Pubdate: Sun, 18 Mar 2012 Source: Reporter, The (Vacaville, CA) Copyright: 2012 The Reporter Contact: http://www.thereporter.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/472 Author: William H. Owen CONTAMINATION SYMPTOM It was interesting to read about the problem of nitrate contamination in California ("Nitrate contamination spreading," March 14). I believe a retired game warden friend of mine has it correct when he says it's mainly due to illegal marijuana growing by Mexican drug cartels. Unfortunately, because of the spread of marijuana growers, Californians have lost safe access to much of the state. In 2010, I was pheasant-hunting on public land in Solano County and came across a freshly harvested marijuana farm that had not been there the previous year. Earlier the same year, while hunting deer on Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve (BCCER), I came across the remains of a marijuana plot. On BCCER, the growers dug out a reservoir in the trees at the foot of the cliffs, where fertilizer could be mixed and drip-fed to the marijuana plants. There was no response from the Solano Sheriff's department about the Solano grove, but I did get a response from the California Department of Fish and Game. The symptom of nitrate contamination is only one of many resulting from not having a responsible guest-worker program. California needs a responsible program not only to protect citizens but also to protect those who come here to work. I believe the following must be done. 1. Close the border to all illegal immigration. It's just insane to allow anyone (even despicably bad guys) access to California. 2. Establish a system to background-check guest workers before allowing them into California. This should be paid for by the future employers. This system is key to giving guest workers rights that they currently do not have. 3. Severely punish cities that declare amnesty for illegal aliens. 4. Give workers who are here illegally but can show that they are gainfully employed a path to becoming a legal guest worker. It's just common sense. William H. Owen Vacaville - --- MAP posted-by: Richard R Smith Jr.