Spraying for Light Brown Apple Moth to Begin Sunday Night

From the Sentinel:
BREAKING NEWS: Judge clears path for aerial spraying to begin Sunday By TOM RAGAN
Sentinel staff writer

A trio of state-owned planes will begin spraying a pesticide in North Monterey County on Sunday to prevent spread of the light brown apple moth, an invasive pest the state says is capable of causing millions of dollars in crop damage if not stopped soon.

Spraying in Santa Cruz County will start early next week.

A judge Thursday denied the county’s request to temporarily halt the Department of Food and Agriculture program, which has come under fire for health and environmental reasons, saying county attorneys failed to prove the pesticide would harm the public.

Links to the Sentinel's coverage of the moth spraying debate.

Santa Cruz County Superior Court Judge Paul Burdick ruled that the county “wasn’t able to sustain its burden of proof,” said Jason Heath, a county attorney who spoke on behalf of the judge after the ruling was issued.

“The spraying will not be delayed,” Heath told the crowd of some 50 people who had gathered for the decision in Burdick’s courtroom at the Santa Cruz County Government Center. Heath said the county could appeal the case to the 6th District Court of Appeals but said that decision had not been made.

Find out what actions you can take at this website: http://lbamspray.info/