County of Santa Cruz

 

COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE

701 OCEAN STREET,  SUITE 520,  SANTA CRUZ, CA 95060-4073

(831) 454-2100   FAX: (831) 454-3420   TDD: (831) 454-2123

SUSAN MAURIELLO, J.D., COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER


                       

Update on CDFA Spraying for LBAM

 

 

Date:               November 2, 2007

Release:          Immediately

Contact:          Dinah Phillips

                        Public Information Officer

 

On November 1, 2007, the Court denied Santa Cruz County’s request for a temporary restraining order  to stop  the California Department of Food and Agriculture from conducting aerial pheromone spraying for the Light Brown Apple Moth over portions of Santa Cruz County. CDFA has announced plans to commence spraying in Santa Cruz County as scheduled between November 4 and November 9.

 

CDFA has set up an email notification system to inform residents of when and where spraying will occur. Those interested in receiving email updates may sign up at

 

http://phpps.cdfa.ca.gov/notification/signup2.aspx

 

Although the County’s request for a temporary injunction was denied, the rest of the County’s case is still proceeding. In the coming months, the County will be focusing its efforts on gathering information that may be  presented to the court at a later hearing which may take place prior to the next scheduled round of spraying in late February 2008.

 

The County will be collecting evidence of illness or injury due to the aerial spraying for presentation to the Court. This information will be collected through local physicians and the County Health Services Agency (HSA).

 

In accordance with standard practices regarding the reporting of pesticide-related illnesses, the County Health Services Agency has issued a Health Advisory to all physicians in the County advising them that they are required to notify the County Health Officer, through the HSA Disease Control Unit, of illness or injury that they suspect was caused by pesticides.

 

Reports of illness or injury due to CDFA’s aerial spraying can only be tabulated if they are reported by physicians.  Self reporting will not be accepted by the Health Services Agency or other County departments.

 

Residents who believe that they have suffered illness or injury from CDFA’s spraying should be seen by a physician. If the physician suspects that the illness or injury was caused by pesticides, the physician must submit a Confidential Report of Known of Suspected Pesticide-Related Illness to the County Disease Control Unit.