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<p><span
style="font-family: Verdana,Arial; font-weight: bold; font-size: 18px;">
USDA Poised to Approve Widespread, Risky Field Trial of GE Trees</span>
</p>
<span
style="font-family: Verdana,Arial; font-size: 12px;">
<p>Dear Eric,</p>
<p> </p>
<p><u><img
src="cid:part2.08070301.03080505@aim.com" align="left" border="0"
hspace="3" vspace="3"></u></p>
<p><strong><font color="firebrick">Comment
period ends today -
July 6th at 11:59pm PST - Please send your comment
now!</font></strong></p>
<p><u>The biotechnology firm ArborGen has
asked the USDA for
permission to conduct 29 field trials of genetically engineered
"cold tolerant" eucalyptus trees in the U.S.</u> For the first
time in history, this massive experiment, which is on the verge
of being green-lighted, will literally be using nature as the
laboratory to test more than 260,000 genetically engineered
trees. Scientists across the U.S. are voicing concerns over this
proposal.</p>
<p><u>As it did with GE alfalfa, USDA
failed to conduct and
prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to
comprehensively address all the relevant issues related to the
proposed eucalyptus field trials.</u> Scientists at Duke
University in North Carolina have created pollen models that
show tree pollen traveling from a forest in North Carolina for
over 1,000 kilometers northward into eastern Canada. A study
published in the New Physiologist found pine pollen 600
kilometers from the nearest pines. Scientists researching
sterility in trees have admitted that 100 percent guaranteed
sterility in GE trees is impossible. This evidence implies that
if GE trees are released into the environment, widespread and
irreversible contamination of native forests cannot be
prevented.</p>
<p><u>Contamination of natural trees by
GE eucalyptus could pose
a severe environmental threat.</u> Eucalyptus grow well in warm
climates, so engineering them to tolerate cold temperatures
removes the only barrier to their unrestricted spread. In some
places where eucalyptus have been introduced, they are well
known for escaping and colonizing native ecosystems. For
example, eucalyptus is listed as an invasive species and a
costly plant pest in California. The spread of these plants into
the wild through seeds and plant matter is highly likely, and
the impacts on native ecosystems from this invader are largely
unknown. Additionally, one of the experimental GE tree varieties
is a known host for cryptococcus gatti, a fatal fungal pathogen
whose spores cause meningitis in people and animals.</p>
<p><u>Despite recent federal court
decisions that USDA failed to
address the risk of contamination and other environmental risks
from genetically engineered plants, like GE bentgrass and
alfalfa, USDA seems poised to push ahead with this dangerous
proposal.</u></p>
<p><strong>A public comment period is
open until July 6th, 2009
- please send your comment to USDA APHIS opposing this risky
proposal today!</strong></p>
</span> <br clear="left">
<br>
<a
href="http://ga3.org/campaign/GEtrees/8un56k8r1jx5kw75?"><img
src="cid:part3.02060402.02020409@aim.com" border="0" height="25"
width="100"></a>
<p><span
style="font-family: Verdana,Arial; font-weight: bold; font-size: 13px;">Send
a letter to the following decision maker(s):</span> <br>
<span
style="font-family: Verdana,Arial; font-size: 12px;">Docket No.
APHIS-2008-0059 <br>
</span> </p>
<p><span
style="font-family: Verdana,Arial; font-weight: bold; font-size: 13px;">Below
is the sample letter:</span></p>
<span
style="font-family: Verdana,Arial; font-size: 12px;">
<p>Subject: Oppose Docket No.
APHIS-2008-0059 </p>
<p>Dear [decision maker name
automatically inserted here],</p>
<p>Docket No. APHIS-2008-0059<br>
Regulatory Analysis and Development<br>
PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8<br>
4700 River Road, Unit 118<br>
Riverdale, MD 20737-1238<br>
<br>
Re: USDA/ APHIS Docket No. APHIS-2008-0059<br>
<br>
I am strongly opposed to ArborGen's proposal to conduct 29 field trials
of experimental genetically engineered eucalyptus trees in the U.S.
(APHIS-2008-0059) for the following reasons:</p>
<p> As it did with GE alfalfa, USDA
failed to conduct and prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
to comprehensively address all the relevant issues related to the
proposed eucalyptus field trials. <br>
<br>
Eucalyptus species are introduced organisms into the US and grow well
in certain warm climates such as the southern and southeast US regions.
The main barrier to Eucalyptus becoming established in this region is
that the varieties planted often die in cold temperatures. Genetically
engineering them to tolerate those cold temperatures removes that
barrier. In other regions, where eucalyptus have been introduced, they
are well known for escaping and colonizing native ecosystems.
Eucalyptus has become so established in California that it is now
listed as an invasive species and a plant pest in the state.<br>
<br>
Scientists at Duke University in North Carolina have created pollen
models that show tree pollen traveling from a forest in North Carolina
for over 1,000 kil ometers northward into eastern Canada. A study
published in the New Physiologist found pine pollen 600 kilometers from
the nearest pines. Scientists researching sterility in trees have
admitted that 100 percent guaranteed sterility in GE trees is
impossible. This evidence implies that if GE trees are released into
the environment, widespread and irreversible contamination of native
forests cannot be prevented.<br>
<br>
Contamination of natural trees by GE eucalyptus could pose a severe
environmental threat. The spread of these plants into the wild through
seeds and plant matter is highly likely, and the impacts on native
ecosystems from this invader are largely unknown. Additionally, one of
the experimental GE tree varieties is a known host for cryptococcus
gatti, a fatal fungal pathogen whose spores cause meningitis in people
and animals. <br>
<br>
By the agency's own admission, there are several varieties of
eucalyptus that are naturally cold-tolerant, at least eight of which
could be grown in Southern U.S. states like Alabama. This field trial
is not only risky, it is completely unnecessary.<br>
<br>
Please deny this request, and require the implementation of a full
Environmental Impact Statement.<br>
</p>
<p> Sincerely,<br>
<br>
Eric Brooks<br>
<br>
</p>
</span> <a
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<td align="center" bgcolor="#000000"><span
style="font-family: Verdana,Arial; font-weight: bold; font-size: 14px; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Take
Action!</span></td>
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<p><span
style="font-family: Verdana,Arial; font-weight: bold; font-size: 13px;">Instructions:</span><br>
<span
style="font-family: Verdana,Arial; font-size: 12px;"> <a
target="_blank"
href="http://ga3.org/campaign/GEtrees/8un56k8r1jx5kw75?">Click here to
take action</a> on this issue or choose the "Reply to Sender" option on
your email program. </span> </p>
<br>
<p><span
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<span
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address below to tell your friends about this. <br>
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<p><span
style="font-family: Verdana,Arial; font-weight: bold; font-size: 13px;">What's
At Stake:</span><br>
<span
style="font-family: Verdana,Arial; font-size: 12px;">
<p>For more information on genetically
engineered trees, links to reports, and more, visit the <a
href="http://www.globaljusticeecology.org/stopgetrees_about.php"
target="_blank">Stop GE Trees Campaign</a>, a project of the Global
Justice Ecology Project</p>
</span> </p>
<br>
<p><span
style="font-family: Verdana,Arial; font-weight: bold; font-size: 13px;">Campaign
Expiration Date:</span><br>
<span
style="font-family: Verdana,Arial; font-size: 12px;"> July 7, 2009 </span>
</p>
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