(Sacramento)—Assemblymember Sandré R. Swanson (D-Oakland), who introduced AB 2892 to ban all chemical spraying in urban areas without public consent, reacted to the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s announced decision to end plans to aerially spray against the Light Brown Apple Moth in urban areas.  The Department instead plans to use a combination of sterile insect mating interference, local predator introductions, and ground based pheromone chemical applications.
 
“This issue has always been one of public safety. It was about protecting our most vulnerable citizens—including children and seniors—from the effects of long-term aerial spraying.  This decision today finally addresses residents’ complaints that their health concerns were not being addressed, and that a program with major impacts was moving forward without their consent.  Fortunately, the tremendous protest against the proposed spraying in the Bay Area demonstrates that people can still effectively petition their government. That is a sign of a healthy democracy,” Assemblymember Swanson stated. 
 
“That said, this will not be the last time that a non-native insect will enter California.  Time will tell if the State can come up with transparent procedures to handle menacing pests in a way that won’t endanger the public’s health,” he concluded.