Wash Board of Health Rejects Proposed Rule on Fluoridation
On June 9, 2010, the Washington Board of Health heard from Ned Therien, one of its staff members. Without hearing from proponents of the rulemaking request which would prevent fluoridation until approved by the FDA, the Board voted to dismiss the WASW proposal.
The justification given was mostly incorrect. The only valid point raised was that RCW 57.08.012 gives water districts the right to vote to fluoridate. To adopt the rule we were proposing would mean the complete cessation of all fluoridation. Fluoridation would no longer be an option, and the right of water districts to vote on it would therefore be meaningless. Further, the Board of Health as an administrative agency shys away from overruling or nullify a statute passed by the legislature.
The Board voted unanimously to reject our proposed rule. Most of the Board members had been given the Petition but not the Addenda. Only after voting our proposed rule down did the Board open the meeting to public comment!
Bill Osmunson and I each spoke. We said a lot in the three minutes alloted to each of us. I promised to write them a letter explaining what was wrong with their analysis.
Audrey Adams and Olemar Peterson spoke. They made the point that they or their children are hyper-allergic to fluoride and that the Board should take the issue more seriously.
Eloise Kailin and Gerald Steel, on behalf of Clallam County Citizens for Safe Drinking Water (SAFE), faxed me a letter at the last minute and I submitted it to the Board. The Board accepted it as a new proposal for rule making. The Board made it fairly clear that although they turned down our rule making proposal, they were open to other proposals.
So Bill and I are not disappointed. If we keep educating, we will eventually get through on some level.
We received the e-mail addresses of the Board members, so I for one will try to educate them.
I will post my letter to the Board shortly.