A recent newspaper article contained this quote attributed to a university professor with previous work experience at the EPA: “ProcellaCOR is not selective at all. It will not just target the milfoil. It will target indiscriminately every plant in the lake. ProcellaCOR will decimate pretty much all the plants in the treatment areas.” Is this true?

Absolutely not. ProcellaCOR is highly selective to milfoil. The specimen label does list a few plants native to Vermont that can be impacted by ProcellaCOR, for example, coontail and watershield. When spot ProcellaCOR treatments are permitted for control milfoil in a lake, permit conditons take into consideration impacts to non-target plants and treatments, e.g.,  avoiding populations of these sensitive native species, use of low ProcellaCOR concentrations.

Vermont DEC performed a statistical analysis of ProcellaCOR use in Vermont lakes, and this analysis showed statistically significant decreases in milfoil, and statistically significant increases in native plants. These results reflect a successful treament regime –  when the invasive plant species is controlled, the native plants will take back that space. This analysis was completed using data from permit-required aquatic plant surveys from Vermont lakes treated with ProcellaCOR.