cannabisnews.com: Board Sets Pot Mission Rules





Board Sets Pot Mission Rules
Posted by FoM on May 04, 2001 at 11:07:27 PT
By Dave Smith, Tribune-Herald
Source: Hawaii-Tribune Herald
The state Board of Land and Natural Resources last week approved procedures for helicopter marijuana eradication missions carried out by state enforcement officers.The rules setting standards for aircraft identification and operation - including stand - off distances from homes while flying as well as hovering and spraying herbicide - were submitted by the state Department of Land and Natural Resources.
The recommendations were prepared by the DLNR's Division of Conservation and Resource Enforcement, which is charged with enforcing environmental and other laws on state lands.Establishing the rules, as well as a public hearing held in Hilo in December on the state's eradication efforts, were required under conditions attached to a $300,000 federal appropriation to the DLNR for eradication efforts.The unique condition requiring DLNR officials to listen to complaints frequently made by community members about noise and other problems associated with the marijuana missions was attached to the funding by former state Sen. Andy Levin.Land board members who came to Hilo in December heard a host of gripes about marijuana eradication programs, although in many cases it wasn't clear whether the missions being referred to involved state or county Police Department's efforts. The latter can also include personnel and equipment from other island's police departments as well as the Hawaii National Guard and the federal Drug Enforcement Administration.The complaints covered noise created by helicopter flights as well as concern about herbicide spray drifting into residential areas, gardens and water catchment systems.Mayor Harry Kim was among those who expressed concern about noise impacts and herbicide spray drifting onto vegetable gardens and onto roofs used to collect rainwater.Last Friday the land board approved the following five conditions for DLNR marijuana missions:* Pilots shall have a commercial helicopter license and medical certificate and shall "fly in compliance with all FAA minimum flight standards for safe helicopter operations."* Commercial aircraft used by DLNR for marijuana eradication shall have identifying numbers at least 10 inches tall "conspicuously affixed" to the tail boom or side of the aircraft. The markings should be painted in a color that contrasts with the aircraft's color.* Aircraft on DLNR missions shall have both a working radar altimeter as well as a working standard pressure altimeter.* Choppers engaged in DLNR operations "shall maintain a minimum distance of 1,000 feet from all resident structures while hovering and spraying herbicide."* Helicopters used for DLNR marijuana eradication missions shall avoid flying over residential structures below 500 feet above ground level "whenever possible."Gary Moniz, statewide head of the Division of Conservation and Resource Enforcement, said the "whenever possible" means all the time except when helicopters are forced down by a low cloud ceiling.Moniz told the Tribune - Herald that DOCARE teams on eradication missions have already been following the five conditions for at least several years.During Friday's meeting Dr. Fred Holschuh, the land board's Big Island member, expressed concern about a lack of uniformity between the state, county and federal law enforcement agencies on marijuana eradication effort."I've always been concerned about these multiple approaches," Holschuh said this week.He noted that while the state sprays herbicide on plants, a recent County Council action declares that method off - limits for county operations. In addition, he said, there is the dichotomy of the state allowing the use of marijuana for medical purposes while the federal government still considers marijuana illegal.Moniz said there will be four additional rules added, at Holschuh's request, reflecting concerns previously expressed by Levin. They include notification of the public during spraying activities and making sure that spraying does not take place near any catchment tanks or other water sources including streams. The other two deal with obtaining permission from private landowners before spraying on their land - such spraying is done rarely, Moniz said - and with maximum wind speed allowed during spraying operations.In a 1999 letter responding to Levin's concerns, DLNR officials said the wind speed does on occasion exceed the 8 mph limit - which was listed in a 1986 environmental impact statement for state eradication operations as the maximum allowed - which is why they have set the 1,000 - foot buffer from homes to provide "protection against drift."Holschuh stressed that while he has concerns about how the eradication of marijuana is handled, he is not advocating its legalization and firmly believes that illicit plants need to be cleared from public lands.Although Holschuh raised the issue, the rules do not address the medical marijuana issue, primarily because nearly all DLNR missions are on state land.However, marijuana advocate Jonathan Adler said that means that the rules are incomplete because, he claims, DLNR personnel participate in joint eradication missions in private subdivisions where medical marijuana might be growing."At the very least (the rules) need to address the status of legal cultivation," Adler said.Roger Christie, another longtime advocate, said spraying of herbicide threatens the health and safety of the public in general."If they are supposed to protect the environment, how can they be killing anything out there?" he said.Authorities say the spraying ball that dangles 120 feet below the chopper delivers an accurate spray of heavy droplets that are not likely to drift. They also say that marijuana growers can bring with them alien species of plants that can harm the native environment.  Newshawk: Rev. Dennis Shield  Source: Hawaii-Tribune HeraldAuthor: Dave SmithPublished: May 3, 2001Copyright: 2001 Hawaii-Tribune HeraldContact: dave hilohawaiitribune.comWebsite: http://www.hilohawaiitribune.comRelated Articles & Web Sites:Hawaii Medical Marijuanahttp://www.medijuana.com/Dennis Shield's Home Pagehttp://www.hialoha.com/konagold/church/index.htmlPot Eradication Methods Draw Protest http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread8024.shtmlKim Cites Concerns Over Marijuana Eradicationhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread8020.shtmlChasing Smoke: Hawaii's 24 Year War on Pot http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/specials/pot/index.html 
END SNIP -->
Snipped
Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help




Comment #2 posted by freedom fighter on May 04, 2001 at 18:36:54 PT
For love of our country
Why are we letting them spraying deadly chemicals?Now they are refering the cannabis as alien species.. duh, outer space?Oh, I feel like getting me a 50cal rifle and start shooting the deathcopters..For the love of our country, I know they are doing this in Colombia as well in our own background.But why?Are we that sick enough to wipe out all plants on earth?ff
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #1 posted by Shausha on May 04, 2001 at 15:54:32 PT
Contradiction
There is a contradiction here I want to point out. They say no flying within 1000ft of residential structure. Then the following point says 500ft above residential structures. On top of that, losely used is "whenever possible". These guys are real smoothe. 
[ Post Comment ]


Post Comment


Name: Optional Password: 
E-Mail: 
Subject: 
Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message]
Link URL: 
Link Title: