Tai Chi Thayer w/Suzanne, Intervale, Lavenia Life Celebration, 2026.08.26
https://youtube.com/shorts/mJP5ORJCeYE?feature=share
It was a stellar day. Wish all could have been there, but whoever couldn't show may view these. We humans are all one. Peace, Universal Love and Community at this beautiful place.
(I couldn't help clowning around at end of this short video.)
Sylvia Knight, Earth Community Advocate, sknightinvt73@gmail.com, Burlington, VT 05408
11 July 2025
Secretary
Anson Tebbetts (anson.tebbetts@vermont.gov)
Assistant Secretary Alyson Eastman
(alyson.eastman@vermont.gov)
PHARM Director Steven Dwinell (steven.dwinell@vermont.gov)
VT
Agency of Agriculture, Farm & Markets
116
State Street
Montpelier, VT 05620, by email.
Re: Clarifying the Presence of PFAS in Pesticides and Upholding Vermont’s Commitment to Public Health
Dear Secretary Tebbetts, Assistant Secretary Eastman, and PHARM Director Dwinell:
I write on behalf of VT.PAPAN and Vermont PFAS Coalition to express serious concern regarding recent statements made by Ms. Pam Bryer about the presence and regulation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in pesticides. Her assertions, particularly in a May 23, 2024, email to Dr. Lori Cragin of the Vermont Department of Health, are inconsistent with both scientific findings and the legislative intent of Vermont’s Act 131 (S.25), which was signed into law by Governor Phil Scott on May 29, 2024.
Act 131 clearly defines PFAS as a class of fluorinated organic chemicals containing at least one fully fluorinated carbon atom. The law was passed in recognition of the environmental and health dangers these persistent chemicals pose. Unfortunately, Ms. Bryer’s recent comments misrepresent the facts and risk undermining public trust and the integrity of Vermont’s regulatory process.
Below are several of Ms. Bryer’s claims, followed by factual clarifications:
Claim:
“PFAS
are not allowed in pesticides.”
Fact:
The
EPA continues to register PFAS-containing active ingredients. For
example, Minnesota Department of Agriculture has identified 95
EPA-registered pesticide active ingredients as PFAS in use in
Minnesota.
Claim:
“Soil
depth penetration studies are part of the required data collected by
EPA for pesticide registration.”
Fact:
These studies typically focus only on the active ingredient,
ignoring adjuvants and so-called inert ingredients that may
significantly influence leaching behavior, particularly in Vermont’s
sandy soils and shallow groundwater zones.
Claim:“There
are pesticides that are never found deeper than 5 cm down in the
soil following an application because of the chemical’s
soil binding behaviors.”
Fact:
Such generalizations are unsubstantiated. Soil composition, climate,
and formulation all influence chemical behavior. In Vermont
groundwater PFAS contamination is real and well-documented. Many
PFAS are highly water soluble and readily move through soil and
water. This solubility and chemical persistence allows them to
travel great distances from where they were applied.
Claim:
“It
is sometimes hard to know what the public means when they say
‘PFAS.’”
Fact:
Vermont
residents, including those of us in VTPAPAN and Middlebury
AirportNeighbors Association (MANA) understand that PFAS vary widely
but are still dangerous to life as a class of chemicals combining
fluorine and carbon. We are well aware of PFAS sources and
pathways—including
pesticide formulations. This comment is dismissive of public
understanding and concern.
Claim:
“EPA
has clearly stated that the presence of PFAS (at the level of
quantification) in any pesticide product is a violation of
FIFRA.”
Fact:
This
claim lacks supporting documentation. The EPA continues to allow
PFAS-based ingredients in registered products, contradicting Ms.
Bryer’s
assertion.
Claim: “What is confusing many people, however, is that some chemicals that have already undergone full regulatory review are now being called PFAS despite not sharing any of the same characteristics as those chemicals traditionally referred to as PFAS.”
Fact: Vermont law, like similar statutes in Maine and Minnesota, follows the OECD definition of PFAS, which includes a broad range of fluorinated organic compounds, many of which appear in pesticide ingredients.
In 2022 alone, more than 6,800 pounds of PFAS-containing pesticides were reported in use in Vermont—underscoring the urgent need for transparent, science-based regulatory practices.
Ms. Bryer’s continued denial of PFAS in pesticides misleads the public and jeopardizes Vermont’s ability to mitigate long-term environmental and public health harm. Given her influential role as a member of the Act 131 Working Group, her dismissal of PFAS in pesticides may have contributed to their exclusion from the law’s list of banned consumer products—a serious omission with lasting consequences.
We respectfully urge the Agency of Agriculture to take the following actions:
Publicly affirm Vermont’s legal definition of PFAS and acknowledge the presence of these substances in pesticide products.
Commit to transparent communication and science-based regulatory enforcement.
Reassess the appropriateness of Ms. Bryer’s continued involvement in PFAS policy development, should she be unwilling to align with the law and public health priorities.
Thank you for your attention to this critical issue. Please do not hesitate to contact me for additional information or to arrange a follow-up discussion.
Sincerely,
Sylvia Knight, VT PAPAN
Additional signatories:
Marguerite
Adelman,
Burlington, VT PFAS Coalition
Liza
Frankie Nanni,
Burlington, VT PAPAN
Pam
Ladds,
Friends of Memphramagog, Newport, VT
Jennifer
Decker,
Hinesburg, VT
Teresa
Gerade,
Newport, VT
Judith
D Schwartz
Environmental Journalist, Bennington, VT
Emily
Lanxner,
Hardwick, VT
Judy
Wiger-Grohs,
Middlebury, VT
Carol
Cannaveno,
E. Montpelier, VT
Polly
Jones,
Manchester, VT
Henry
Coe,
Danville, VT
Robert
K Wright,
Burlington, VT
CC:
Senator Ginny Lyons senatorginnylyons@gmail.com
Senator
Phil Baruth
Senator Martine Gulick
James Ehlers Chief of
Staff, Lt. Governor John Rogers
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Truman_Show
reading between the likes kiddies of course ;) slap happy and punch drunk
 Jim Carrey Says He’s Done With Anti-Drumpf Art: ‘It’s Never Been a Matter of Hating Anyone’ | ||
| Drumpf ish to the tune of aesoprockwins: |
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| Sacheen Littlefeather |
 |
| DJ Abilities: Phonograph Phoenix playlist |
Yelp (tattoo ink can bee...careful) Poem coming soon
https://www.facebook.com/relaxitsonlyart/photos/fightclub-indiangiver/1702961073140952/
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/0f/00/a3/0f00a3e72234cfce6ab4fbd651f7c280.jpg
Leonard Peltier, imprisoned Native American activist, has new message for Biden in clemency push
Peltier, 77, has been held since 1977 for the deaths of two FBI agents. He maintains his innocence, and supporters say he deserves to be released on compassionate grounds.
Erik Ortiz, NBC News, March 24, 2022
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/leonard-peltier-imprisoned-native-american-activist-new-message-biden-rcna19731
Leonard Peltier, the Native American activist who has been imprisoned for nearly half a century for the murders of two FBI agents he has always maintained he didn't commit, is hopeful he'll have a chance to clear his name before he dies.
Peltier, 77, wants President Joe Biden to review his case and grant him clemency so he won't die in prison.
He's not looking for a presidential pardon, because it would be granted for a crime he insists he is innocent of.
Instead, he wants a new trial.
Even DNC Members Are Urging Biden To Let Leonard Peltier Go Home
“It is a matter of justice and compassion,” the DNC’s Native American Caucus leaders said of granting clemency to the ailing Indigenous rights activist.
Jennifer Bendery, HuffPost, Mar. 17, 2022
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/leonard-peltier-clemency-joe-biden_n_6233570ee4b009ab92f51d14
President Joe Biden is now facing pressure from within the Democratic National Committee to grant clemency to Leonard Peltier, the 77-year-old Indigenous rights activist who has served 46 years in prison despite no evidence that he committed a crime.
Democratic National Committee – Native American Caucus
Statement in Support of Clemency for Leonard Peltier
March 16, 2022
https://docs.google.com/viewerng/viewer?url=https://big.assets.huffingtonpost.com/athena/files/2022/03/17/62336338e4b0d39357c49bcb.pdf
======================================
Leonard Peltier, imprisoned Native American activist, has new message for Biden in clemency push
NBC news story carried by:
Leonard Peltier Asks Biden for Clemency, Insisting He Didn’t Kill 2 FBI Agents in 1975
Steve Neavling, ticklethewire.com, 3/24/2022
https://www.ticklethewire.com/2022/03/24/leonard-peltier-asks-biden-for-clemency-insisting-he-didnt-kill-2-fbi-agents-in-1975/
'I got to fight': Native American activist imprisoned since 1977 seeks new trial
by Elizabeth Faddis, Breaking News Reporter, Washington Examiner, March 24, 2022 02:20 PM
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/i-got-to-fight-native-american-activist-imprisoned-since-1977-seeks-new-trial
'I got to fight': Native American activist imprisoned since 1977 seeks new trial
The Gazette
https://gazette.com/news/us-world/i-got-to-fight-native-american-activist-imprisoned-since-1977-seeks-new-trial/article_ea325f96-4105-5d43-8d1b-92402e4de9cc.html
Leonard Peltier, imprisoned Native American activist, has new message for Biden in clemency push
NBC News - Erik Ortiz
https://flipboard.com/topic/coronavirus/leonard-peltier-imprisoned-native-american-activist-has-new-message-for-biden-/a-BIgA5ALyQFSws2tjTigWPw%3Aa%3A47769541-0033f8d2e2%2Fnbcnews.com
======================================
OPINION: We Must Free Leonard Peltier
Eric B. Alipio, South Seattle Emerald, March 17, 2022 Editor
https://southseattleemerald.com/2022/03/17/opinion-we-must-free-leonard-peltier/
 |
| Featured Image: Chauncey Peltier talks for his father, Leonard Peltier,
at Many Rivers Festival on Oct. 2, 2016. Photo by Atl360Pic/Shutterstock.com |
High Times Greats: Leonard Peltier
Activist Leonard Peltier has been serving time for a crime many people believe he did not commit.
High Times, Sept 11, 2020
https://hightimes.com/culture/high-times-greats-leonard-peltier/
Free Political Prisoner Leonard Peltier
change.org
https://www.change.org/p/joe-biden-free-political-prisoner-leonard-peltier
IITC Letter to Biden Administration – Leonard Peltier. COVID-19
International Indian Treaty Council, Feb 2, 2022
https://www.iitc.org/iitc-letter-to-biden-administration-leonard-peltier-covid-19/
>download letter
Native activist Leonard Peltier remains in prison after 1975 shoot-out at Pine Ridge reservation
Recent diagnosis of COVID-19 spurs more calls to free Peltier
Katherine Locke, Navajo-Hopi Observer, Mar 8, 2022
https://www.nhonews.com/news/2022/mar/08/native-activist-leonard-peltier-remains-prison-aft
Activist Leonard Peltier asks President Biden for clemency
NewsCenter1 Staff, March 24, 2022
https://www.newscenter1.tv/activist-leonard-peltier-asks-president-biden-for-clemency/
Tai Chi Thayer w/Suzanne, Intervale, Lavenia Life Celebration, 2026.08.26 https://youtube.com/shorts/mJP5ORJCeYE?feature=share It was a stel...
