Stop Prairie Dog Poisoning!

Subject: Subject: EPA-HQ-OPP-2009-0624

Dear Decision Maker,

As someone who cares about the health of wildlife and the environment, I'm writing to voice my opposition to the Environmental Protection Agency's May 2009 approval of Rozol to kill prairie dogs in ten states across America.

[Your personal comment will be added here.]

In addition to killing black-tailed prairie dogs -- themselves a candidate for federal protection -- this poison, along with a similar poison, Kaput-D, will put other imperiled species at unacceptable risk in violation of the Endangered Species Act, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and other federal laws.

Prairie dogs have declined by more than 95% from their historic numbers due to habitat loss, poisoning, shooting and non-native disease. And as a keystone species, their decline has had a negative effect on other prairie animals -- including black-footed ferrets, one of the rarest animals in the world.

Rozol and Kaput-D cause prairie dogs to slowly bleed to death -- a cruel and excruciating way to die. And while that's bad enough, these chemicals also set off a chain reaction of secondary poisoning that can kill imperiled animals that are tied to prairie dogs on the food chain, including black-footed ferrets, swift foxes, badgers, golden and bald eagles, burrowing owls and ferruginous hawks.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials sent a letter requesting that your agency consult with them before approving Rozol -- and to put Kaput-D on hold completely -- because prairie dog poisoning had been shown to be a "major factor in the decline of [black-footed] ferrets" and because they had serious concerns about the effects these two poisons could have on other prairie wildlife.

But despite these requests, the EPA approved the use of Rozol without properly consulting with federal wildlife experts and without giving the public a chance to weigh in on this deadly decision.

I appreciate the agency's recent decisions to accept public comment on new uses of Rozol and Kaput-D and for following through on its plan to get rid of carbofuran. I hope you will listen to concerned citizens like me and reverse your May decision to approve Rozol -- and suspend the use of Kaput-D -- to kill prairie dogs, as these poisons have far-reaching and devastating consequences for other wildlife, including several endangered species.

Thank you for considering my views on this urgent matter. I look forward to your reply.