Burbank May Try to Stop Medfly Spraying

Three Burbank City Council members said Wednesday they may try to force the state to halt anti-Medfly pesticide spraying over the city, which would add Burbank to five Southern California government agencies now calling for an end to spraying.

“My main concern is the lack of conclusive evidence, on behalf of the state, to tell us what the long-term effects of malathion are on people, especially children,” said Councilman Michael Hastings, who suggested that the city look into ways to prevent further spraying.

“I just feel as far as the city is concerned we’ve got to take a stand,” Hastings said.

Two others on the five-member council--Thomas Flavin and Tim Murphy--said they shared Hastings’ concern but were uncertain what legal options, if any, were available to the city to prohibit aerial spraying by the state.

Assistant City Atty. Terry B. Stevenson said his office is reviewing various proposals to halt spraying, which will be presented to the City Council at its Tuesday meeting.

The next aerial spraying of Burbank is scheduled for 9 p.m. Monday. Stevenson said it was too late for the city to stop it.

In addition to Burbank, Monday’s operation will cover a 47-square-mile area including portions of North Hollywood, Panorama City and Sylmar, said Los Angeles Agricultural Commissioner Leon Spaugy.

Although Spaugy and state health and agricultural officials maintain that the malathion in the pesticide spray is the safest and most effective way to eradicate the Mediterranean fruit fly, which they say poses a serious threat to the state’s $16-billion agricultural industry, public and political opposition to its use continues to grow.

This week, state Sen. Art Torres (D-Los Angeles) introduced two bills that would ban repeated aerial pesticide spraying in urban areas.

At the same time, officials of Monterey Park in Los Angeles County voted to ask the state to end the spraying. Huntington Beach, Garden Grove and Westminster in Orange County voted to seek court orders to prohibit aerial spraying over any portion of their cities.

In addition, the Los Angeles Board of Education voted last week to ask county and state officials to stop malathion spraying until effects of exposure on children can be studied.