Permit Restrictions Could Stop Mosquito Control From Spraying

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By Chelsea Kopta

Summary

The Benton County Mosquito Control District is gearing up for a big year but permit regulations by the state Department of Ecology could stop spraying.

Story Published: Mar 2, 2010 at 7:57 PM PST

Permit Restrictions Could Stop Mosquito Control From Spraying
WEST RICHLAND, WA -- "If we can't spray for nuisance mosquitoes, I'll probably move," John Springer said, a field inspector for the Benton County Mosquito District.

They are frightening words from mosquito control. Day after Day of 60 degree temperatures has pushed us into full swing of the mosquito season. Now, Benton county field inspectors like Springer are already taking counts.

"There's a lot there," he said, motioning to a dipper that collects the larvae in standing water. "This is worse than I thought."

The Benton County Mosquito Control District starts in south Yakima County and stretches to the Hanford area, Richland, West Richland, Benton City, Kennewick and Finley. Springer took Action News to an area in Richland that's a hotbed for blood-suckers.

Standing water is always a breeding ground for nuisance mosquitoes, which most of the spraying targets. Right now, the Department of Ecology is drafting a permit that would restrict spraying of any nuisance mosquitoes. If Ecology signs off on that permit in June, homeowners would have to fend for themselves.

"We have the capability to knock down those mosquitoes before they get into your neighborhood and attack your horse and your kids, but we can't," Springer said.

"I really think that if we are not able to spray mosquitoes - if we had a year like we did last year - people won't be able to go outside," Angela Balint said, District Manager at Benton County Mosquito Control District.

In once case, Balint said their crews found 24,000 mosquitoes in one testing area, in one night last year. And she said, they fielded 1,400 calls from homeowners asking for spray. Since the restrictions with Ecology started, the Benton County Mosquito Control has sent out letters to nearly all those people.

"Well I thought, 'how dumb.' West Richland homeowner Lorene Peterson said, who received a letter. "Yes we want to keep our place nice and everything but we need to keep the mosquitoes down cause they're a danger. Not just bad for cows and horses, they're bad for people."

Like all mosquito districts, control comes at a cost. But it's still your taxpayer dollars. Folks within the district pay $17 per $100,000 assessed property value.

"How does that make you feel that you may not get a service you pay for?" Action News asked Peterson. "Irritating because they don't take the price off of it, they just don't give you the service anymore."

Crews at the control district are intent on staying ahead of an already big year for bugs. They told Action News, they will spray your home if you call. But that could end in mid-June, just when the mosquitoes are usually at their worst.

"If this goes through as written, we'd have to say 'sorry.' We wouldn't want people to stay inside but their wouldn't be a lot we could do at that point," Balint said.

A public hearing and workshop on the permit is scheduled to be held in Moses Lake, Washington. At the workshop Ecology will explain the draft permit and answer questions. A hearing will immediately follow the workshop. Oral comments may be made at the hearing. Hearing and Workshop March 9, 2010 (1 p.m.) Moses Lake Fire Department 701 E. Third Ave. Moses Lake, WA 98837

The Mosquito Control District encourages you to write to the state Department of Ecology if you want to make sure your home will be sprayed.

To contact Ecology or find out more information about this issue, check out the Benton County Mosquito Control District's website at http://mosquitocontrol.org/pgs/home.html