r-10592City Council Meeting: 6-28-11
Santa Monica, California
RESOLUTION NUMBER 10592 (CCS)
(City Council Series)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA EXPRESSING THE NEED TO PROTECT
CONSUMERS AND THE ENVIRONMENT FROM GENETICALLY ENGINEERED
SALMON
WHEREAS, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is considering approval of
the first genetically-engineered organism for human consumption, genetically
engineered salmon; and
WHEREAS, the FDA has no means to assess the genetically-engineered salmon
as a product intended for human consumption and the review process being used is
intended for new animal drugs, rather than the creation of new food animals; and
WHEREAS, such a limited review by the FDA of the first genetically-engineered
animal for human consumption could endanger consumer and environmental health,
and more research is needed before this product is released into the marketplace; and
WHEREAS, only a limited amount of information was released to the public two
weeks before review committee hearings, during which committee members criticized
the studies, calling for additional testing; and
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WHEREAS, the approval of genetically-engineered salmon also presents
significant environmental risks, including the potential for these fish to escape and
spread in the natural environment, the potential for up to 5% of the fish's eggs to be
viable, and the pressure that even sterile genetically-engineered fish would put on wild
salmon stocks by competing for resources; and
WHEREAS, on September 17th, 2010, fourteen California legislators sent a letter
to an FDA Commissioner registering deep concern that "approval [of AquaBounty
salmon] will lead numerous other applications to grow this and other genetically
modified fish... [and] California's wild salmon runs- are at historical lows and are not
capable of withstanding an additional assault that could come from escaped genetically-
modified farmed salmon in the future"; and
WHEREAS, California's United States Senators and many California
Representatives, along with others throughout the country, sent letters to the FDA in
late 2010 that expressed serious concerns about the potential approval of genetically-
engineered salmon; and
WHEREAS, nearly 400,000 comments were submitted to the FDA criticizing the
approval process and urging that the FDA not approve the genetically-engineered
salmon in late 2010; and
WHEREAS, approval of this genetically-engineered fish could set a dangerous
precedent for approval for other genetically-engineered animals.
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NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA
DOES RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The City Council of Santa Monica opposes the approval of
genetically-engineered salmon by the Food and Drug Administration because it
threatens adverse impacts on consumer health and the environment.
SECTION 2. The City Council of Santa Monica urges sponsorship and passage
of H.R. 521, which would prevent the approval of genetically-engineered fish under the
federal Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act.
SECTION 3. The City Council of Santa Monica urges the President and the
FDA to immediately put a stop to the FDA's pending approval of the first genetically-
engineered organism for human consumption.
SECTION 4. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Resolution, and
thenceforth and thereafter the same shall be in full force and effect.
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APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Adopted and approved this 28t" day of June, 2011.
Richard Bloom, Mayor
I, Denise Anderson-Warren, Acting City Clerk of the City of Santa Monica, do
hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution No. 10592 (CCS) was duly adopted at a
meeting of the Santa Monica City Council held on the 28th day of June, 2011, by the
following vote:
Ayes: Councilmembers:
Noes: Councilmembers:
Holbrook, O'Connor, O'Day,
Mayor Bloom, Mayor Pro Tem Davis
None
Absent: Councilmembers: McKeown, Shriver
ATTEST:
Denise Anderson-Warren, Acting City Clerk