Wed, 16 Apr 2008 19:30:02 GMT- E-mail
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ALAMEDA: CITY COUNCIL APPROVES RESOLUTION TO OPPOSE APPLE MOTH SPRAYING
ALAMEDA (BCN)
Alameda has joined other Bay Area cities by unanimously passing a resolution
opposing state plans to conduct aerial spraying to eradicate the light brown
apple moth that is considered a threat to plants and agricultural crops.
In addition to opposing the spraying planned to begin Aug. 1 in parts of San
Francisco, Marin, Alameda, Contra Costa and San Mateo counties, the City Council
voted to support proposed state legislation that would restrict eradication
efforts and require an environmental impact report to be conducted before
spraying begins.
The California Department of Food and Agriculture has also scheduled spraying
to begin June 1 in Monterey and Santa Cruz counties.
The state has claimed an emergency exemption from the California
Environmental Quality Act, allowing spraying of the pheromone-based pesticide
without conducting environmental review of possible environmental or health
risks, according to officials.
Alameda's resolution that was passed Tuesday night asks that state officials
investigate the potential health and environmental risks associated with the
spray and requests that the city attorney look into possible litigation against
the state.
"I am opposed to aerial spraying at this time due to the lack of evidence
supporting safety and the lack of evidence supporting the 'emergency' status of
the apple moth to override safety questions," Alameda City Councilman Frank
Mataresse said.
Cities that have passed similar resolutions include Berkeley, Oakland,
Emeryville, Albany and San Francisco.
San Francisco supervisors on Tuesday unanimously adopted a resolution
opposing the aerial chemical spraying as well as a second resolution urging the
state to make maximum use of safe and tested ground-based methods to control the
moth, complete an environmental impact report before any aerial spray program
and ensure the state Environmental Protection Agency assesses the human health
risk of the spraying.
Opponents of the program claim that spraying may cause respiratory problems,
skin rashes, headaches and other health issues and that the eradication program
has not been proven to be safe, effective or necessary. Some cite Santa Clara
and Monterey counties, where spraying of the pesticide was followed by hundreds
of reports of respiratory and other health problems.
However, State Agriculture Secretary A.G. Kawamura issued a statement Monday,
contending that the "program's success is critical to our economy, our
environment and public health.''
The moth, native to Australia, has been found recently in parts of the
Central Coast and the Bay Area, including San Francisco. Federal and state
agriculture officials claim that if the moth is allowed to spread throughout the
state, it could cause between $160 million and $640 million in crop damage each
year.
Though the plan also includes placing twist ties containing the pheromone on
trees, shrubs and fence posts in infested areas, and the release of millions of
tiny, stinger-less wasps that target the moth's eggs, the department considers
aerial spraying its main option.
(© 2007 The Associated Press. All Rights
Reserved. In the interest of timeliness, this story is fed directly from the
Associated Press newswire and may contain occasional typographical errors. )
