Wachs Urges Ban on Use of Airports in Medfly War
Los Angeles City Councilman Joel Wachs on Friday proposed keeping city-operated airports off-limits to helicopters used by the state to spray residential areas with pesticide in the ongoing Medfly battle.
He said the state, which recently moved its Southern California Mediterranean fruit fly helicopter operations from El Monte to the Riverside Municipal Airport, is interested in using the Van Nuys Airport.
Wachs said that residents, who have endured repeated sprayings of malathion, should not have to suffer also from having noisy helicopters taking off and landing in their neighborhoods.
Larry Cooper, a spokesman for the state’s Cooperative Medfly Project, confirmed that officials are negotiating with airport officials at Van Nuys. But he said the state does not expect to use the San Fernando Valley airport more than once or twice unless more Medflies are found in the Los Angeles area.
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