Riechel Informs: Editorial - Time Running Out to OPPOSE Senate Bill 1246

EDITORIAL:

I am the City of San Bruno's trustee to the San Mateo County Mosquito & Vector Control District.

The District has taken an OPPOSITION position to Senate Bill 1246 (SB 1246) on Mosquito Conttrol

The following are my reasons for opposing this bill.

I ask all California residents reading this editorial to consider OPPOSING this bill.

If you agree, please contact your own CA State Senator and send or fax your opposition to the below listed TO ARRIVE BEFORE APRIL 7th 2016.

TO: Senate Environmental Quality Committee - fax 916-322-3519

CC: K.P. Public Affairs - fax 916-448-4923

You can mail your OPPOSITION to

The Honorable Bob Wieckowski

Chair, Senate Committee on Environmental Quality

State Capitol, Room 2205

Sacramento, CA 95814

I, Robert Riechel, a private citizen residing in San Bruno CA, OPPOSE SB 1246 and request you to KILL THIS BILL.

DO NOT TAKE any other action on this bill.

I oppose Senate Bill 1246 (SB 1246) for the following reasons:

Key Messages:

1. SB 1246 would make it impossible to immediately address threats to public health from mosquitoes that can transmit human diseases

· California Mosquito and Vector Control District programs are based on real‐time surveillance

o Need to act quickly before mosquitoes disperse, reproduce, or infect people

o Delays in pesticide application are inconsistent with Integrated Pest Management practices

§ Increase the risk of disease transmission to humans,

§ result in additional pesticide applications,

§ larger application areas, and

§ less effective control of disease vectors

2. Mandating advanced notification of aerial pesticide treatment will not provide the public with any additional protection, but rather will lead to increased risk of disease due to a delay in treaments

· The methods and materials mosquito and vector control districts use are highly regulated at the Federal, State, and local levels

o Shown effective in reducing disease threats to human health by the World Health Organization, the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the California Environmental Protection Agency, and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH)

o Pose an extremely low risk to the public

· California Mosquito and Vector Districts work under a cooperative agreement with CDPH

o Allows us to combat the threat of mosquito-borne disease through aerial treatments without formal notice (3 CCR 6620)

· Many active ingredients contained in public health pesticides are commonly used in consumer pest control products

· No action is required from residents in treatment areas, regardless of the level of notification provided

3. The future likely holds more – not less – risk of mosquito-borne illnesses

· Invasive mosquito species Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus have been found in California

o These mosquito species are the greatest vector-borne disease threat to your constituents’ health, as they can transmit dengue, chikungunya, Zika, yellow fever, West Nile virus, and dog heart worm

o Dengue, chikungunya, and Zika viruses can be transmitted locally from infected travelers in some instances

o Number of California cities with invasive Aedes is growing (likely to continue)

· West Nile virus continues to pose a threat to the citizens of California

o In 2015, there were 783 human cases and 53 fatalities in California residents

o In 2014, there were 801 human cases and 31 fatalities in California residents

/s/ Robert Riechel

San Bruno CA 94066

The above are the thoughts of Robert Riechel and in no way represent any Patch or any of its advertisers.