[Scpg] TOPANGA DEFENDS ITS RIGHT TO A NON-TOXIC ENVIRONMENT Saturday, Oct. 9, 2004 Noon

[Wesley Roe and Marjorie Lakin Erickson]

Saturday, Oct. 9, 2004
12 Noon
PCH & Topanga Cyn. Blvd.
We will be there with beautiful signs and vibrant spirits.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS COALITION FOR ALTERNATIVES TO TOXICS
PRESS RELEASE:
October 5, 2004


TOPANGA DEFENDS ITS RIGHT TO A NON-TOXIC ENVIRONMENT


Topangans joined by supporting organizations will protest en masse this
Saturday at high noon at the corner of Topanga Canyon Boulevard and Pacific 
Coast
Highway the use of herbicide in Lower Topanga on State Park Land. Against the
strongly-expressed commitment of the community, the Mountains Recreation and
Conservation Authority (MRCA) plans to use the chemical glyphosate to remove
the invasive plant, Arundo donax (giant cane) in lower Topanga. A community
volunteer crew has been hand-chopping the cane for the past year, forestalling
the use of the chemical, but needs 2-3 years to successfully complete the job.
Ignoring a local watershed plan made by the community that recommends
alternative methods of removal of invasive plants, the MRCA is set to begin 
work.

The local community has been lobbying at all levels for a non-toxic manual
method of removal over the past three years and was able to secure the past
one-year hiatus for manual removal. They continue to insist they do not 
want to
see a natural environment converted into a chemical treated zone, while
alternatives and volunteer groups exist to do the job.

Despite community efforts, California State Parks and the MRCA have refused
to delay the herbicide project or to consider extending the
community-recommended non-toxic alternative. Representatives of the 
agencies say that delays
could jeopardize $180,000 in funding for the project from Proposition 12, the
Neighborhood Parks, Clean Air and Water Bond Act of 2000.

The use of herbicides in the watershed violates the intentions of Proposition
12, claims the alliance of community and mountain organizations and is
inimical to the health of Topanga Creek and Santa Monica Bay, not to 
mention the 28
residents currently living within the park!

The Topanga volunteer crew will begin cutting the "devil cane" starting at 9
am Saturday morning in Rodeo Grounds before hiking up onto Topanga Canyon Blvd
at Pacific Coast Highway, carrying banners to be joined by rallying
supporters.

Supported by
KLARITY
TASC,
Santa Monica Mountains Coalition for Alternatives to Toxics (SCAT),
Topanga Canyon Town Council,
Topanga Chamber of Commerce,
Topanga Canyon Creekside Homeowners' Association,
Topanga Green Party,
Topanga Peace Alliance,
Topanga Ranch Residents' Association,
Las Virgenes Federation of Homeowners' Association,
Theatricum Botanicum,
Wright Way Organic Resources Center


Contacts: Rabyn Blake, SCAT 310 455-1709; cell 310 428-5596;
rabyncreek at aol.com
Tonia Young, Topanga Peace Alliance 310 455-2688;
tonia4 at earthlink.net