Report back on the Anvil Spraying of last week

from Pete Leki
9/8/06

Dear Friends,
All day yesterday I felt distracted at work because of
the impending ANVIL spraying. Early in the morning we
got a call asking if we could meet with Mr. Terry
Mason, Head of the Chicago Department of Public
Health, Dr. Paul, Alderman Schulter and Marty Casey,
Ward Superintendent. Julie and I met with them and
Julie presented them with a packet of beautifully
researched reasons not to spray. The City for there
part had prepared a statement responding in some ways
to these claims and our concerns and determination.
The discussion seemed to be very earnest.
We brought up the new study that finds that the
spraying of synthetic pyrethroids is not effective in
killing mosquitoes, thus leaving people feeling a false
sense of security. The city claims that conditions are
different here than in the study case and that they do
monitor mosquito populations before and after spraying
and have noted a 75% reduction. We do not know if
their methods and results are public information or
not.
We brought up that we knew of 3 cities that opted not
to spray adult mosquitoes, and Christina, the
Alderman's aide, very kindly found the position
statement of the Washington DC Health Department. Interestingly, they
said that they didn't want to spray because of the health risks to
asthma sufferers and also that they might be sued if the spray wafted
over the walls of foreign embassies.
We asked that local communities be allowed to opt out
of these programs and they responded that to do so
would compromise the effectiveness of the spraying.
They said that to their knowledge, city governments
who allow citizens to opt out are controlling pest
mosquitoes, not West Nile ones.
Julie did an awfully good job presenting study after
study that questioned the medical risks associated
with ANVIL. The City agreed that they don't like
spraying, that it is a last resort, and that if they
could find a different way to reduce Culex pipiens,
they would.
This led us to discuss why Chicago, a self-described
"green city" could not lead the way in finding
alternatives to spraying. Dr. Mason suggested inviting
the Head of the Department of Environment, scientists
and public health professionals from our Universities,
the CDPH and us convene a working group to study other
cities and approaches.
On the issue of spraying that night, however, they
would give no ground, saying that they were going by
CDC standards and didn't want to compromise their
program. They also mentioned that there were people
calling and asking why they weren't being sprayed
sooner. Assuming that these were not paid agents of
CLARK, we have to acknowledge that there is much
ignorance and fear in the general population, and that
the media and the CDPH have not helped in this area.
Last evening we painted signs saying "No Toxic Spray"
and posted them at houses of people who requested
them. One local resident got upset, yelling that the
majority want to be sprayed. I asked if she had read
any of our handouts about the issue. She said "No, I
don't have to, I'm pro-spraying. I want to get rid of
those bugs". Clearly, we do not speak in one voice in
our community.
Greg and Allison cut basil from their yard, and Debbie
covered up the beautiful night-scented tuber rose and
tomatoes, hoping to avoid the spray. Dragon flies
zoomed around us, as if waiting for the end of the
world. Little Theo made a sign that read "No cars
allowed on Hutchinson" and Joey or Nick wrote "You
spray, you pay!" We passed out fliers to anyone about,
warning them of the spraying and many people thanked
us. We gathered at the corner and a police officer
came by, very kindly, empathetically and politely
asking us to not block the streets.
Some of us were ready to drag the barricades out and
resist this Poisoning as one would resist any
violence. But instead we stood as silent witnesses as
the trucks arrived, kindly turning off their spray as
they passed us.
We have done extraordinary things since this spraying
campaign began: we researched and made our views
known, we resisted in the streets and risked arrest,
we organized teach-ins and published our views for all
to see, Julie and her summer interns went door to door
with information and petitions, we enlisted the
sympathetic support of our Alderman, and we have an
agreement with top City officials to work for an
alternative.
Dr. Paul and Dr Mason say that they believe, and hope,
that last night will be the last spraying of the year.
If so, it means that we have laid our cards on the
table and can begin organizing technical and legal
help for the working group.

If we are successful we will accomplish two important things:
1) we will create more trust and confidence between us and the
Health Department, opening the way for future co-operation, and
2) we may be able to find an alternative to spraying for the whole
city, not just our dear neighborhood.
That would be huge!

But, it does not mean that we have given up our right to
disagree, protest, and take part in non-violent civil disobedience
when we believe our community and our families are at risk. If the
working group fails we will organize, and educate, and it will
not be one courageous young man standing in the street, but hundreds.

Pete