The City of Bremerton Council approved a $43,000 contract to spray glyphosate, imazapyr, or other non-organic pesticides on nearly 30 miles of sidewalks.The petitioners request that the city suspend the contract portion that authorizes the use of glyphosate, imazapyr, or other non-organic pesticide. In addition, the petitioners request that the City’s use of this environmentally harmful chemical be suspended.

There are studies done by the EPA that have tracked the pervasive intrusion of this chemical glyphosate into the food supply. While imazapyr a synthetic pesticide has insufficient studies for environmental impact, it has proven to stay in the environment for an extended period of time and is much more hazardous to handle and store. We understand that there is no application for this chemical in our waterways, yet the EPA established tolerance limits for glyphosate for fish. It has leached its way from land applications into crops and waterways. Setting tolerance limits is not enough. As there are products that are environmentally sustainable, this petition requests suspending all use of glyphosate or other synthetic pesticides by our City. This petition requests that the city leadership review and identify those herbicides that have no negative long term impact to our environment. This petition further requests a public hearing in this matter.

Our area supports a variety of seafood industry and sport fishing recreation and the City of Bremerton is about to do more environmental harm in this one contract than any other single entity in the city.It is time for our City leadership to act boldly, decisively and profoundly for our environment. It is time to regard and commit to the City of Bremerton Comprehensive Plan’s Environmental Element.