Congressional Lawmakers Demand Forest Service Justify Widespread Glyphosate Spraying on Public Lands
Two Democratic members of Congress sent a letter to the U.S. Forest Service demanding justification for record-level glyphosate (Roundup) spraying on public lands, following a Mother Jones investigation. The Forest Service has been spraying hundreds of thousands of acres of forests, particularly in California post-wildfire areas, with limited public transparency about locations and safety measures. The demand reflects growing concerns about the herbicide's health and environmental impacts, which are the subject of ongoing litigation and scientific debate.
Representatives Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) and Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) have formally requested that the Forest Service explain its use of glyphosate-based herbicides on public lands at record levels, particularly in California. A Mother Jones investigation analyzing over 5 million state pesticide records found that the Forest Service and private timber companies have been extensively spraying glyphosate on forestlands, especially in wildfire-affected areas, often without timely public notification. The lawmakers' letter calls for the agency to establish a national database of herbicide use, detail safety protocols including waterway and soil monitoring, and report any worker illnesses or accidental exposures. The controversy is fueled by multiple concerns: the World Health Organization classified glyphosate as a probable carcinogen in 2015, the EPA estimates it likely harms 93 percent of endangered species, and Bayer faces over $12 billion in legal settlements from people claiming exposure-related illness. The Forest Service defends the practice as the most cost-effective method to promote conifer regrowth after wildfires, though a 2022 court ruling found the EPA had not adequately assessed health and environmental risks.
What's missing
The articles lack detailed information about the Forest Service's specific rationale for increased spraying beyond cost-effectiveness, alternative herbicide or land management options being considered, or the timeline and scope of the congressional investigation that may follow. Additionally, perspectives from forest management experts on wildfire recovery methods and the relative risks of glyphosate versus alternatives are absent.
What different sources said
- Mother JonesLeft
Lawmakers Demand Answers After We Revealed Forest Service Spraying Roundup All Over Public Lands
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