Call to Action by July 10th: Poison Free Malibu Urges Community Members to Support New Policy Banning Harmful Pesticides Severely Impacting Environmentally Sensitive Habitat, Wildlife and Ocean Quality

Kian and Joel Schulman of Poison Free Malibu need the community’s help to rally together to push through policy ban harmful pesticides in Malibu which has had a serious negative impact on environmentally sensitive habitat, wildlife and ocean quality. This issue goes to a vote before Malibu City Council on July 10th.

On December 9, 2019 the Malibu City Council voted unanimously to amend the Malibu LCP to also prohibit the use of pesticides, including anticoagulant rodenticide and herbicides like Round-Up.

Poison Free Malibu, the nonprofit organization founded by Malibu residents Kian and Joel Schulman, began their crusade in Malibu after the death of mountain lion P-25 from rat poison in 2012.

Residents from Malibu, Topanga, Calabasas and Agoura Hills were joined by representatives from regional and national conservation and environmental advocacy organizations that included the National Resource Defense Council, the Center for Biological Diversity, the Mountain Lion Foundation, and the Coyote Project. Senator Henry Stern wrote a letter of support.

*Kian and Joel Schulman of Poison free Malibu.*

There was testimony like that of California Wildlife Center veterinarian Stephany Lewis, who brought images of her rescue organization’s wildlife patients incapacitated, dying and dead from rat poison and described the pain these animals suffer. Wilmar Mejia of environmentally friendly Tree of Life Rodent Control company also spoke to his experience witnessing the devastation to local wildlife from pesticides.

Environmental attorneys from various organizations explained that the Coastal Act gives the Coastal Commission the legal right to regulate pesticides in the coastal zone, and that Malibu could safely amend its LCP without fear of legal reprisal from the pesticide industry. Concern over the potential for legal liability caused an earlier city council to postpone enacting a citywide ban on pesticides, opting instead to limit the ban to city parks and property.

The following information was sent out by Poison Free Malibu asking residents to email their support to Council. A form letter and item number is included. Please take the time to sign and send in this urgent letter of support.

Poison Free Malibu sent out the following email over the fourth of July holiday:

“We have a chance to finally restrict pesticides – rodent poisons, herbicides, insecticides – everywhere in Malibu at the July 10 City Council meeting!

There is an amendment to Malibu’s Local Coastal Program (LCP), the agreement between Malibu and the California Coastal Commission, that does just that.

We succeeded in getting the amendment approved by the Coastal Commission and the city finally in September 2021.

It has taken this long for the city to come up with a policy on how it will be implemented and enforced!

This is what will be voted on July 10.

Here is the proposed policy from the staff report that we need the City Council to approve:

“The Council considers the use of pesticides, including insecticides, herbicides, rodenticides or any other similar toxic chemical substances to be “development” as used in LIP Section 13.3 where the application of such substances would have the potential to significantly degrade Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Areas (ESHA) or coastal water quality or harm wildlife. Such development is also not considered to be “maintenance” under LIP Section 13.4.2 and therefore, a Coastal Development Permit is required prior to such use. This policy does not apply to the indoor use of such substances.”Please email the city council with the urgent request to adopt this proposed policy so that we can protect the environmentally sensitive habitat, wildlife, and ocean quality in Malibu and the Santa Monica Mountains.

Also, please consider attending the city council meeting and making your voice known, either in person or by Zoom.

The Agenda and meeting instructions are at https://www.malibucity.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_07102023-2119?html=trueEmails go to citycouncil@malibucity.org
Subject: Item 5. A. July 10, 2023. Support Adoption Policy Interpreting the Use of Pesticides as Development

SAMPLE LETTER (adding personal reaction or experience is always good)

Dear Mayor Silverstein and City Councilmembers,

Many of us have been aware that new restrictions on pesticides have been in the works in Malibu for years.

We were encouraged when the Coastal Commission approved Malibu’s Local Coastal Program amendment giving Malibu the ability to limit pesticides in 2021.

Why has nothing been done yet to put it into action?

The strongest possible implementation and ENFORCEMENT of new pesticide restrictions is essential to stop the continuing inundation of neighborhoods and commercial areas with poisons.

We are tired of seeing dead poisoned owls on the ground, sick bobcats in agony from poisoned-induced mange and the death of mountain lions.

Predator wildlife is being poisoned at the 90% exposure level.

Please take action at the July 10 city council meeting to approve the proposed policy and put strong enforcement policies in place so that we can have a poison-free Malibu.

Sincerely,

Name

Here are the email addresses to send your letter to council by no later than 12 PM, July 10th:
SUhring@malibucity.org, BSilverstein@malibucity.org, PGrisanti@malibucity.org, MRiggins@malibucity.org, dstewart@malibucity.org, kpettijohn@malibucity.org “ wrote Schulman.