3 Cities Oppose Aerial Spraying
The La Verne, Claremont and Azusa city councils have taken stands against aerial spraying of malathion, urging the state to take a different approach to fighting the region’s Medfly infestation.
La Verne and Claremont have asked the state instead to adopt an integrated pest management plan that would fight the fly through measures including the release of sterile Medflies and limited ground spraying.
The Claremont City Council will incorporate its views, including a request for a moratorium on aerial spraying, into a letter to Gov. George Deukmejian. The La Verne council has directed its staff to develop an ordinance on malathion spraying for consideration at its March 19 meeting.
Meanwhile, the Azusa City Council voted unanimously to join as a “friend of the court” in the anti-spraying lawsuit filed two weeks ago by the cities of Los Angeles, Glendale and Burbank.
During its Monday meeting, the council also approved a letter, to be sent to Gov. George Deukmejian, the California Department of Food and Agriculture and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, demanding that no aerial spraying take place without prior written approval of the city.
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