MARIJUANA GROWS' FIRE DANGER, PESTICIDE USE DISCUSSED

The Anderson Valley fire chief weighed in on proposed medical
marijuana guidelines affecting fire departments Monday, and the ag
commissioner also talked about pesticide regulation.

The Health and Human Services committee chaired by supervisors
Kendall Smith and John McCowen met to continue review of medical
marijuana regulations in county nuisance code.

Anderson Valley Fire Chief Colin Wilson said he is concerned about
indoor grow fires and also who will be assigned to enforce the
ordinance. "It refers to hazards, but provides no mitigation
measures," Wilson said. Wilson suggested language to authorize the
building and planning department to inspect.

Inadequate electrical service combined with outdoor agricultural
products that have flammable vapors create a fire hazard that when
there is a fire can go unnoticed until neighbors or passersby see it,
Wilson stated in a letter to the Board of Supervisors.

Too much demand for electricity on too little supply can be a fire
hazard. Wilson said he is also worried about it being a "paper permit
process."

He said he has seen a barn destroyed when complaints went unanswered,
for example.

"The neighbor had complained on a number of occasions and no action
was taken by anyone," Wilson said.

He estimated that about 50 percent of buildings lost to fire in the
county are marijuana grow-related.

"I have seen a number of fires related to marijuana grows that were
in the 25-plant limit," Wilson said.

County Ag Commissioner Tony Linegar also spoke briefly about
pesticides and medical marijuana crops.

"No pesticide can legally be applied to marijuana," Linegar said.
Marijuana is not legal under federal law and it would be costly to
get on a pesticide list, Linegar said.

"You cannot use any pesticide in conflict with its registered label,"
Linegar said. A member of the public said "organic" medical marijuana
would be preferable to her.

"There are lots of organic pesticides," Linegar said. But organic
regulation would not be likely from the state, as federal law states
that marijuana is illegal.

"It is going to have to be private industry driven," he
said.

A lengthy proposed permit application to allow medical marijuana
collectives to grow up to 99 plants on a parcel was debuted by the
committee (see accompanying article).