Club supports spray moratorium

Sierra Club California supports a precautionary moratorium on the aerial spraying designed to eradicate the light-brown apple moth. The moratorium is necessary to allow for the assessment of control strategies that can effectively manage the pest to acceptable thresholds without compromising human and environmental health.

We call for the use of control strategies that avoid public exposure to pesticides that cause cancer, birth defects, mutations, or reproductive effects, or alter the immune system or behavior of non-target organisms. These strategies may include the use of nontoxic integrated-pest-management methods, including aerial application of pheromones in highly infested areas of significant size.

We call for the public disclosure of any and all ingredients to be sprayed and the informed consent of the residents affected by the spraying.

Sierra Club California supports the following bills pending in the state legislature.

• SCR 87 (Migden) calls for a moratorium on the spraying until it can be proven safe and effective.
• AB 2760 (Leno) would require the completion of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) before aerial application of pesticides in urban areas for eradication of the light-brown apple moth. The EIR is the state tool for undertaking an alternatives assessment of impacts on human and environmental health.
• AB 2763 (Laird) would require advance planning for the control of invasive species in a scientifically methodical and publicly transparent manner.
• AB 2765 (Huffman) would require disclosure of pesticide ingredients, examination of alternatives to aerial spraying, and a public hearing to consider all alternatives before eradication projects in urban areas could begin.
• ACR 117 (Laird) would require independent scientific review of the health and scientific questions about the LBAM spraying program.