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orav+,ge Couwt~ <br />Cow~.vw%ss~ow for the 6w~/iroww~.ewt <br />Mewwrawduwt. <br />To: Barry Jacobs, Chair <br />Board of County Commissioners <br />From: Hervey McIver and Johnny Randall, Co-Chairs <br />Date: December 4, 2006 <br />Re: Comments from the Commission for the Environment Regarding <br />the Use of Herbicides in Utility and Roadside Rights-of--Way <br />In September, the Board of Orange County Commissioners referred to the <br />Commission for the Environment (CfE) for comment concerns raised by citizens <br />regarding herbicide use by Duke Power within their powerline rights-of--way <br />alongside a public road. This memo expresses the thoughts and recommendations <br />of the CfE on herbicide use in general and on the value of rights-of--way as wildlife <br />and native plant habitat. <br />In recent years, utility companies maintaining rights-of-way have moved away <br />from mowing to the use of herbicides for controlling woody vegetation. The NC DOT <br />(to a limited extent) and railroad companies also use herbicides to control woody <br />vegetation within their rights-of--way. The use ofi herbicides to control woody <br />vegeta#ion is becoming more common because of cost (labor and equipment} and <br />logistical (steep slopes and vehicular access} issues. <br />In response to an inquiry into the Duke Power incident, a company <br />representative stated in an a-mail that, in the case in question, a combination of <br />Accord concentrate (diluted to 3.1%) and Arsenal was used. Glyphosate is the <br />active ingredient in Accord and is non-selective in its lethal effect on plants. <br />Imazapyr, the active ingredient in Arsenal, is abroadleaf-specific herbicide that has <br />non-selective plant effects through soil activity. <br />The Commission for the Environment has concerns about herbicide use in all <br />rights-of-way since even broadleaf-specific herbicides affect non-target plants via <br />soil activity. The loss of vegetation on these sites has negative impacts on the <br />environment and natural diversity. <br />Our specific concerns are outlined below. <br />1. Roadsides and utility rights-of-way represent a documented refugium <br />for many common and rare native grasses and herbaceous plants that <br />Cot2cytcc%SSiora. for the Ev+.~/crortinrevat <br />C/o orav~ye CDUV~tS ET2CA <br />Po Box SxBt /sod f+ rae/ere ~Ad <br />ffillsborouyh, NG2~2~8 <br />