Spraying of Synthetic Insecticides Against Gypsy Moths Barred
U.S. District Judge James A. Redden Friday banned the use of synthetic chemical insecticides to spray for gypsy moths, stopping their use immediately in Oregon and nationwide next January.
Redden ruled in favor of environmentalists who challenged the validity of an environmental impact statement prepared by the U.S. Agriculture Department on gypsy moth spraying programs.
Redden said the main text of the document was legally adequate. But the “worst case analysis” of what could happen with use of the chemicals “fails to meet the requirements” of the National Environmental Policy Act, he ruled.
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