Progress Update

Well, we have good news!  Amy and I just wanted to let everyone know that we are still busy working on finding a healthier solution to mosquito control here in Ephraim.  We had a meeting on Monday, May 1st with the city and EcoLife. Everyone was very helpful and hopeful about finding a fair solution. We thought everyone would be interested in how it went, what we learned, and where we go from here.  Minutes from the meeting are posted below, as noted by Amy and I during the meeting.  We would love to hear from you all, so please contact us if you want to get involved and help. 

On Monday, May 1^st at 2:00 p.m., Regan Bolli (Ephraim City Manager), Chad Dewey and Travis Goode (EcoLife) and Amy Jorgensen and Rachel Keller met at Ephraim City Hall to discuss the mosquito abatement program implemented in the city of Ephraim in 2009.  Amy Jorgensen and Rachel Keller requested the meeting in order to better inform themselves and others on the current abatement program approved by the city and administered by EcoLife.

1.     In addition to gathering information, possible solutions for citizens wanting to exercise their right to opt-out of being sprayed/fogged were discussed.  Some equitable possible solutions included:

·       Creating an opt-out policy similar to towns and counties in Utah and throughout the United States (and North America).

·       A compromise which included spraying only public areas for which the city is responsible, such as parks, the library, city hall, baseball fields, etc. 

·       Examining alternative options to spraying.

2.     The issue of economic s was also addressed during the meeting.  Ephraim city spends anywhere from $7,000-$12,000 on the mosquito abatement, with the money coming from a $5-$6 bill issued to each utility connection in Ephraim. Some of the issues addressed included:

·       The effectiveness of spraying vs. the cost. 

·       Research showing fogging as the least effective method of mosquito abatement was discussed, as well as the documented research showing mosquitoes developing resistance and natural predators of mosquitoes being affected by the spraying.

·       The difficulty of achieving efficacy when spraying must take place at least no earlier than 9:00 p.m. in order to try to lessen the effect of the chemicals on pregnant women, children, and the elderly, who are most susceptible to the chemical used.  The peak time for mosquitoes is between 7-10 p.m. 

3.     Another significant issue addressed was the health and safety issue.

·       EcoLife discussed the idea of Malathion being classified as not posing an “unreasonable risk” but also not being classified as “safe.”

·       Possible side effects (including autism) of Malathion were discussed, as well as the idea of people being able to choose what risks they wish to be exposed to and which risks they find too great. 

4.     Some of the main questions  and answers included:

·       Who has oversight of the abatement program administered by EcoLife? 

o   Response:  The Utah Department of Agriculture has general oversight over mosquito abatement programs as far as compliance issues are concerned.  The general rule is “the law is the label”; in other words, EcoLife follows the recommended spraying instructions on the label of Fyfanon ULV®.

o   Inspections are made, but it was noted they are not necessarily on a regular basis.  If companies are repeat offenders, they are checked more often.  EcoLife has never had a problem passing their inspections.

·       Who orders the spraying to be done?  Who decides the when, where, frequency, start/stop dates, etc.?

o   The county provides larvacide treatment free of charge for the entire county.  In fact, citizens with standing water should call the county if they would like treatment.

o   EcoLife decides how often to spray, and the city calls EcoLife to request the initial start of spraying.  EcoLife bases its decision to spray based upon calls from Ephraim City (who receives calls from residents), mosquito monitoring, etc.

·       What is the current opt-out policy for citizens who chose not to have their personal property sprayed?

o   Currently, there is no opt-out program provided by Ephraim citizens for residents who chose not to be sprayed.  It was shared that there are opt-out programs in many areas in Utah and throughout the United States and North America.  Mount Pleasant, Utah has an opt-out program in place, as well as Sevier county.

·       How are mosquitoes monitored?  How and where are they gathered?

o   EcoLife monitors mosquitoes through trapping them in a box, luring them in via carbon dioxide and light.  Then, a fan pushes the mosquitoes to the bottom.  EcoLife collects them and sends them to a lab to be tested.

o   They are gathered weekly from randomly selected sites throughout Ephraim.

·       What sort of gathering apparatus is used to collect the mosquitoes?

o   See above.

·       What criteria are used in the decision to spray Malathion, name-brand Fyfanon ULV®?

o   No clear industry criteria for spraying.  Mostly based on the number of complaint calls Ephraim city receives.

·       What notice is/has been provided to Ephraim residents about what is being sprayed and when it is sprayed?

o   A schedule was provided in the summer of 2011 via the utility bill. 

o   The issue of spraying on non-scheduled days was raised.  EcoLife explained they do sometimes spray on non-scheduled days when they do not complete spraying the previous assigned day. 

o   During the summer of 2010, no schedule or warning was provided.

·       Are there industry standards for determining when spraying is necessary?

o   Again, there is no clear standard.  It is usually determined by peak seasonal times and the number o f phone calls Ephraim city receives.

·       What training do the employees who are spraying on behalf of EcoLife receive?

o   EcoLife’s employee training is extensive.  All sprayers are trained, certified, and licensed.  They complete at least 60 + hours a year of continuing education, attend conferences hosted by the suppliers, as well as online training.  The company also holds a weekly safety meeting.

·       How many, if any, West Nile carrying types of mosquitoes have been found in Ephraim?

o   There were no West Nile carrying mosquitoes found in Ephraim city.  In 2010, there was one reported cased of West Nile in all of Utah.