Tens of thousands California residents are being sprayed under the cover of night with pesticides containing partly unknown chemicals. These sprayings, conducted inadequate health studies, are done not to protect residents from a clear and present public health danger, but rather to protect special interests worried about eradicating the Light Brown Apple Moth (LBAM).
The LBAM spray operations in Central Coast counties of Monterey and Santa Cruz resulted in over 600 reports of health illnesses. State authorities have not only failed to respond, but now plan new LBAM aerial spray operations in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Californians have a right to refuse fumigation without proof of a clear and present public health danger. Any mandatory pesticide spraying of chemicals must be shown to address a clear and present public health danger, and must be approved by the people in the area to be sprayed with a vote.
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The LBAM eradication spraying has been ordered by the Secretary of Agriculture, and due to a declared "state of emergency," representatives and residents are currently legally powerless to stop this. The legitimacy of this so-called "emergency" is uncertain; the LBAM poses no risk to human health but rather a contested threat to certain crops and plants.
Yet, government agencies approving the LBAM plan admit that the pesticide could pose a threat to some people, stating "not all health effects can be predicted and because the general population includes susceptible (people), such as children, the elderly and those with chronic diseases, we cannot provide a definitive cause for their symptoms [experienced after the spraying in Santa Cruz and Monterey]."
Read the following letter from Assemblymember John Laird of the 27th district to the Secretary of Agriculture demanding explanation. In his letter on September 24, 2007 you will see a dialog between the Assemblymember and the Secretary on this issue:
http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/members/a27/moth.htmThe bottom line is that the Secretary of Agriculture secured power to conduct LBAM aerial spraying of chemicals which at least in part were of unknown composition over urban areas of California against public outcry and concern.
We need laws that protect us and our environment, not special interests, and to ensure that we are not subjected to chemicals against our individual rights without an immediate health danger, due process, and a public vote.
Additional information is available at
http://www.stopthespray.org/I am opposed to aerial spraying without consent in the Bay Area. Californians have a right to informed consent regarding pesticides sprayed by the state over homes and communities.
It is clear from the recent actions of the Secretary of Agriculture, Secretary Kawamura, that this right is not respected by the state, that aerial spraying is conducted without proper consent, disclosures, or regard for safety, and that new legislation is needed to insure this does not happen in the future.
We therefore demand legislation requiring that any mandatory aerial spraying of any chemical over populated areas or private property must have the explicit consent of the individuals and property owners, or it must be shown that such spraying is necessary to address a clear and present public health danger. Further, if the spraying it to address a public health danger, it must be approved by a 2/3 majority public vote.
