SACRAMENTO, CA – Today AB 2765, Assemblymember Jared Huffman's (D-San Rafael) bill to reform the state's process when considering aerial spray in urban areas, passed the Assembly floor with bipartisan support. 

AB 2765 will bring disclosure and public involvement into the Department of Food and Agriculture process.  The bill requires the Department to hold public hearings before spraying and to disclose elements of the spray to the public.  It requires an evaluation of the human and environmental health effects of proposed aerial spray.   The bill applies to any proposed aerial spraying in urban areas.

AB 2765 was introduced in response to the spraying last year in the Monterey/Santa Cruz area and proposed spraying this year in the Bay Area.  The proposed spraying program in the Bay Area and the Monterey Bay Area has been put on hold by the Governor who instead is supporting the introduction of sterile Light Brown Apple moths in infested urban areas. 

"What my constituents and I have found is there is no connection between the process used by Sacramento regulators, and the reasonable expectations of citizens on the issue of aerial spraying.  This bill is part of the effort to re-connect people and their government” said Huffman.  “We think the public needs to know what is proposed, what ingredients are in the spray, and what alternatives may be available, before spraying, not as an after-thought.  We need to include affected communities in a public process,” concluded Huffman.

AB 2765 is supported by a wide consortium of environmental groups including Pesticide Watch, Sierra Club, and Marin Organic as well as the agriculture community. The Governor has until the end of September to sign or veto the measure.