijuana grows. The board chose not to listen. And now 
look what has happened. Suddenly Bill Connelly is concerned - about 
our water, not the quantity, though, that the pot growers use 10 
times as much as non-growers, but the quality.

The supervisors, Maureen Kirk, Steve Lambert, Bill Connelly, 
ex-member Kim Yamaguchi - not Larry Wahl, who voted no on the 
marijuana ordinance - should all be ashamed of themselves for the 
mess they created. Now they are trying to put the blame on the water 
board for not helping them out. Give me a break. The blame belongs 
entirely on the shoulders of the board and no one else for putting 
out the welcome mat.

The board at the time couldn't care less about the next-door 
neighbor, and their concerns about their wells. And sending Paul 
Hahn, our chief administrative officer, along to this meeting is a 
little like the fox guarding the hen house, being as he heavily 
favors the pot growers.

- - Bonnie Masarik, Yankee Hill
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom