Lawsuits may be pending over California's spraying of pesticides for Glassy Winged Sharpshooter
[ Governor signs emergency funding for spraying ]
Click Here to Add Comment
This expenditure of $35 million dollars and more requested, is due to the imagined devastation of the wine industry in counties where the grape production is up 28%. Yes some growers are having problems. But never would I recommend that people's yards be sprayed to protect any industry.
2500 homes have been sprayed so far, some against their will. Californians have the right to appeal. I encourage all of you to go through the appeal process and please report back to me. Please document everything that employees tell you of the pesticides safety, etc.
Write down everything and please copy me. It may help in a lawsuit I plan if the state doesn't do the right thing within a very short period of time. Of course if the appeal costs too much or is too difficult for you, then write them and tell them you can't afford the appeal and you will not let them spray. Please copy me. It is illegal to spray or contaminate non-target individuals or property. I believe it's Food and Agriculture Code 6614.
Some Californians have threatened civil disobedience. I wonder if the state would get a court order, to get you to move from your own yard, I doubt that any applicator would spray with a person standing right in their face. It would be easy to get the residues tested on your clothes and then they would have violated state law. That would be interesting in court. A person with chemical intolerances like me could have a very serious reaction and be hospitalized or even die. I believe my AG commissioner would never spray me, the risks are too great. I am not encouraging people with chemical intolerances to leave their homes and search for a safe place, I believe we have the right as disabled people not to be forced out of our homes.
I am advocating to fight back with letters right now letting them know that they will be liable for any health effect. That you will have testing pulmonary, neurological etc right before they spray and right after to prove it. My ag Commissioner has a pesticide sensitive registry, so we can leave the area if we want. Why not consider the opposite, go and stand on the chemically injured's property at their invitation to form a human shield. Make sure they know that you will have air quality testing with you to determine just what exposure it takes for a chemically intolerant person to get sick. I am bringing medical equipment to those in my area at their request for before and after testing. The CA government refuses to do the studies to establish new safety standards for the chemically intolerant yet they experiment with these products against people's will. Peter Kurtz MD the senior medical director knows about people with MCS and expects us to leave. This is discrimination, this is intent to harm. This has got to stop.
Two lawsuits, and promises of civil disobedience, with more lawsuits supposedly on the way. Californians I urge you to call you legislators and demand a California Environmental Quality Act review of the Glassy Winged Sharp Shooter plans, and a immediate cease action until the review process is complete. Demand proof that these pesticide products are safe for everyone. There is no emergency to the wine industry to justify this harassment, endangerment and abuse of power.
Linda J. McElver
Central Coast Canaries
Glassy Winged SharpShooter Environmental Task Force
