In Thursday, October 23rd Bulletin I was surprised to read “Suterra likely to relocate to Juniper Ridge”. Suterra is a pesticide/biochemical company who plans to build a new factory in Bend. Their most well known product, Checkmate, is a genetically modified product they refer to as a pheromone. This is the chemical that was aerially sprayed over Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties in 2007. The ingredients include “tricaprylyl, methyl ammonium chloride and polymethylene polyphenyl isocyanate.
In Monterey and Santa Cruz counties more than 600 families filled out illness reports. Respiratory, reactive airway disease, asthma type illness, and eczema were most commonly noted. Their watershed fouled, many birds died, many songbirds disappeared. Pets, including dogs, cats, rabbits and fish in landscaping ponds died. Beekeepers reported massive die offs.
In short, our inhabitants, wildlife, domestic animals and our environment are at risk. Aren’t Lava Ridge and Skyline schools just south of this site? Usually sites such as this are targeted for communities in the lower socio economic level. Just imagine what impact this will have on housing prices. They will never recover.
The City Council should stop Suterra from turning our beautiful town into a private pesticide laboratory, not facilitate its move here behind closed doors. As troubling as this may seem it is also important to note the secrecy surrounding the transaction. The purchase and sale agreement were not available to the public before, during, or after the agreement. There was no public hearing held before the agreement. According to Juniper Ridge Info, Juniper Partners will receive a $146,000 fee for this deal. Our city councilors have failed us.
Louise Henderson
This article appears in Nov 6-12, 2008.
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Do you protest when companies such as this plan to enter communities in the “lower socio-economic level” Louise?
Also, housing prices in Bend are going to fall a lot more. That’s what happens when you build an economy based on foo-foo restaraunts, lattes, boutique “shoppes” and never ending house building.
That loud sucking sound you’re hearing isn’t a cappucino machine, it’s the Bend real estate bubble deflating.
Bring on the chemical plant. Real jobs for real people.
The population of the two counties is over 660,000, so 1/10 of 1% filed ‘claims’ which may or may not have had validity. The manufacture of insecticides is NOT the same as the application–are we alleging the possibility of a Bhopal type incident? Based on what evidence?
The application of insecticides by aerial spraying is never taken lightly. Everyone knows that there will be resulting complaints and allegations. But the apple moth and Med fly applications were necessary to prevent agricultural devastation–and impacts on the economies more profound than those alleged in this letter.
If one researches the 2007 spraying there are a number of anecdotal impacts made by a number of parties. Clear linkage didn’t exist. State and Federal studies found no impact(cover-up?). I am not a supporter of the use of pesticides unless all else fails. Few are.
Juniper Ridge is supposed to be an enterprise zone. Complaints seem to be its major product up to this point.
You state: “I am not a supporter of the use of pesticides unless all else fails. Few are.”
What damage has the Light Brown Apple Moth caused? In Cailfornia or elsewhere?
Our City Council has been fractured by the elections due in large part to the high stakes gambling mentality at City Hall. It’s only taxpayer money at risk, and they have demonstrated an uncanny addiction “to roll the wheel” and head to the back room for new markers.
Suterra should not be located across the street from lava Ridge and Sky View Middle Schools. Those insttutions need to conduct a full investigation into the safety of our kids.
Niether should taxpayers invest one dime in a scheme by the Council that provides no net benefit to the community.
It’s time for a taxpayer revolt at Juniper Ridge!
I know that Louise is not associated with the attached blog–but it is hilarious. I had now way of knowing how much I misunderestimated the Bushies in Bend!!
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/10/24/18546160.php