Gov. Chris Sununu said last week in an executive council meeting in Wakefield that cyanobacteria are not toxic—a claim that could be contested by ecologists.
“This is not toxic. This does not kill people,” Sununu said to Robert Scott, commissioner of the Department of Environmental Services, as reported in the New Hampshire Bulletin.
Sununu’s remarks came during a conversation regarding cyanobacteria blooms on Lake Winnipesaukee around Labor Day weekend.
At the meeting, Sununu lambasted the DES, and said that its messaging around cyanobacteria was needlessly scaring people.
Cyanobacteria, which is also known as blue-green algae, are important to aquatic ecosystems but in larger numbers can lead to “blooms” that cause ecological and human health concerns, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Toxins released by cyanobacteria can affect various parts of the body including the central nervous system, the liver, and gastrointestinal tract. It can also be deadly to dogs.
Cyanobacteria peak in the summer—in June and July—and can persist until early fall.
The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) routinely issues swimming advisories on cyanobacteria to help people avoid potential exposure to the bacteria. Latest NHDES cyanobacteria warnings can be checked here.
