Transcription of
Maxina Ventura’s testimony July 8, 2008
at the Sonoma County
Board of Supervisors’ chambers, in Santa Rosa, CA
The hearing was called in response to the refusal
of the placement of Twist Ties around the neighborhood in the Sonoma Valley
where they were planned for placement in the summer of 2008.
I gave my
name, Maxina Ventura, and identified myself as representing Don’t Spray
California.
Isis said, “I’m ceding my time to
Maxina Ventura.”
Mike Kerns, Supervisor, said, “Okay. Thank you.”
Max: “First of all, three handouts
for you all in case you haven’t, you may not have seen the label for Isomate
LBAM-Plus and alternatives used in New Zealand. But I want to start off today
by objecting to the fact that synthetic “pheromone” twist ties and traps of any
kind have been brought in here. There was a very specific request to Ms. Brown
(the Supervisor representing the neighborhood where people took action to keep
twist ties out) and also Robert Leavitt of CDFA that none of these be brought
in here.
It’s
outrageous that they’re here. It’s outrageous that any kind were allowed to be
out in the hallway, making the hallway also a difficult place for people to be.
Now, I
lived for many years out in Schellville, out in the Carneros. My older children
and I developed, were pesticide-poisoned by the typical vineyard spraying out
there. This, to me, is very personal. You’ve gotten emails from me and
information, certainly. But one thing jumped out at me, that photograph that
looked like typical bunch rot. Well, so, now they’re representing this as an
LBAM issue. Now, in the early 90’s so many people moved in here growing grapes
and they started planting closer together than ever and then of course had all
the bunch rot problems and then what was
their response? More use of fungicides which were making people sick.
So the
Food Quality Protection Act of 1996 stated that and pointed out that, in fact
many, there are many probable and possible carcinogens which had not been
adequately tested because of tests that were insensitive in the past and need
to be retested. So now here we are all these years later. A couple years after that Food Quality Protection Act
passed saying 300 had to be retested, just for carcinogenicity, only about 11
had been retested. I don’t know the newest numbers now but I think we all can
do the math to look at what the intention might have been or not.
So when
you’re hearing about testing from OEHHA (Office of Environmental Health Hazard
Assessment) and CDFA (the California Department of Food and Agriculture), I’d
like you to do some questioning of them about the kinds of tests they
conducted. Are there any longterm tests done here?
Now, the
Risk Assessment model is what’s being used. The Risk Assessment model looks at
me, looks at my children and looks at every person, looks at every person
here…..”
Mike Kerns: “Ma’am, your time is up, please,
so could you conclude?”
Max: “So the Risk Assessment…”
Isis:
“Another three minutes of mine.”
Max:
“Another three minutes of hers.”
Kerns:
“I’m sorry. We don’t do that here. I thought I made it very clear each
individual would have three minutes. That’s it.”
Max:
“Well, Robert Leavitt told me….”
Kerns:
“Three minutes is up” (said over my trying to explain that CDFA’s
Leavitt when saying no opposing panel would be allowed said that people coming
to oppose the program could pool our time and in that way get 10 minute blocks
for a person)
Isis: she objected but do I not
remember specifics and could not hear when transcribing from video
Kerns:
“Would you please conclude and let the next person speak?”
Max:
“I would then ask somebody to let me (sic) cede and I will….”
Kerns:
“We don’t do that here. Each individual has three minutes, period.”
Isis: objected again. Again couldn’t
hear in transcribing (she was at that point across the room, away from the video’s
microphone or any microphone).
Kerns: “Your three minutes is up.”
Max:
“We were told elsewise. Is there any Board of Supervisor who would like
to make an exception?”
NO
response.
Kerns:
“No, I don’t see anyone.”
Max:
“Well, you’re playing a shell game if you think that the Risk Assessment
model is okay because it’s going to end up with sick people on public
health.”
Kerns: “Thank you. Next speaker, please. Next speaker
please from over here.”
Max to the crowd: “So I’ve got notes for anybody
who wants to bring up some other issues.”
Then, as
I was leaning over, gathering my papers and bag, already turned away from the
Supervisors (see video):
Kerns:
“Ma’am, you’re disrupting this proceeding. I suggest that if you feel
your health is at risk, whether real or imagined, (crowd sort of gasped) you may
leave these chambers.”
Max: I was shocked and said, “How dare
you? How DARE you?”
Isis:
“Americans with Disabilities Act.”
Max: “How dare you?”
Isis:
“Unbelievable.”
Kerns: “Yes, it is.”