10/31/05 Hearings on pesticide notification

Washington Ag October 31, 2005 Facilities that serve young, old or sick people would have to be given advanced notice before certain pesticides could be applied near them under a rule proposed by the Washington State Department of Agriculture. Ann Wick, of the WSDA's Pesticide Management Division explains. Wick: "If you apply .......two days prior to the application." 23 If the application site is further than ½ mile away, even though boundaries touch, no notification would be required. Wick: "The major areas that would be affected we are looking at would probably be the Wenatchee-Yakima areas with orchards. Possibly the Skagit area with berries and some areas of western Washington with Christmas trees." The proposed regulation does not prohibit the application of any pesticide and all regulations regarding spray drift remain in force. There will be a public hearing on the proposal this Wednesday, November 2nd, at Wenatchee Valley Community College at three and at seven p.m. Also in Yakima Monday, November 7th at 7 p.m. at the WSDA office. A hearing will be held in Olympia November 14th at the WSDA headquarters at 3 p.m.