Stop the Aerial Spraying Over San Francisco Bay Area - What You Can Do
Updated May 10, 2008
See additional information and updates on the LBAM Spray program:
Summary of Aerial Spraying Issue | 10 Reasons to Oppose the LBAM Spray | LBAM Spray Resources | News & Updates | Berkeley Community Meeting Notes | Upcoming Meetings
Actions You Can Take Against the LBAM Spray
What you can do if you oppose the aerial pesticide spraying for the Light Brown Apple Moth (LBAM) -- proposed for San Francisco and the Bay Area in the summer of 2008.
Areas to be sprayed include: all of San Francisco, south Marin, Oakland, Alameda, Berkeley, Albany and north to Carquinez.
Map of Proposed Spray Zones (jpg)
1. Learn more about the LBAM issue:
These resources contain information about the aerial spraying, the products that may be used, and the potential health and environmental effects.
Articles and blog posts at About San Francisco:
Overview of the CDFA Aerial Spraying Program | Summary of Berkeley Community Meeting on the Aerial Spraying (Feb 24, 2008) | Blog Post & Poll (2/17/08)
San Francisco Chronicle articles on LBAM Aerial Spraying:
Spray Likely to Harm More Than Help | State Plans Bay Area Pesticide Spraying | Bills Seek to Curb Pesticide Spray Over Cities
2. Support the Organizations Working to Oppose the Aerial Spraying with Donations or Time:
Websites and organizations opposing the spraying: California Alliance to Stop the Spray | LBAMspray.org | Stop the Spray (stopthespray.org) | East Bay Stop the Spray | LBAMspray.com | Play Not Spray | Vegan Reader | Pesticide Watch
For a counterpoint, see the California Department of Food and Agriculture's official position at their website cdfa.ca.gov
California Alliance to Stop the Spray
California Alliance to Stop the Spray (CASS) is the 'umbrella' alliance of these various groups. They've been the source for information, organization and logistical efforts in opposition to the spray.
CASS has a Take Action section at their website, with information on petitions, official e-mail addresses, and other fact sheets.
3. Sign the Petition Opposing the Aerial Spraying of Pesticides
Stop the Spray has an online petition to stop the aerial spraying. Be sure to add your personal comment in the online form. At the Berkeley community meeting on February 24, John Russo of Stop the Spray said that comments and petition signatures are significant and used in official meetings on this issue
4. Attend community and city council meetings on the LBAM issue:
Showing support in person is extremely important, especially at meetings where resolutions against the spraying are at stake.
See a list of upcoming meetings in the San Francisco Bay Area:
5. Write to Nancy Pelosi
Thank her for addressing this issue with Governor Schwarzenegger (in a letter released May 8, 2008) -- and urge her to persist in her efforts.
If you're a constituent of the 8th District in San Francisco, write to her at: sf.nancy@mail.house.gov
If you're outside the 8th District, write to Speaker Pelosi at AmericanVoices@mail.house.gov
6. Write to or call Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Secretary AG Kawamura
Governor Schwarzenegger has the power to stop the aerial spraying with the stroke of a pen. Impress upon him your concerns and ask him to oppose the aerial spraying program.
Governor Schwarzenegger Contact Page
Write to California Dept of Food and Agriculture Secretary Kawamura: akawamura@cdfa.ca.gov
7. Contact state Attorney General Edmund G. Brown, Jr:
You can use the contact information at the Attorney General's web page to reach him for comment: ag.ca.gov/contact
8. Contact your State Assembly members:
State Assembly homepage with a link to "find my district."
San Francisco: Mark Leno (13th District) - Fiona Ma (12th District)
Berkeley, Albany and other sections of the East Bay: Assemblymember Loni Hancock -- see map of 14th district
Oakland & Alameda: Assemblymember Sandre Swanson -- see map of 16th district
South Marin: Jared Huffman
9. Contact Your Congressional Representative:
Ask them not to fund this USDA program.
Senator Barbara Boxer | Senator Dianne Feinstein
Find Your Congressperson in the House of Representatives
10. Alert the media:
Write to your local newspaper, radio and television stations to express your concern and opposition.
Some local television stations: Channel 2 KTVU | ABC News 7 | KRON 4
Local papers: San Francisco Chronicle | San Francisco Examiner | Oakland Tribune | Berkeley Daily Planet | Contra Costa Times | Marin Independent
11. Spread the word:
If you have a blog or web page, write about the issue or link to pertinent information.
Check out the community action toolkit at stopthespray.org
Participate in or organize a letter writing campaign
Distribute the downloadable poster at Stop the Spray: Stop the Spray Poster (pdf)