Key facts
- US Forest Service plans to use glyphosate and other herbicides for post-fire restoration in the Lake Tahoe basin.
- Residents are concerned about the cancer-linked pesticide's potential impact on the lake's water quality and ecosystem.
- The proposed spraying aims to clear vegetation for new tree growth after the 2021 Caldor fire.
- Local officials and environmental groups are organizing opposition and lobbying regulatory agencies.
- The Forest Service maintains that the herbicides are registered, assessed, and necessary for forest health.
Lake Tahoe residents are expressing alarm over a US Forest Service plan to spray glyphosate, a chemical classified as a probable human carcinogen by the World Health Organization, on national forest lands damaged by the 2021 Caldor fire. The Forest Service intends to use herbicides, including glyphosate, to clear brush and vegetation to facilitate the regrowth of trees in the affected areas. This plan has ignited significant opposition from local communities, environmental groups, and officials who fear the pesticide's potential impact on the pristine water quality of Lake Tahoe and its surrounding ecosystem.
Residents like Katherine Levy, who recently returned to the area, described their horror at the proposed spraying, emphasizing the natural beauty and purity of Lake Tahoe. The Caldor fire burned over 200,000 acres, impacting a significant portion of the 156,000 acres of national forest land within the basin. The Forest Service plans to use backpack sprayers to minimize damage to non-target plants and reduce the risk of pesticides entering waterways, but locals remain unconvinced.
A town hall meeting was held on June 11 to coordinate opposition efforts, with residents also voicing concerns on social media. The Make America Healthy Again (Maha) movement has joined the fight, urging the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to ban or restrict glyphosate. Maha leader Kelly Ryerson stated that the community is organizing to push back against the Forest Service's proposal.
Glyphosate, originally introduced by Monsanto and widely known in products like Roundup, has faced scrutiny since a 2015 WHO classification. While Bayer, which acquired Monsanto, maintains its glyphosate herbicides do not cause cancer, and the EPA deems it 'unlikely' to be carcinogenic, concerns persist. Mayor Cody Bass of South Lake Tahoe expressed shock that the chemical is still being considered for use on public lands, especially given its potential to contaminate the lake's watershed. The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA), which generally discourages synthetic herbicides, has requested a meeting with the Forest Service to discuss minimizing their use.
Reports from Mother Jones indicated that spraying had already occurred at a ski resort in the Eldorado National Forest. Federal data shows that hundreds of thousands of pounds of pesticide products have been applied to federal Forest Service land across the US in recent years. The Forest Service defends its plan, stating that registered herbicides are the best tools for forest health and undergo rigorous assessments. However, residents like Hannah Teter remain troubled by the idea of spraying thousands of gallons of herbicides in an effort to control post-wildfire regrowth.