Laird Reaction to State Report on
Health Affects from LBAM Spraying
SACRAMENTO – Assemblymember John Laird
(D-Santa Cruz) today released the following statement in response to the LBAM
health affects report issued by the state Office of Environment Health Hazard
Assessment, the Department of Pesticide Regulation and the Department of Public
Health:
“I’m disappointed that what should have been a very serious
scientific effort started long ago, became an exercise where just 10% of the
reported cases were analyzed and the findings have been used effectively as
spin for the CDFA. To say that there is no information to indicate a link
between the spraying and health affects is not the same as saying there is no
link between spraying and health affects. The state did not reach out to
a single doctor for the report. At a minimum, the reports associated with
doctors should have been retrieved and given full analysis, including speaking
with the reporting physicians. With no sense of irony, the report suggests
putting in place a more effective reporting system—when having such a
system is exactly what has been requested for months by me and many others, and
such a system would have enabled them to analyze more than just 10% of the
cases.”
More on LBAM and Assemblymember
Laird
Assemblymember Laird has authored ACR
117, an Assembly Concurrent Resolution that calls on the California
Department of Food and Agriculture, the Department of Pesticide Regulation, the
Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment and other relevant state
departments to address unresolved health, scientific and efficacy issues surrounding
the CDFA’s LBAM eradication plans.
Mr. Laird is also the author of AB
2763, the Invasive Pest Planning Act of 2008. The bill would require
the CDFA to create a list of invasive animals, plants, and insects that have a
reasonable likelihood of entering California for which an eradication program
might be appropriate. For each invasive on the list, the department would
prepare a written assessment on the most appropriate method of
eradication. If pesticides were to be used, the assessment would have to
discuss application methods, the chemistry of the pesticide and its inert
ingredients, impacts on public health and the environment. If a pest was
found, the department would have to notify various local agencies, hold public
hearings, and comply with other requirements. AB 2763 passed the Assembly
Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee and will next be heard 4/16
in the Assembly Agriculture Committee.
For more information on the Light Brown Apple Moth
issue—including key documents, correspondence, news and other
information, visit Assemblymember Laird’s LBAM resource page: http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/members/a27/moth.htm
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Bill
Maxfield
Director
of Communications
Assemblymember
John Laird
831-596-0910
831-425-1503
916-319-2027
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