Press Releases: 02/28/08 Mills announces Additional Springville HEAP Outreach 02/28/08 Mills Announces Orchard Park HEAP Outreach 02/15/08 Mills Announces Springville HEAP Outreach 02/05/08 Bee Column 02/08 01/04/08 Mills announces HEAP outreach efforts

John J. Mills - District 13 July, 2007 Typically, I take this opportunity to let you know about different issues that I am working on down at the Erie County Legislature. Rest assured, I continue to work hard to find ways to reduce wasteful spending, reduce taxes, maintain your assets and reengineer county government to make it an ally to working families and businesses alike, rather than a bureaucratic hurdle. However, this month I would like to discuss a hazard every bit as dangerous as unresponsive and inefficient government – Giant Hogweed. Giant Hogweed is also known as Heracleum Mantegazzianu. It is a member of the parsley family and in some ways resembles Heracleum lanatum, more commonly known as Cows Parsnip, which is native to our area. Giant Hogweed is indigenous to the Caucasus Mountains and Southwest Asia. It was brought to the United States in the early 20th century and used in gardens as a uniquely decorative garden plant. Unfortunately, Giant Hogweed escaped gardens and became naturalized in many states, including Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and New York. There are some differences between Giant Hogweed and Cows Parsnip. Giant Hogweed's stem is 2 to 4 inches in diameter with dark purple markings and can grow to heights of 10 to 15 feet when flowering. The leaf deck of the plant can grow up to 5 feet wide. Giant Hogweed flowers in mid-May through July. It prefers moist soil and can quickly dominate stream beds and ravines. However, Giant Hogweed has been found away from stream beds. Giant Hogweed is on the federal government's list of noxious weeds. It is a serious public health risk. Those that come into contact with Giant Hogweed's watery sap found on its stem and leaves, followed by exposure to the ultraviolet rays of the sun, suffer blistering equivalent to second degree burns and permanent scarring. If you do have the misfortune of coming into contact with the sap, avoid sunlight and wash the sap off immediately. You may want to contact your physician if you have a reaction to the sap. Giant Hogweed has been discovered in the Town of Aurora this year. It has been found in several of the Southtowns in recent years. If you discover Giant Hogweed, do not attempt to remove the plant yourself. Report the Giant Hogweed to the Erie County Health Department. This will allow the health department to track the Giant Hogweed infestation, as well as make arrangements to eradicate the plant safely and prevent it from spreading. The telephone number for the Erie County Health Department is 858-7660. You can also find more information about Giant Hogweed online at www.health.state.ny.us/environmental/outdoors/hogweed/giant_hogweed.htm. Giant Hogweed is a safety hazard and should not be taken lightly. I would like to hear your thoughts about what your Erie County government can do to make the county a safer place to work and live. Please contact me at my District Office, located at 431 Main Street in East Aurora. My telephone number is 655-5650. You can also reach me by email at jmills13@erie.gov. To read about some of the issues that I have been addressing at the legislature, please visit my website online at www.erie.gov/legislature/district13/index.asp. Back to District 13 Homepage