Btk: A Victory in BC

To: David Orton <greenweb@FOX.NSTN.CA>
From: greenweb@FOX.NSTN.CA
Date: Fri, 17 Apr 1998 07:16:16 -0300
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Return-Path: <sust-mar-mml-owner@chebucto.ns.ca>

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PUBLICATION	The Vancouver Province 
DATE	Thu 16 Apr 1998 
EDITION	FINAL 
SECTION/CATEGORY	News 
PAGE NUMBER	A19 
BYLINE	Barbara McLintock, Staff Reporter 
STORY LENGTH	214 



Residents kill off aerial spraying 


VICTORIA --- A small group of opponents of aerial pesticide spraying have
won a huge victory from the B.C. environmental appeal board. 

A two-member panel ruled that the federal government can't go ahead with an
aerial spray program for gypsy moths in Greater Victoria. 

In its 19-page ruling, board chairwoman Toby Vigod castigated the feds for
what she described as ``a degree of arrogance and high-handedness'' in
ignoring previous recommendations by the board that they consult more with
the community and the opponents of spraying, and in refusing to work with
the opponents to find a different anti-moth strategy. 

The panel heard from more than a dozen residents who fear that spraying
with the organic pesticide Btk would aggravate allergies, asthma and
environmental sensitivities, although evidence showed virtually no evidence
of long-lasting or severe health problems related to Btk-spraying. 

The panel concluded the spraying ``will create risk of an adverse effect on
the health of at least some of the residents of those populated urban areas
to be sprayed.'' 

The panel approved only ground-spraying but officials have said that method
is not nearly as effective at destroying the voracious caterpillars. 

The federal officials said they're considering the decision before making
their next move. Time is limited because the caterpillars have already
begun to hatch. 

The Vancouver Province 





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