Green SF: Aerial Spraying Over San Francisco & Bay Area
Links to articles/information added since the original date of this post:
-
Learn more about the LBAM Aerial Spraying Issue - San Francisco & Bay Area:
- Overview of LBAM Spraying
- 10 Reasons to Oppose the LBAM Spray
- LBAM Spray Resources (print & video)
- Summary of Berkeley Town Hall Meeting (Feb 2008)
- What You Can Do to Stop the Aerial Spraying Over San Francisco
- Upcoming Bay Area Meetings
- Overview of Aerial Spraying Issue
- Things You Can Do if You Oppose the Spray
The San Francisco Chronicle reported last week that California officials plan an aerial pest eradication program over San Francisco and parts of the Bay Area. The bug in question is the Light Brown Apple Moth which -- depending on your information source -- will either destroy California's agriculture as we know it, or is barely an issue (at currently monitored numbers).
The areas due to be sprayed this summer include San Francisco, Daly City, Colma, Oakland, Piedmont, Emeryville, El Cerrito, El Sobrante, Tiburon and Belvedere. And you can bet there are residents and environmentalists who are concerned about spraying the pesticide Checkmate on human and non-human habitat in these zones.
More than 600 residents of the Santa Cruz and Monterey areas, who were part of a similar program, complained of health issues in the wake of their spraying. Injured birds turned up after the spraying, possibly affected by the surfactants in the mix. A site called Stop the Spray evolved to educate, to oppose the spraying, and to promote non-pesticide alternatives.
Map of Proposed Aerial Spraying (PDF) - may take time to load depending on your connection.
The active ingredient of Checkmate is a pheromone, designed to interfere with the moth's breeding. But there is concern over the potential impact of inert ingredients in the Checkmate product. The California Department of Agriculture reports that although "toxicological information on the Checkmate product indicates that exposure to high levels of the applied material would be consistent with many of the reported symptoms, the application rate was extremely low, and it is likely that exposure occurred at levels below those that would be expected to result in health effects.” (cdfa.ca.gov)
Groups like the Pesticide Action Network remain skeptical about the stated safety of aerial spraying, even at the current rate of application. They support less invasive methods and alternatives such as ground-level spraying and pheromone traps.
Having lived previously in two aerial spraying zones, with random fly-overs and controversy over health effects -- and living to the best of my ability without using pesticides and other potentially toxic agents -- you can say I'm not a fan of state-imposed application of chemicals. Especially over urban areas and taking into consideration potential effects on wildlife.
If you have concerns about what the program entails and how it might affect your neighborhood, you learn more and also attend some upcoming meetings around the Bay Area:
Learn how to reduce or eliminate pesticides in your home and garden -- check out Berkeley's Bio-Integral Resource Center.
Comments
thank you, ingrid. i live in santa cruz and you don’t want to get sprayed with this stuff. i can no longer live here.
This insanity needs to stop. Many of us in Santa Cruz and Monterey are still ill from the first spraying,months ago. Blessings to stopping the spray or anything else toxic they plan on using.
We said no to spray. YET we were sprayed. There has been no crop damage. Use sticky tape traps (not toxic bacteria twist ties). You will be sprayed 3 years, monthly, that long has been approved, unless you stand up for your rights. Write, fax, mail your legislators and attend city meetings and check websites to learn the facts.
I live in Oakland and have chemical sensitivity — I may have to move out of the area if this plan proceeds. I called and emailed ALL legislators this weekend - what else can I do?!?!
Hi, Lisa — I’ll be attending one or more of the community meetings next week (about the aerial spraying) and will report back here to the blog with anything new or relevant to residents in SF and the East Bay.
I was in Sacramento yesterday at the Agricultural Committee meeting. The two bills they approved will not stop the plan to spray the Bay Area from being implemented. I was discouraged to see the impassive faces of many of the committee members (even in the face of pleading mothers with babies, seniors, disabled people, etc.) and I realize that they represent big agricultural interests, not the people. The only way that we can influence legislators is to make them believe that a decision to spray will affect their political status. Jerry Brown is planning to run for governor. How about appealing to him? Perhaps he can do something to help, and this would get him many hundreds of thousands of votes from grateful Californians. You can leave him a message on his 800 line. I am told that he listens to all messages.