Potentially Dangerous Pesticides Spilled into Mill Creek Which Flows Into the Trinity River

Quarantine area quarantinedPress release from the Department of Environmental Health in Trinity County:

During a search warrant executed by California Department of Fish and Wildlife on 10/02/2018, Trinity County Environmental Health (TCEH) removed US banned pesticides being used in the cultivation of marijuana. Due to these findings, TCEH is warning the public that there has been a potential spill into an unnamed tributary of Mill Creek, a tributary to the Trinity River, of suspected Carbofuran, Methamidophos, and Avermectin B1 pesticides. The private parcel is located off of Underwood Mountain Road in the Burnt Ranch area, and the site is being quarantined at this time.

Among the substances found are organophosphates, harmful pesticides to the public and the environment. All 3 pesticides have been found to cause reproductive harm. Seek medical treatment if you believe you have been in contact with these chemicals or are experiencing the following symptoms: miosis, blurred vision, tearing; excessive respiratory secretions; salivation; sweating; abdominal cramps, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea; light-headedness; lassitude (weakness, exhaustion); chest tightness, epigastric pain, labored breathing; cyanosis; muscle twitching; incoordination; convulsions; unconsciousness; respiratory failure; skin irritation; possible effects on the immune system.

We will continue to notify the public until the spill has been remediated. If you divert or have a shallow well in the surrounding area, be cautious and use filtration listed below.

How to treat water before drinking? Many of the pesticides of concern can be treated with a Granular Activated Carbon filter and non-ionic polymeric resin filters. Individuals can Google NSF 42, 53, and 401 point-of-use or point-of-entry filters, or they can call our office at 530-623-1459.

Facebooktwitterpinterestmail

Join the discussion! For rules visit: https://kymkemp.com/commenting-rules

Comments system how-to: https://wpdiscuz.com/community/postid/10599/

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

64 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
shawnee sauers
Guest
shawnee sauers
5 years ago

I believe this is a diversion tactic a lie if you will to distract us from today’s article about all the sh it they hide from us….I really do

Lilithx
Guest
Lilithx
5 years ago
Reply to  shawnee sauers

Yep, totally nailed it and we are not buying it fish and wildlife. I’d like to see the other agricultural crops investigated under the same scrutiny. There seems to be no concern for their impact on streamside management areas, runoff or pesticides, at least nowhere near the same as Cannabis.

Jaekelopterus
Guest
Jaekelopterus
5 years ago
Reply to  shawnee sauers

The editorial? How would they have known about that before it got published?

I'm all for transparancy!
Guest
I'm all for transparancy!
5 years ago
Reply to  Jaekelopterus

They would’ve known about it because 2 people that work for them talked to Kym off the record and I’m sure she tried to talk to more of their people. People talk, even if they dont realize what they’re saying. She has also said she was working on this story in the comments a few times….I’m not saying that is why they put this press release out, but there are no coincidences right?

Jaekelopterus
Guest
Jaekelopterus
5 years ago

This raid happened two days ago, and you think it was somehow timed to smokescreen an unreleased editorial. Okaaaayyy….

local observer
Guest
local observer
5 years ago
Reply to  Jaekelopterus

if it happened 2 days ago they would not have any analytical data to support this claim that there was a release. so basically they have no data to support their claim, except containers. basically all speculation.

WillSmithFreshPrinceOfHumCO
Guest
WillSmithFreshPrinceOfHumCO
5 years ago

I don’t get it, did they accidentally leave bottles of miticides spilling into the creek? Or were these chemicals just found on the property contained? Why don’t we get alerts when logging companies do applications of herbacides like glyphosate on thousands of acres?

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago

The only time that time that I ever heard directly when this sort of thing happened, the grower had left a couple bags of fertilizer near a creek. The bags fell apart in the rain and the contents washed into the creek. The way the source was discovered is that a woman’s chicken flock downstream started dying and she investigated in time to find the evidence.

Redwood stump
Guest
Redwood stump
5 years ago

There should be no grows in the woods surrounded by tributaries take them to Salinas Valley where the inspectors pass everything easily And you just pay taxes no three-acre conversions right above the creek Time for the marijuana industry to MoveOn it’s too complicated here too much mold

bearjew
Guest
bearjew
5 years ago

Growing pot is basically legal in Kali. Chemicals should be the crime. IF you are going to make something a crime up there, using crummy chemicals that hurt wildlife should be the only crime, using pesticides illegally. Water use is a property rights issue and a human rights issue, look at all the water used in Fresno….? Makes no sense it can’t be used at the source, considering it’s private property.

As for nuisance, the haters should just leave and move somewhere like Mississippi.

Growing weed is legal. Target Sierra Pacific or the chemical companies or the stores that sold people this banned stuff, and bust folks for not doing things the right way if you want to bust folks, but not just for weed. It’s like lettuce farming now.

Sparkle Mahn
Guest
Sparkle Mahn
5 years ago
Reply to  bearjew

BEST COMMENT EVER!

Weird
Guest
Weird
5 years ago

It definitely sounds fishy, bet they bulldozed buildings and didnt check for liquids. The mess the cops are leaving at these scenes is f’n ridiculous esp considering the regs they are forcing on farmers, its wrong on so many levels. Why destroy greenhouses that could be given to schools to grow food, or buildings that once cleaned out can be re-used.
Until they use permit funds for clean up i refuse to get one, its hypocrisy at its finest. You can f’ck up as much land and water as you want as long as there are no pot plants.
There needs to be oversight, if our tax dollars are paying the millions it costs to do these raids then we deserve to know if they spill these incredibly toxic substances.

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Weird

Apparently you can f’ck up as much land as you want if you do grow pot plants. Even if these paranoid thoughts happen to be even slightly true, there would be no issues if chemicals are not improperly onsite in the first place.

Spotted owl.
Guest
5 years ago

Wake up people all grows they ain’t getting there percentage off now are going to be environmentaly damaging.it was there way of coming in to destroy the rural population without getting the old school activists that know how to push back involved. If you pay 60 to 100 thousand for your permits.give them a third or better in taxes and fees you’re no longer a environmentaly agregiouse grow.its there way around Constitutional rights.its there way to rip off the industry from the PEOPLE. Vote no on measure o to at least slow them down!!!!!! Probably wasn’t Evan any of this shit there,and if there was they probably brought it there with em

Emily
Guest
Emily
5 years ago

Gooood one

Whatever
Guest
Whatever
5 years ago
Reply to  Emily

You think using a serious issue to throw out an unrelated political pot shot is a good thing?

Sparkle Mahn
Guest
Sparkle Mahn
5 years ago
Reply to  Whatever

Whatever!

Emily
Guest
Emily
5 years ago
Reply to  Whatever

Guess sarcasm doesn’t come through on the keyboard. Thought it would be more obvious:)

In my 1911 I trust
Guest
In my 1911 I trust
5 years ago
Reply to  Whatever

Whatever been…… Triggered!!!!!

Nimby
Guest
Nimby
5 years ago

I am anti-conspiracy, but this definitely sounds like a Fish and Wildlife obfuscation tactic. The timing is extremely odd. How about some detailed info into the nature of the “spill”. The stench of bs is strong on this press release. I have never seen this type of wording or scary public warnings. It comes across as a justification for their tactics or maybe even their existence. Whoever their PR person is thinks they are pretty clever, but this press release just lays there like a stinking dead fish.

tax payer
Guest
tax payer
5 years ago

Many of the illegal growers use fertilizers and pesticides long restricted or banned in the United States, including carbofuran and zinc phosphide.

so this tells me these chems come from outside the USA
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-pentagon-ricin/u-s-navy-veteran-arrested-in-probe-of-suspicious-letters-idUSKCN1MD2OF

local observer
Guest
local observer
5 years ago
Reply to  tax payer

detectable amounts Methamidophos were found in McDonalds chicken nuggets in the last “Total Diet” analytical study by the EPA. it was also in almost everything else we eat, but the nuggets seemed odd to me. I linked the study on the last propaganda news release by the DFW, the one with the closeup photo of the bottle for click bait. I bet the county ruff necks bulldozed it and made the mess just like the 2 non-compliance tweaker houses in Eureka recently. you can see liquid soil staining in those photos that were publicly released.

In my 1911 I trust
Guest
In my 1911 I trust
5 years ago
Reply to  local observer

There is also TSP in Lucky Charms and many other cereals but no one seems to care about that. Even though I use it to strip paint off of dry wall….

local observer
Guest
local observer
5 years ago

TSP is mainly harmful to surface water causing eutrophication. its a surfactant like Tide. TSP is banned in some states due to the damage to ponds/lakes from septic systems. TSP is not a cancer causing chemical. no one was spraying 2,4-D on the hillside east of Alliance between Stewart and Foster. they we actually hydroseeding it to prevent erosion, basically the opposite of your claim.

bearjew
Guest
bearjew
5 years ago
Reply to  local observer

Can’t hurt the precious stock price… Some hillbilly in Burnt Ranch? Some must be sacrificed for the good of the whole? I dunno, but 64 sux

tax payer
Guest
tax payer
5 years ago

Aug 28, 2018 – Nine of every 10 illegal marijuana farms raided in California this year … with carbofuran or methamidophos, another powerful banned pesticide.
according to the wapo

tax payer
Guest
tax payer
5 years ago

Common Name: Avermectin B1 (a,b) Trade Names: … Daminozide has been illegal to use on U.S. food crops since 1989. A two-year study on ..

where are these chems coming from

hey kool aid
Guest
hey kool aid
5 years ago
Reply to  tax payer

Keep plinkin away at the criminals.

This is just one more way that 64 will improve product quality, protect consumer health, and save the Earth. Illegal growers dont give a shit about consumer health. Its all about the all mighty dollar.

Swine
Guest
Swine
5 years ago
Reply to  hey kool aid

Clearly yer a troll, beacusemost of the only people that care about legalization are just as greedy, if not more so

hey kool aid
Guest
hey kool aid
5 years ago
Reply to  Swine

True, and they are much better business people that know how to turn a good profit whilst delivering a safe quality product, paying taxes, and keeping money out of the black market.

bearjew
Guest
bearjew
5 years ago
Reply to  hey kool aid

no they are good little statist brown nosers…working 4 the man

In my 1911 I trust
Guest
In my 1911 I trust
5 years ago
Reply to  hey kool aid

Thats funny. I went to my friend’s farm that is almost fully permitted. They passed all state quality standard tests very recently, within the last month. I saw them dumping a big old bucket of some stuff called general hydro in their nutrient tank to feed their plants, it didn’t seem organic or anything so I read the label. I would not bring that stuff within a mile of my property or any water way. I would definitely not use it on my vegetable garden. Explain to me how Phytophosphatephato phosphate phos or whatever it was is used to grow a safe quality product? My momma taught me long ago that if you can’t read the label you probably shouldn’t use it.

Bigsbee
Guest
Bigsbee
5 years ago
Reply to  tax payer

The cut flower industry?

Bill
Guest
Bill
5 years ago

People are actually outraged by this event and this press release!!! Our once proud community of local growers has come to this….come on guys this is Bull Shit. They are doing their jobs, and doing them well. If you have a large unpermitted grow the message is: “times up”, we are coming for you, I like that. It is good for the community, the environment, and for local society which lately has been overrun by uncaring, greedy, worthless young (and old) punks.

As far as asking where this stuff comes from….be real we all know where it comes from. It is coming across the border from Mexico. I would wager a large sum that this grow was being run by Mexican cartel or an affiliate.

This stuff gets into the rivers and you get death to wildlife but you also get huge algae blooms. Bad Stuff.

tax payer
Guest
tax payer
5 years ago
Reply to  Bill

yes that is what i was driving at

Bigsbee
Guest
Bigsbee
5 years ago
Reply to  Bill

Most Mexicans or latinos working up here are working for white property owners.

diesel dually
Guest
diesel dually
5 years ago

Yes, because the job of DFW is to deceive and steal from pot farmers who refuse to get permits…

Do you want banned chemicals in the watershed? How crazy, exactly, ARE you people?

bearjew
Guest
bearjew
5 years ago
Reply to  diesel dually

I just want you to stop calling it a “watershed”… It’s some dude’s land. IF weed is legal, then permits are superfluos, and if you don’t like weed, MOVE

No one likes the chemicals, just ban THE CHEMICALS!

In my 1911 I trust
Guest
In my 1911 I trust
5 years ago

The funny thing is, due to the lack of transparency from Fish and Wildlife and their refusal to release any information about their Gestapo like raids, and the fact that they have provided no pictures, unlike the sheriff, one has to wonder if there actually was a spill? Or, even worse, if F and W didn’t dump the pesticides in the creek themselves just to smear growers and divert attention from the article Kym just dropped about F and W’s lack of transparency and refusal to answer any questions. How are we supposed to know if this is true if Kym can’t even follow up on it? Remember gov’t lies more than anybody or anything, always take what gov’t says with a grain of salt, especially when they are so obviously pushing a certain agenda.

Sparkle Mahn
Guest
Sparkle Mahn
5 years ago

Who needs stinkin’ facts?

Seamus
Guest
Seamus
5 years ago

A friend of mine is a small grape grower in central California. We were discussing Roundup, and I told him I had used 5 gallons on my 80 acre property. Mainly weed prevention along the road passing through. He told me that was a pretty low application rate. I had thought I had gone way over board on it. He told me he had used a 55 gallon drum of Roundup and had covered almost his whole 40 acres. That is when we realized I was talking about mixed RoundUp and he was talking about concentrate. I had used a quart of concentrate and he had used 55 gallons of concentrate, over 1,000 gallons of mix.

Emily
Guest
Emily
5 years ago
Reply to  Seamus

Yes a good reason to drink organic wine.

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Seamus

Because stupid people doing stupid things in many ways would be a good argument for increased scrutiny, not continuation of outlaw existence?

Bigsbee
Guest
Bigsbee
5 years ago
Reply to  Seamus

Why are you even using roundup?

Guest who?
Guest
Guest who?
5 years ago

Read carefully. “During a search warrant executed by Cal DF&W, Trinity County Environmental Health removed….”
TCEH was participating in the warrant investigation, and found pesticides. Banned pesticides apparently, most certainly being used for off-label purposes.
The same class of pesticides found there, have been found at many other illegal cultivation sites on public and private land.
Their use has been consistent with large grows where other evidence indicates Mexican cartel participation.
(Fun with words fact: Cartel means: car·tel
kärˈtel/Submit
noun
an association of manufacturers or suppliers with the purpose of maintaining prices at a high level and restricting competition.
“the Colombian drug cartels”
HISTORICAL
a coalition or cooperative arrangement between political parties intended to promote a mutual interest.)
If you want to know more about this interdiction, pesticides, and waterway contamination, call TCEH! Their phone number is at the bottom of the press release. 530-623-1459.
Please don’t get your information from me, or any other comments here, of which some are summarily pulled from commenter’s colons.

Willow crk
Guest
Willow crk
5 years ago

I was helping a friend clean up a grow that was busted by fish and game…they told him that he could not dump out his 200 gallon pots on to the ground because of the perlite…when my friend asked what to do with it..fish and game and code told him to dump it into a big hole that was right off the creek..these fish and game are overreaching..Please someone find out what facts are being used by them..it seems like they are not educated enough to make enviromental choices..They were also super mean…and cut all the plastic with knives and damaged a legal water system that ran to multiable properties without grows..families had to go with out water and showers untill it got fixed….this grow wasnt even that bad and across the creek loggers are ripping the land apart..spilling oil from there big rigs..polluting the noise with their sounds of destruction..its pretty sad.

Bigsbee
Guest
Bigsbee
5 years ago
Reply to  Willow crk

I dont think the game wardens have science degree s? Not sure . does anyone know?

This guy...
Guest
This guy...
5 years ago

Problem is those chemicals are held in high regard in the farming community. Go talk to a wheat or any grain farmer they will tell you chemicals are their best friends and legal in 50 states.

Willow
Guest
Willow
5 years ago

Fish and game is out in these hills..overreaching power..walking onto private land.even land with out grows..destroying water lines damaging property..most growers dont want to report it because they are scared..Also..they say pay the crazy fines or turn over your property..we have constitutional rights..these agents are using some kind of Code and statutory system to over ride you rights.There is proof that they make up enviromental issues just to take land away.look what happened in nevada with them saying the cattle land was destroying the tortoius..i was all a scam

Bigsbee
Guest
Bigsbee
5 years ago
Reply to  Willow

Go Bundys Militia…. Al bundy is our leader

Nurse Nick
Guest
5 years ago

I am trying to find the original source of this press release and cannot find it anywhere of Trinty County’s page of TCEH’s page. Can you please provide link to the original source?

Nurse Nick
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

Thanks Kym!

santa
Guest
santa
5 years ago

sweet, i’ll be sure and remember that when im rafting it with the 5000 tourist that also enjoy that section of the trinity…. go rafting on the trinity woo hoo!! fyi- world class rapids in that area…..

THC
Guest
THC
5 years ago

And meanwhile over a billion pounds of pesticides are used annually in America alone.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2946087/

local observer
Guest
local observer
5 years ago
Reply to  THC

https://www.fda.gov/downloads/Food/FoodScienceResearch/TotalDietStudy/UCM291686.pdf
this is the 2004 pesticide analytical list. chicken nuggets are food #241. scientist right now are linking certain mutagen’s to genetic mental illness.

Sparkle Mahn
Guest
Sparkle Mahn
5 years ago
Reply to  local observer

Yer making me hungry and crazy at the same time. Like wow, mahn!

bearjew
Guest
bearjew
5 years ago

3 new sources came out today accusing Kavanaugh or spilling the pesticides, so it’s an open and shut case… They can’t agree on when or where or what chemicals, but he looks guilty.

Does the 4th amendment somehow not apply to crunchy enviro-nazis?

Sparkle Mahn
Guest
Sparkle Mahn
5 years ago
Reply to  bearjew

You funny.

MountainWoman
Guest
MountainWoman
5 years ago

I live in Burnt Ranch, near where these banned pesticides were used. Now I wonder if other nearby creeks are contaminated by dirty growers. Those of us who who have spent years growing organic gardens and raising healthy animals for consumption should be outraged by this disgusting behavior by a greedy group of people who are just in the weed business to make as much money as they can and disappear with their ill gained lucre. There must be a special place in hell for them.

Loke
Guest
Loke
5 years ago

Look out for lifted Tacomas with bumpers and blacked out rims, fuxking gangster punks. It’s not the diesel bros you gotta worry about it’s the taco driving not giving a fuck punks with dented pickups that r ruining our sacred neighborhoods, while ruining our environment and shipping there weed out of state and calling legal growers cowards. Until herb is legalized nation wide we can expect these punks to hang around, then again a nationwide legalize would make all the legal grows here flounder to just Marlboro. Yall thought legalization would deter black market punks bahahaha that makes go harder each yr so keep up and supply the east coast. Until fully legalized our streams will suffer all for a dollar, legal grow or illegal

Bigsbee
Guest
Bigsbee
5 years ago
Reply to  Loke

Dude its all of them using the ornamental flower cides, bulldozers and letting fertilizer and sediment runoff into the creeks. We need a new education mentality and commitment to our lands.

Buzz
Guest
Buzz
5 years ago

I’m clapping my hands for this bust but CDFW and the County agencies should name names and cite addresses- out these clowns publicly so people can see who exactly shits in our watersheds! Work with the land and Respect the watersheds or GTFO!

MountainWoman
Guest
MountainWoman
5 years ago
Reply to  Buzz

I agree with you!