An Agreement on Pfiesteria Despite Disagreement
Md., Va. Vow to Share Findings, Resources
But Still Differ on Health Threat, Solution
By Charles Babington and Eric Lipton
Washington Post Staff Writers
Saturday, September 20, 1997; Page C01
The Washington Post
Maryland and Virginia pledged yesterday to share medical data
and resources in combating a fish-killing microbe, but they continued
to differ on the organism's potential threat to humans and on
how governments should respond.
Maryland Gov. Parris N. Glendening (D) hosted a six-state Governors'
Summit in Annapolis that was called to address the problem. He
basked in frequent praise for his aggressive response to the microbe,
Pfiesteria piscicida.
At the same time, Glendening said his state will make a new effort
to pass on medical data about the microbe's risks to humans that
Virginia has been demanding, a pledge that Virginia Gov. George
Allen (R) welcomed as an "important breakthrough." Glendening
also tempered his earlier suggestions that the poultry industry
might be a particular target for new restrictions on pollutants
suspected of triggering the microbe's toxic form.
Meanwhile yesterday, Virginia officials said there was more evidence
of pfiesteria in the Rappahannock River, where fish have been
sickened and have lesions typical of those caused by the microbe.
But the officials, backed by some independent researchers, reaffirmed
Virginia's position that the organism poses no immediate health
threat so long as it's not killing fish.
Also attending the summit were governors or senior officials of
Delaware, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and North Carolina. In a
day marked by broad smiles and pledges of cooperation, Glendening
seemed eager to soften the distinctions drawn between his pfiesteria
policy and Allen's.
"We realize that there are very different causes in different
states, and different responses in different states," Glendening
said.
Virginia has refrained from closing rivers, saying it will do
so only if the microbe is suspected in significant fish kills.
By contrast, Glendening has closed two Maryland waterways where
fish have been sickened but not killed in large numbers.
At the summit's closing news conference, Glendening also said
he will give poultry farms no more scrutiny than any other major
source of nutrient runoff, which scientists blame for toxic blooms
of pfiesteria.
"There is no time for finger-pointing," Glendening said.
"There is no time for blaming one part of the economy or
another. . . . The only place that I've seen any discussion of
legislation being contemplated for poultry farmers or anything
else was in the newspapers. I have not discussed that."
In response to a question at a Sept. 11 news conference, Glendening
said he was considering new legislation to restrict chicken manure
runoff. He said it was likely "we will have to go beyond
the current status, which is voluntary compliance." Leaders
of the poultry industry, Maryland's biggest agriculture sector,
complained they were being unfairly targeted.
In hailing Maryland's promise to hand over medical information,
Allen said he hopes Maryland soon will provide Virginia officials
with data about a handful of Marylanders who apparently have suffered
health problems from exposure to pfiesteria in its toxic form.
But Maryland officials warned that the data will be supplied only
from those patients who waive their confidentiality rights. All
patients have been promised that the raw data will be kept secret
unless they give written consent to release the information, said
Maryland Health and Mental Hygiene Secretary Martin P. Wasserman.
The medical information -- from which Maryland physicians concluded
that several persons suffered memory loss and other problems after
being exposed to pfiesteria -- is important because it was the
basis for Glendening's decision to close streams if fish become
sick but remain alive. Allen's medical advisers repeatedly have
requested detailed information of the Maryland medical exams,
so they can draw their own conclusions about pfiesteria's possible
effects on human health.
Meanwhile in Richmond, officials reported that samples taken from
the Rappahannock on Monday showed 600 cells per cubic centimeter
of "pfiesteria-like" organisms in the water. North Carolina
State University botanist JoAnn M. Burkholder -- who attended
yesterday's summit and is considered the discoverer of pfiesteria
-- characterized that as a high concentration.
But her analysis, requested by Virginia officials, has not yet
confirmed that the organisms are indeed pfiesteria. And even if
they are, they may not be toxic. Burkholder said waters with significant
concentrations of pfiesteria in its nontoxic forms deserve monitoring
but pose no immediate health threat.
Given the growing evidence of the presence of the microbe and
the extent of its concentration in the river's waters, even state
officials yesterday expressed surprise that there have not been
widespread fish kills in the Rappahannock.
"Isn't that interesting that we are not having fish kills,"
Virginia Health Commissioner Randolph L. Gordon said.
Throughout the summit, Allen emphasized that evidence of pfiesteria's
potential harm to humans is far from conclusive. "To date,
we have not had a single person in Virginia report any ailment
or sickness," Allen told reporters. "Maryland's approach
is based on a different set of circumstances, really, from what
we've had in Virginia."
Reminded that pfiesteria has become a minor campaign issue in
Virginia's gubernatorial race, Allen, who is not running, said:
"You know what the people of Virginia care about on this
issue? They care about getting answers. They care about marine
science. They care about medical science. They don't give a hoot
about political science."
Also attending the summit were Delaware Gov. Thomas R. Carper
(D), West Virginia Gov. Cecil H. Underwood (R) and representatives
of the North Carolina and Pennsylvania governors.
There have been no confirmed outbreaks of toxic pfiesteria in
Delaware, Pennsylvania or West Virginia, but all have rivers feeding
the Chesapeake Bay.
Also addressing the group was U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Administrator Carol M. Browner. She pledged federal cooperation
in understanding and combating pfiesteria's toxic forms.
The governors or their representatives signed an agreement pledging
"to establish a mechanism for the effective exchange of information"
on pfiesteria's biological traits; to notify each other immediately
of suspected pfiesteria outbreaks; to work together for federal
aid in the effort; and to "establish a regional technical
team to report back by the end of this year . . . on the most
effective measures" to evaluate pfiesteria's risks.
Glendening press secretary Judi Scioli said the D.C. government
was invited to send a representative but did not respond.
Staff writer Justin Gillis contributed to this report.
© Copyright 1997 The Washington Post Company