Michigan Pesticides Council Records
00154

Summary Information

Repository
Michigan State University Archives and Historical Collections
Creator
Michigan Pesticides Council.
Title
Michigan Pesticides Council records
ID
00154
Date [inclusive]
1962-1979
Extent
2.66 Cubic feet
Language
English

Preferred Citation

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: "Item title, Collection title, Collection Identifier, Michigan State University Archives & Historical Collections, East Lansing, Michigan."

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Historical Note

Michigan Pesticides Council (MPC) records were donated by Dr. Paul Barrett, a professor in Michigan State University's department of Natural Science, who served as the Council's chairman from approximately 1973 until its demise in 1979. The MPC grew out of the efforts of a small group of Michigan environmentalists originally concerned with the problem of the increasing amounts of persistent pesticides found in Michigan soils and waters. These individuals, representing a wide range of interest groups, met on an informal basis in August 1967 at the Holland, Michigan home of Mrs. Ann Van Lente and agreed to form an ad hoc committee to "... consider the possibility and desirability of eliminating the use of persistent chlorinated hydro-carbon pesticides in Michigan..." and with the ultimate purpose of forming a permanent council which would do the same. A state-wide organizational meeting was held on October 14. At this meeting articles of organization were submitted and suggestions taken from the floor as to how to best go about dealing with environmental problems created by the use of pesticides in Michigan.

In January of 1968 the final draft of the Articles of Organization was drawn up. The organization was dubbed the "MPC" and membership was opened to community, regional, and state organizations as well as concerned individuals. An executive committee was selected with Mr. Norman Spring, then president of the Michigan Steelheaders Association as chairman and Dr. John H. Kitchel, then president of the Michigan United Conservation Clubs, as vice-chairman.

According to its first newsletter, published in March 1968, the purposes of the MPC were twofold: (1) to carry out an educational program, informing citizens of the threats to their environment created by pesticides, and (2) to take any action necessary to "... protect, maintain, or restore the quality of our environment by controlling the use of pesticides..."

During the following ten years, through changes in leadership and in spite of growing financial pressures, the Council involved itself and often became the state wide leader in a variety of pesticide-related causes. Council members campaigned in favor of passage by the Michigan Legislature of numerous bills and regulations to ban the use of DDT, dieldrin, and other persistent chlorinated hydrocarbon pesticides in Michigan. They also worked for the passage of a state-wide pesticides control act which, among other Council members campaigned against the state-wide spraying of dieldrin to eradicate the gypsy moth in Michigan and pressured Governor Milliken's office to hold public hearings on the subject. MPC members condemned the general use of 2, 4, S-T, 2A, 4, 5-TP, carbon, silvex, and other dioxin-containing compounds on Michigan lands and waters to control insects and objected to the use of chlordane to control the Japanese beetle population in Michigan. Their largest and most thorough campaign was aimed at preventing the passage of any MAD (Mosquito Abatement District) bills by the Michigan Legislature; these bills, as the council pointed out, would allow only 8% of the voters in districts of over 100 people to establish mosquito control programs in their areas.

Perhaps the most visible personality among the trustees of the MPC was Michigan State University Natural Science professor Paul Barrett, who assumed chairmanship of the Council in 1972 or 1973 and retained it until the Council disbanded in 1979. The majority of MPC correspondence found in these records is addressed to him; members of other Michigan environmentalist groups as well as the members of the Council who often went to him for advice and encouragement in pursuing their conservationist interests. One will often find in the MPC correspondences expressions of thanks to Dr. Barrett for his time and efforts in helping with this or that matter.

Following Dr. Barrett's lead, a few of the Council members turned their attention to other, non-pesticide conservation interests outside of Michigan, as indicated in the contents of several of the subject files. Popular causes included a campaign against the use of cyanide and other poisons in Wyoming and Colorado for the control of grazing animal predators such as wolves and coyotes, and a movement for the world-wide protection of marine mammals. In Michigan, Council members and others worked for the establishment in the state of the Sleeping Bear Dunes, located on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan, as a unit of the United States National Park system.

The MPC published a newsletter three to six times a year to provide "...MPC members, legislators, school administrators, and other concerned individuals with the latest developments in the changing pesticides field..." Trustees meetings were held three to six times a year and an annual meeting was held that was open to all MPC members and any other interested individuals.

Due to the desires on the part of several Council trustees to step down from their positions and the lack of interested individuals to take their places, as well as a floundering treasury, the MPC disbanded in 1979.

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Scope and Contents note

The records consist of research data covering a variety of conservation and environment-related subjects, information concerning various Michigan conservation/environmentalist groups, and the administrative records of the MPC itself. Some articles found in the collection date as far back as 1948, but the bulk of material is dated between 1960 and 1975.

All files are organized according to subject matter. MPC administrative records include the original organizational materials, minutes and agendas from trustees meetings, records of officers, trustees, and advisors of the MPC, and financial records. The records also contain copies of nearly all the MPC newsletters, from 1968 to 1977. Contents of files concerning other Michigan environmentalist organizations vary from incomplete to fairly extensive depending on how closely the particular organization worked with MPC on environmental concerns.

Other subject files also vary on the amount of information contained within. The most extensive of these series is the Pesticides files, which comprise a full 21 folders of the 153-folder collection. Contained in these files is correspondence concerning legislation, copies of legislation and statements made at hearings, pamphlets and usage manuals of pesticides, and 16 folders of information, containing newspaper and magazine articles and reports collected between 1963 and 1979.

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

Michigan State University Archives and Historical Collections

Conrad Hall
888 Wilson Road, Room 101
East Lansing , MI, 48824
517-355-2330
archives@msu.edu

Revision Description

  February 2010

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Legal Status note

Copyright: Michigan State University. Property Rights: Michigan State University. Literary Rights: Donated to the Public.

Conditions Governing Use

Permission to publish material from this collection must be obtained from University Archives & Historical Collections, Michigan State University.

Custodial History

Gift of Paul H. Barrett, 1982-10-11.

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Controlled Access Headings

Corporate Name(s)

  • East Michigan Environmental Action Council.
  • Environmental Action Council.
  • Governors' Great Lakes Regional Interdisciplinary Pesticide Council.
  • Michigan Committee for Environmental Information.
  • Michigan Environmental Review Board.
  • Michigan Pesticide Association.
  • Michigan Pesticides Advisory Committee.
  • Michigan State University. College of Social Science. Environmental Studies Specialization.
  • Michigan Student Environmental Confederation, Inc..
  • Michigan United Conservation Clubs.
  • Michigan. Department of Natural Resources.
  • Nature Way Association.
  • Rachel Carson Trust for the Living Environment, Inc..
  • Sierra Club. Mackinac Chapter.
  • United States. Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife.
  • West Michigan Environmental Action Council.

Genre(s)

  • Letters (correspondence)
  • Newsletters

Geographic Name(s)

  • San Rafael Wilderness (Calif.)
  • Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (Mich.)
  • Trans-Alaska Pipeline (Alaska)

Personal Name(s)

  • Barrett, Paul H.
  • Barrett, Paul H.
  • Hickel, Walter J., 1919-2010

Subject(s)

  • All terrain vehicles
  • Antiaircraft missiles -- United States
  • DDT (Insecticide)
  • Douglas fir tussock moth
  • Dutch elm disease
  • Ecology -- Michigan
  • Endangered species -- Law and legislation -- United States
  • Energy conservation
  • Falconry
  • Grain -- Diseases and pests
  • Green Revolution
  • Gypsy moth
  • Herbicides
  • Hunting
  • Insect pests -- Control
  • Japanese beetle
  • Marine mammals
  • Mercury -- Toxicology
  • Mosquitos -- Control
  • Nature conservation -- United States
  • Nuclear energy
  • Pesticides
  • Pesticides -- Law and legislation
  • Poisons -- Safety measures
  • Pollution -- Michigan
  • Public lands -- Recreational use
  • Wildlife conservation -- United States

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Collection Inventory

Administrative Files 
Box Folder

Board Elections -- 1970-1971, 1973-1975, 1977 

 1 1

Dues, Newsletter Mailings Lists -- 1968, 1971-1973, 1978-1979, n.d. 

 1 2

Finances -- 1968-1978 

 1 3

Meeting Agendas -- 1968-1978 

 1 4

Minutes -- 1968-1971, 1974-1976 

 1 5

Notes -- 1968-1975 

 1 6

Officers, Trustees and Advisors -- 1969-1971, 1973-1974, 1978-1979, n.d. 

 1 7

Organization Materials -- 1968-1969 

 1 8
Box Folder

Alaskan Pipeline -- 1969-1973 

 1 9

Anti-Ballistic Missile System -- 1969, n.d. 

 1 10

Carson, Rachel Trust Fund -- 1969, 1974-1975, n.d. 

 1 11

Cereal Pests -- 1969, 1971, 1973-1974 

 1 12

Conservation and Environment. Bibliographies -- 1968, 1970, 1973, n.d. 

 1 13

Correspondence 
Box Folder

 1968-1969 

 1 14

 1970-1971 

 1 15

 1972-1973 

 1 16

 1974 

 1 17-18

 1975 

 1 19-20

 1976-1979, n.d. 

 1 21
Box Folder

Crises in Pest Control Seminar -- 1974 

 1 22

DDT 
Box Folder

Correspondence -- 1964, 1968-1969, 1972, 1974-1975 

 1 23

Information 
Box Folder

 1969 

 1 24-26

 1970 

 1 27

 1971 

 1 28

 1973-1974 

 1 29

 1975, n.d. 

 1 30
Box Folder

Legislation -- 1969-1970 

 1 31

Legislation Position Statements -- 1968-1970 

 1 32

Miscellaneous -- 1962-1965, 1967-1968 

 1 33
Box Folder

Defoliants and Herbicides -- 1969-1970, 1973 

 1 34

Dutch Elm Disease -- 1971-1974 

 1 35

East Michigan Environmental Action Council -- 1976-1977 

 1 36

Ecology 
Box Folder

 1968-1970 

 1 37

 1971-1972, 1977, n.d. 

 1 38
Box Folder

Endangered Species Preservation Bill -- 1969 

 1 39

Energy Crisis -- 1973 

 1 40

Environmental Action Council Newsletter -- 1969, 1971 

 1 41

Environmental Protection Agency -- 1973-1974 

 1 42

Falconry Legislation -- 1975, 1977-1978 

 1 43

Governor's Pesticide Council -- 1974 

 1 44

The "Green Revolution" -- 1973-1974 

 1 45

Gypsy Moth 

Correspondence 
Box Folder

 1973-1975 

 1 46

 1975-1977, n.d. 

 1 47

Information 
Box Folder

 1968-1969, 1971-1973 

 1 48

 1974 

 1 49

 1975-1977, n.d. 

 1 50

Herbicides: 2, 4, 5-T and 2, 4-D 
Box Folder

Correspondence -- 1974, 1976, n.d. 

 1 51

Information -- 1970, 1973-1976, 1978 

 1 52

Statements -- 1973-1975 

 1 53
Box Folder

Hickel, Walter J., Nomination for Secretary of the Interior -- 1968-1969 

 1 54

Hunting -- 1968, 1972, 1974 

 1 55

Japanese Beetle 
Box Folder

Correspondence -- 1973-1975 

 1 56

Information -- 1963-1964, 1967-1968, 1972-1974 

 1 57
Box Folder

Land and Air Pollution -- 1968-1972, 1974 

 1 58

Legislators, Federal and State -- 1966, 1971-1976, n.d. 

 1 59

Mercury Poisoning -- 1970-1972 

 1 60

Michigan Committee for Environmental Information -- 1969, n.d. 

 1 61

Michigan Department of Agriculture 
Box Folder

Gypsy Moth Eradication Program -- 1974 

 1 62

Interdepartmental Environmental Review Committee Minutes -- 1975 

 1 63
Box Folder

Michigan Dept. of Natural Resources News Bulletin -- 1974-1975 

 1 64

Michigan Environmental Impact Statement 

Gypsy Moth Treatment Program 
Box Folder

 1974 

 1 65

 1975 

 1 66
Box Folder

Michigan Environmental Review Board -- 1974-1975 

 1 67

Michigan Pesticides Advisory Committee Kenaga Appointment -- 1977 

 1 68

Michigan Pesticide Association Newsletter -- 1972, 1974 

 1 69

Michigan Pesticides Control Act 
Box Folder

Correspondence -- 1973-1977 

 1 70

House Bills and Statements 
Box Folder

 1973-1974 

 2 1

 1975-1976 

 2 2
Box Folder

Miscellaneous -- 1969, 1973-1977, n.d. 

 2 3
Box Folder

Michigan Recreation Funds -- 1969, n.d. 

 2 4

Michigan Returnable Beverage Containers -- 1968, 1971-1973 

 2 5

MSU College of Environmental Science Proposal -- 1969 

 2 6

Michigan Student Environmental Confederation, Inc. Newsletters and Elections -- 1974-1977, n.d. 

 2 7

Michigan Unified Conservation Clubs -- 1969, 1975 

 2 8

Miscellaneous 
Box Folder

 1967, 1969-1973 

 2 9

 1974-1977 

 2 10

Mosquito Control 

Correspondence 
Box Folder

 1968, 1971-1974 

 2 11

 1975 

 2 12

 1976-1977, n.d. 

 2 13

Information 
Box Folder

 1956, 1958-1959, 1961, 1963-1964, 1968-1971 

 2 14

 1972 

 2 15

 1973-1976, 1978, n.d. 

 2 16

Legislation 
Box Folder

 1971-1974 

 2 17

 1975-1976, n.d. 

 2 18

Miscellaneous 
Box Folder

 1970-1973, 1975-1977 

 2 19

 1978, n.d. 

 2 20-21
Box Folder

Symposium on Disease Vector Management -- 1978 

 2 22
Box Folder

Natural Resource Conservation and Environmental Protection Act -- 1970 

 2 23

Nature Way Association -- 1968-1969 

 2 24

Newsletter 
Box Folder

 1968-1972 

 2 25

 1973-1977 

 2 26
Box Folder

Nuclear Power -- 1969-1971, 1973, n.d. 

 2 27

Off-the-Road Vehicles -- 1974 

 2 28

Overpopulation -- 1968-1971 

 2 29

Pesticides 
Box Folder

Correspondence -- 1968-1969, 1971, 1973-1976, n.d. 

 2 30

Information 
Box Folder

 1963-1967 

 2 31

 1968 

 2 32

 1969 

 3 33-34

 1970 

 2 35

 1971 

 2 36

 1972 

 2 37-38

 1973 

 2 39-40

 1974 

 2 41-42

 1975 

 2 43-44

 1976 

 2 45

 1977-1979 

 2 46

Legislation 
Box Folder

 1949, 1967-1971 

 2 47

 1972, 1974-1976, 1978-1979, n.d. 

 2 48
Box Folder

Pamphlets and Usage Manuals -- 1963, 1967-1968, 1975, 1977-1978, n.d. 

 2 49

Statements -- 1968-1971, 1974-1975 

 2 50

Predator Control 
Box Folder

Correspondence -- 1968-1971, 1974-1975, n.d. 

 2 51

Information 
Box Folder

 1948, 1953, 1958, 1960-1961, 1963-1966 

 3 1

 1967-1970, 1973, n.d. 

 3 2

U.S. Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife Annual Report 
Box Folder

Colorado -- 1965-1967 

 3 3

Wyoming -- 1966-1967 

 3 4
Box Folder

Protection of Marine Mammals -- 1971-1972 

 3 5

Public Land Review Commission Press Releases -- 1968-1970 

 3 6

Public Lands Use -- 1967-1968, 1970-1972, 1975 

 3 7

Roadside Vegetation Management -- 1972, 1977-1979 

 3 8

San Raphael Wilderness Bill -- 1967-1968 

 3 9

Sierra Club 
Box Folder

Conservation Steering Committee -- 1969-1971 

 3 10

Elections -- 1968-1971, 1975, n.d. 

 3 11

Executive Committee -- 1968-1969 

 3 12

The Mackinac 
Box Folder

 1968-1971 

 3 13

 1972-1975 

 3 14

Mackinac Chapter Newsletter 
Box Folder

 1969-1971 

 3 15

 1971-1972, 1974, 1977 

 3 16
Box Folder

Membership -- 1970-1971 

 3 17

Miscellaneous -- 1968-1969, 1971, 1976, n.d. 

 4 1

Proposals, Resolutions and Statements -- 1968-1971 

 4 2

Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes 
Box Folder

 1965, 1967 

 4 3

 1968-1970 

 4 4
Box Folder

Toxic Substances Control -- 1977, n.d. 

 4 5

Tussock Moth -- 1973-1975, n.d. 

 4 6

U.S. Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife Research -- 1972 

 4 7

Water Pollution -- 1968-1970, 1974-1975 

 4 8

West Michigan Environmental Action Council 
Box Folder

Board of Directors -- 1972-1973 

 4 9

Correspondence -- 1969, 1973, 1979 

 4 10

Legislation -- 1969-1975 

 4 11

Miscellaneous -- 1968-1969, 1971-1973 

 4 12

Newsletter -- 1971-1977, 1979 

 4 13

Wilderness Preservation 
Box Folder

Michigan -- 1970-1973 

 4 14

National -- 1968-1973, n.d. 

 4 15