On June 27, 2006, the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors (3-0) adopted the County's first-ever environmental policy -- the Mendocino County Precautionary Principle Policy.

The Precautionary Principle is a guiding framework for decision-making that anticipates how actions will affect the environment and the health of future generations. The newly adopted policy will provide an innovative structure for decision-making. This structure includes the value of public input, transparency, full-cost and benefit accounting, and guidance towards alternatives with the least potential impact on human health and the environment. County officials in coordination with the Mendocino Partnership for the Precautionary Principle have selected two county departments to begin incorporating the Precautionary Principle into decision-making: Environmental Health and the Water Agency. The chosen pilot project will focus on the county's Storm Water Discharge Program (SWDP).

To read the Mendocino County Precautionary Principle Policy for yourself, click here, or find out more about the Environmental Commons group.

** Update from Britt Bailey, Mendocino Partnership for the Precautionary Principle **

Dear Precautionary Principle Endorsers,

It has been nearly a year since Mendocino County passed the Precautionary Principle Policy. I want to take this opportunity to update you on our progress.

As you may know, the Precautionary Principle Policy states that the "implementation of the policy will begin with a pilot project utilizing two (2) County Departments to be recommended by the CEO and selected by the BOS. Implementation guidelines for the precautionary principle will be developed during this initial phase that will then be disseminated to other county departments for use and implementation. "

In October 2006, the interim CEO, Mr. Al Beltrami, proposed that the Water Agency and Environmental Health participate with the Precautionary Principle Partnership (hereinafter the Partnership) in developing a framework or procedure for implementing the objectives of the Principle. The Partnership has been meeting monthly with involved officials and we are on the brink of having a  final draft framework or procedure to guide staff through the new decision-making process.

The procedure for implementing the Precautionary Principle will be applied to two different projects. Environmental Health has chosen to apply the Principle to its mosquito control program to manage for West Nile Virus. Currently the County recommends the use of mosquito fish and larvicides.

The Water Agency will be using the Precautionary Principle for an element of its Stormwater Management Program. The Stormwater Management Program, mandated by the Clean Water Act, holds considerable potential for controlling sediment run-off, illicit toxic discharges, and educating residents about the effects of such run-off into surface waters of Mendocino.

A major aspect of the Precautionary Principle includes transparency and public participation. To that end, our website (www.mendoprecaution.org)  has been an active portal for any and all information related to our progress in Mendocino. Our meetings are posted and always open to the public. By the end of June the draft framework will be available for review. In addition, we strongly encourage public involvement in the upcoming pilot projects. Thank you for your continued interest in the Mendocino County Precautionary Principle.

Sincerely,
Britt Bailey
Mendocino Partnership for the Precautionary Principle
http://www.mendoprecaution.org