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Don't Spray First and Ask Questions Later

In 2008 the Oakland City Attorney's Office organized a coalition of Bay Area cities to oppose the state's moth spraying plan. The state planned to send a fleet of airplanes to douse Oakland and other Bay Area cities with an untested chemical called "Checkmate" to eradicate the Light Brown Apple Moth, a species that farmers consider a threat to crops.

The state planned to spray without conducting an environmental review until court rulings in Santa Cruz and Monterey counties forced the CDFA to modify the plan. Facing continued opposition, the state agreed to abandon aerial spraying for the apple moth in March 2010.

Press release: Oakland applauds state decision to abandon aerial spray program (April 2, 2010)

Statement from Dept. of Food & Agriculture: Aerial spraying plan dropped (March 23, 2010)

Letter to state re: LBAM Final Environmental Impact Report (March 4, 2010)

City Attorney letter to state re: LBAM eradication plan (September 28, 2009)

Statement re: halt of aerial spraying program (June 19, 2008)

KPFA Morning Show: City Attorney talks about legal action to prevent moth spraying (April 29, 2008)

Op-ed: Don't spray first and ask questions later (April 21, 2008) Versión en Español

Press release: City Council authorizes aggressive legal strategy to prevent state from spraying pesticide without proper review (March 4, 2008)

City Council resolution & staff report