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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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