Bringing information you can use for action about herbicides, pesticides and other toxic chemicals in northern California and around our shared world
Come back soon!
More content from our archives is being added to this section daily. Please contact us if you have a question or comment
CATs at Work
Our Shared World
Online Store
Programs
Projects
Environmental Groups Warn North Coast Rail Authority to Change
Environmental Impact Report or Face Lawsuit
Californians for Alternatives to Toxics and a coalition of environmental groups has warned the North Coast Rail Authority (NCRA) that it will file a lawsuit if an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for hauling freight from Lombard in Napa County to Willits in Mendocino County is approved.
Responding to CATs’ Notice to File Lawsuit, EPA Begins Rulemaking to Update Air Pollution Rules for Kraft Pulp Mills
A warning by Californians for Alternatives to Toxics and the Center for Biological Diversity of the groups’ plan to sue the EPA for failure to update rules on air emissions required by the Clean Air Act has spurred the agency into action.
ALERT: PG&E Spraying Herbicides Throughout California
Despite the successful campaign by residents of rural Humboldt County to
convince PG&E to stop spraying herbicides around power poles, the giant
utility still is drenching about a million of the poles with a variety of
chemicals elsewhere in its service area.
Defying Court Ruling, State Parks Aims Hazardous Sprays at Coastal Wildlands
Despite being trounced by CATs in the Court of Appeal for a similar project, the California Department of Parks and Recreation (CDPR) is trying to slip another terrible herbicide spray plan past the public — adding to the mounting evidence that the agency considers itself above state law.
Herbicides proposed at Shasta Lake
A Forest Service proposal to use herbicides to kill invasive broom plants in Whiskeytown Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area is counterproductive and shortsighted as it unnecessarily adds chemicals to public lands. Californians for Alternatives to Toxics (CATs) urges the Forest Service to utilize a non-chemical approach only for invasive plant management to protect native vegetation and create habitat for wildlife.
Herbicide Spraying for Purple Loosestrife Along Eel River Prompts Lawsuit
Spraying the herbicide imazapyr along the banks of the Eel River to kill purple loosestrife "will fail" and have "significant environmental effects", declare experts in court filing.
PG&E Spray Alert - PG&E Prefers Poisons On Power Poles
PG&E, the state’s largest owner of utility poles and right-of-ways, is applying herbicides to reduce fire risk even though weed removal with string trimmers has proven effective.
Pentachlorophenol: A History of Neglect
In the 1950s, hundreds of lumber mills throughout northern California used the wood preservative pentachlorophenol, known as penta or PCP, with little regard for health and environmental consequences.
CATs Comments on the Marina Center Draft Environmental Impact Report [416 kb pdf]
"Californians for Alternatives to Toxics requests that the City of Eureka require that this draft be rewritten to comply with the California Environmental Quality Act."
Timber Company Agrees to Clean Up Cancer-Causing Dioxin
The Simpson Timber Company, in a settlement with CATs and Humboldt Baykeeper, agrees to remove tons of sediment laden with dioxin from a ditch that empties into Humboldt Bay.
Humboldt Bay's 303d Listing as Dioxin-Contaminated Endorsed by CATs
"We believe the information presented above is sufficient to support a 303(d) listing of Humboldt Bay for dioxin impairment due to the overwhelming evidence that reservoir sources of dioxin are contributing CDDs and CDFs to Humboldt Bay".
CATs Joins Lawsuit Filed Against the US EPA for Deregulating Pesticide Spraying into the Nation's Waters
Today, environmental groups sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for a decision that spraying of pesticides into the nation's waters should no longer be regulated by the Clean Water Act.
Red-Legged Frog Settlement
The use of 66 pesticides will be prohibited in core habitat areas of the endangered California red-legged frog until the EPA and the Fish and Wildlife Service formally consult to ensure the chemicals are not contributing to the decline of the species. The agreement between EPA and the Center for Biological Diversity was built on an extensive investigation by Californians for Alternatives to Toxics of pesticide use in red-legged frog habitat.
Important Precedent Set as Court of Appeal Upholds California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) in CATs vs California Dept. of Food and Agriculture
Appeal Court Rejects Winegrape Pest Plan - Court Guns Down State Plan to Poison Pest of Wine Grapes: Panel Requires Thorough Analysis of Spraying of Glassy-Winged Sharpshooter
State Drops Plans to Poison Sierra Stream
CATs' Complaint Helps Convince Judge – Preliminary Injunction Issued on Silver King Creek Rotenone Project.
Healthy Schools, Pesticide Free
It is CATs' goal to eliminate the use of pesticides around our children by advocating Integrated Pest Management in accordance with the Healthy Schools Act.
Groups Achieve Victory in Battle over Pesticide Registration
CATs wins in effort to get CA DPR to re-evaluate chlorpyrifos – Lawsuit Serves as Wake-Up Call for State Agency to Re-evaluate Toxic Pesticides
Sierra Pacific Industries' Toxic Mill Discharge into Humboldt Bay
From 1965 until 1984, the Sierra-Pacific Industries (SPI) sawmill near Arcata dipped lumber in pentachlorophenol, a wood preservative. Though pentachlorophenol hasn't been used at the SPI mill for 18 years, the chemical and its toxic effects linger at the mill site and continue to discharge into the Mad River Slough and Humboldt Bay.
CATs Settles Lawsuit with the EPA
Endangered Species Act victory on the effects of Pesticides
on Endangered Salmon and Wildflower Species
Judge Halts CDF Vegetation Management Plan
CDF Program Fails to Evaluate the Effects of Herbicides.
CATs vs Methyl Bromide
CATs has been working to stop the use of dangerous Methyl Bromide since the early 90's.
Arcata Pesticide Ordinance
With CATs' help, in Feb 2000, the City of Arcata passed Ordinance No. 1300 which eliminates the use of pesticides on all properties owned or managed by the city.
