State vows to ensure moth spraying is safe

[flashl]

California environmental officials pledge to thoroughly screen pesticides for risks to human health before the chemicals are aerially sprayed to eradicate a crop-eating moth in seven counties, including in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The state is trying to avoid a repeat of last year's controversial 15 nighttime spraying forays over Santa Cruz and Monterey counties.

Under an emergency exemption from the federal government, two formulations of virtually untested and unregistered pesticides were sprayed last fall over densely populated urban areas for the first time in the United States.

But winning the public's support for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's new program to eradicate the light brown apple moth could be difficult.

...

Critics contend that the government's scientific scrutiny isn't comprehensive enough to assure the safety of people and the environment. None of the tests looks for long-term effects, and a study that would determine the size and fate of particles floating in the air appears to be lacking. Fine particles pose risks to respiratory and cardiovascular systems.

SF Gate

[TomInTib]

1. Something just has to give on this.

We had a large rally in Sausalito on Sunday.

This outrage has the potential to stir up some real trouble.

The fact that there are no plans to include the red parts and cities of the state really makes me wonder just what the heck is going on.

[flashl]

2. Do you know why the state need an emergency exemption? nt

[emlev]

3. Yes

The state needed an emergency exemption in order to spray without first conducting an environmental impact report (EIR). So they declared an emergency. But this spring judges in both Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties ruled that there was no emergency and that an EIR must be completed before the program could resume. Unfortunately, those rulings only apply to those two counties. Other counties may file similar actions but haven't yet.

A great website for people new to this issue is DontSprayUs.com, which is a website of California Alliance to Stop the Spray.

Thank you for posting. I've been frustrated about how little this issue has been on DU, but haven't had time to be the one to spearhead it.

[flashl]

4. Thanks for the response, the emergency exemption was a red flag for me. nt